diff --git a/src/bee-list.sh.in b/src/bee-list.sh.in
index e0db3b7..c093187 100644
--- a/src/bee-list.sh.in
+++ b/src/bee-list.sh.in
@@ -81,7 +81,11 @@ function usage() {
 }
 
 function config_init_colors() {
+    : ${BEE_COLOR:="no"}
     if [ -t 1 ] ; then
+        BEE_COLOR='no'
+    fi
+    if [ ${BEE_COLOR} != "no" ] ; then
         COLOR_NORMAL="\\033[0;39m\\033[0;22m"
         COLOR_GREEN="\\033[0;32m"
         COLOR_YELLOW="\\033[0;33m"
@@ -106,9 +110,9 @@ function config_init_colors() {
         COLOR_PURPLE=""
         COLOR_BRACKET=""
         COLOR_BRCONTENT=""
-        COLOR_INFO="**INFO** "
-        COLOR_ERROR="**ERROR** "
-        COLOR_WARN="**WARNING** "
+        COLOR_INFO=""
+        COLOR_ERROR=""
+        COLOR_WARN=""
         COLOR_INSTALLABLE="installable "
         COLOR_UPDATABLE=" updatable "
     fi
diff --git a/src/beelib.config.sh.in b/src/beelib.config.sh.in
index 09ad99b..4860faa 100644
--- a/src/beelib.config.sh.in
+++ b/src/beelib.config.sh.in
@@ -26,7 +26,11 @@
 : ${BEE_BINDIR:=@BINDIR@}
 
 function config_init_colors() {
+    : ${BEE_COLOR:="no"}
     if [ -t 1 ] ; then
+        BEE_COLOR='no'
+    fi
+    if [ ${BEE_COLOR} != "no" ] ; then
         COLOR_NORMAL="\\033[0;39m\\033[0;22m"
         COLOR_GREEN="\\033[0;32m"
         COLOR_YELLOW="\\033[0;33m"
@@ -49,9 +53,9 @@ function config_init_colors() {
         COLOR_PURPLE=""
         COLOR_BRACKET=""
         COLOR_BRCONTENT=""
-        COLOR_INFO="**INFO** "
-        COLOR_ERROR="**ERROR** "
-        COLOR_WARN="**WARNING** "
+        COLOR_INFO=""
+        COLOR_ERROR=""
+        COLOR_WARN=""
     fi
 }
 
@@ -359,6 +363,7 @@ function config_init() {
     config_load_local_config
     config_load_user_config
     config_load_system_config
+    config_init_colors
     config_verify_builtin_config
     config_verify_builtin_prefixes
     config_handle_deprecated_config