diff --git a/plugins/processors/execd/execd.go b/plugins/processors/execd/execd.go
index 7aeb285a44fc5..3d11bac4969fe 100644
--- a/plugins/processors/execd/execd.go
+++ b/plugins/processors/execd/execd.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/config"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal/process"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/parsers"
+	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/parsers/influx"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/processors"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/serializers"
 )
@@ -117,6 +118,12 @@ func (e *Execd) Stop() error {
 }
 
 func (e *Execd) cmdReadOut(out io.Reader) {
+	// Prefer using the StreamParser when parsing influx format.
+	if _, isInfluxParser := e.parser.(*influx.Parser); isInfluxParser {
+		e.cmdReadOutStream(out)
+		return
+	}
+
 	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(out)
 	scanBuf := make([]byte, 4096)
 	scanner.Buffer(scanBuf, 262144)
@@ -137,6 +144,33 @@ func (e *Execd) cmdReadOut(out io.Reader) {
 	}
 }
 
+func (e *Execd) cmdReadOutStream(out io.Reader) {
+	parser := influx.NewStreamParser(out)
+
+	for {
+		metric, err := parser.Next()
+
+		if err != nil {
+			// Stop parsing when we've reached the end.
+			if err == influx.EOF {
+				break
+			}
+
+			if parseErr, isParseError := err.(*influx.ParseError); isParseError {
+				// Continue past parse errors.
+				e.acc.AddError(parseErr)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// Stop reading on any non-recoverable error.
+			e.acc.AddError(err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		e.acc.AddMetric(metric)
+	}
+}
+
 func (e *Execd) cmdReadErr(out io.Reader) {
 	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(out)
 
diff --git a/plugins/processors/execd/execd_test.go b/plugins/processors/execd/execd_test.go
index 451669ec6a130..3cccc9fbb156e 100644
--- a/plugins/processors/execd/execd_test.go
+++ b/plugins/processors/execd/execd_test.go
@@ -79,6 +79,56 @@ func TestExternalProcessorWorks(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestParseLinesWithNewLines(t *testing.T) {
+	e := New()
+	e.Log = testutil.Logger{}
+
+	exe, err := os.Executable()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	t.Log(exe)
+	e.Command = []string{exe, "-countmultiplier"}
+	e.RestartDelay = config.Duration(5 * time.Second)
+
+	acc := &testutil.Accumulator{}
+
+	require.NoError(t, e.Start(acc))
+
+	now := time.Now()
+	orig := now
+
+	m, err := metric.New("test",
+		map[string]string{
+			"author": "Mr. Gopher",
+		},
+		map[string]interface{}{
+			"phrase": "Gophers are amazing creatures.\nAbsolutely amazing.",
+			"count":  3,
+		},
+		now)
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	e.Add(m, acc)
+
+	acc.Wait(1)
+	require.NoError(t, e.Stop())
+
+	processedMetric := acc.GetTelegrafMetrics()[0]
+
+	expectedMetric := testutil.MustMetric("test",
+		map[string]string{
+			"author": "Mr. Gopher",
+		},
+		map[string]interface{}{
+			"phrase": "Gophers are amazing creatures.\nAbsolutely amazing.",
+			"count":  6,
+		},
+		orig,
+	)
+
+	testutil.RequireMetricEqual(t, expectedMetric, processedMetric)
+}
+
 var countmultiplier = flag.Bool("countmultiplier", false,
 	"if true, act like line input program instead of test")