diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/msg.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/msg.py
index 93575d89c4..3e18596faa 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/msg.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/msg.py
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ def logger_create(name, output=sys.stderr, level=logging.INFO, preserve_handlers
     console = logging.StreamHandler(output)
     console.addFilter(bb.msg.LogFilterShowOnce())
     format = bb.msg.BBLogFormatter("%(levelname)s: %(message)s")
-    if color == 'always' or (color == 'auto' and output.isatty()):
+    if color == 'always' or (color == 'auto' and output.isatty() and os.environ.get('NO_COLOR', '') == ''):
         format.enable_color()
     console.setFormatter(format)
     if preserve_handlers:
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/ui/knotty.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/ui/knotty.py
index 5a97d040b0..f86999bb09 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/ui/knotty.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/ui/knotty.py
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class TerminalFilter(object):
             new[3] = new[3] & ~termios.ECHO
             termios.tcsetattr(fd, termios.TCSADRAIN, new)
             curses.setupterm()
-            if curses.tigetnum("colors") > 2:
+            if curses.tigetnum("colors") > 2 and os.environ.get('NO_COLOR', '') == '':
                 for h in handlers:
                     try:
                         h.formatter.enable_color()