diff --git a/news/5147.bugfix b/news/5147.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1ed999b3af4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/5147.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Don't output stack trace when `pip install` is called with an invalid
+requirement.
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/req/req_install.py b/src/pip/_internal/req/req_install.py
index f3515e40ce2..1662cea2719 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/req/req_install.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/req/req_install.py
@@ -250,14 +250,16 @@ def from_line(
         if req is not None:
             try:
                 req = Requirement(req)
-            except InvalidRequirement:
+            except InvalidRequirement as e:
                 if os.path.sep in req:
                     add_msg = "It looks like a path."
                     add_msg += deduce_helpful_msg(req)
                 elif '=' in req and not any(op in req for op in operators):
                     add_msg = "= is not a valid operator. Did you mean == ?"
                 else:
-                    add_msg = traceback.format_exc()
+                    msg = str(e)
+                    msg = msg.replace('Invalid requirement, ', '')
+                    add_msg = msg
                 raise InstallationError(
                     "Invalid requirement: '%s'\n%s" % (req, add_msg))
         return cls(
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_req.py b/tests/unit/test_req.py
index f9e73afc323..4d5cfa7b990 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_req.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_req.py
@@ -537,12 +537,19 @@ def test_single_equal_sign(self):
         assert "Invalid requirement" in err_msg
         assert "= is not a valid operator. Did you mean == ?" in err_msg
 
-    def test_traceback(self):
+    def test_no_traceback(self):
         with pytest.raises(InstallationError) as e:
             InstallRequirement.from_line('toto 42')
         err_msg = e.value.args[0]
         assert "Invalid requirement" in err_msg
-        assert "\nTraceback " in err_msg
+        assert "Traceback" not in err_msg
+
+    def test_error_hint(self):
+        with pytest.raises(InstallationError) as e:
+            InstallRequirement.from_line('toto 42')
+        err_msg = e.value.args[0]
+        assert "Invalid requirement" in err_msg
+        assert "parse error at" in err_msg
 
     def test_requirement_file(self):
         req_file_path = os.path.join(self.tempdir, 'test.txt')