diff --git a/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband-scala/sbt/internal/util/LogOption.scala b/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband-scala/sbt/internal/util/LogOption.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..769da7982
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband-scala/sbt/internal/util/LogOption.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+/**
+ * This code is generated using [[http://www.scala-sbt.org/contraband/ sbt-contraband]].
+ */
+
+// DO NOT EDIT MANUALLY
+package sbt.internal.util
+/** value for logging options like color */
+sealed abstract class LogOption extends Serializable
+object LogOption {
+  
+  
+  case object Always extends LogOption
+  case object Never extends LogOption
+  case object Auto extends LogOption
+}
diff --git a/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband-scala/sbt/internal/util/codec/JsonProtocol.scala b/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband-scala/sbt/internal/util/codec/JsonProtocol.scala
index a94906dda..15e4d9cb2 100644
--- a/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband-scala/sbt/internal/util/codec/JsonProtocol.scala
+++ b/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband-scala/sbt/internal/util/codec/JsonProtocol.scala
@@ -9,4 +9,5 @@ trait JsonProtocol extends sjsonnew.BasicJsonProtocol
   with sbt.internal.util.codec.TraceEventFormats
   with sbt.internal.util.codec.AbstractEntryFormats
   with sbt.internal.util.codec.SuccessEventFormats
+  with sbt.internal.util.codec.LogOptionFormats
 object JsonProtocol extends JsonProtocol
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband-scala/sbt/internal/util/codec/LogOptionFormats.scala b/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband-scala/sbt/internal/util/codec/LogOptionFormats.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e52700c19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband-scala/sbt/internal/util/codec/LogOptionFormats.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/**
+ * This code is generated using [[http://www.scala-sbt.org/contraband/ sbt-contraband]].
+ */
+
+// DO NOT EDIT MANUALLY
+package sbt.internal.util.codec
+import _root_.sjsonnew.{ Unbuilder, Builder, JsonFormat, deserializationError }
+trait LogOptionFormats { self: sjsonnew.BasicJsonProtocol =>
+implicit lazy val LogOptionFormat: JsonFormat[sbt.internal.util.LogOption] = new JsonFormat[sbt.internal.util.LogOption] {
+  override def read[J](jsOpt: Option[J], unbuilder: Unbuilder[J]): sbt.internal.util.LogOption = {
+    jsOpt match {
+      case Some(js) =>
+      unbuilder.readString(js) match {
+        case "Always" => sbt.internal.util.LogOption.Always
+        case "Never" => sbt.internal.util.LogOption.Never
+        case "Auto" => sbt.internal.util.LogOption.Auto
+      }
+      case None =>
+      deserializationError("Expected JsString but found None")
+    }
+  }
+  override def write[J](obj: sbt.internal.util.LogOption, builder: Builder[J]): Unit = {
+    val str = obj match {
+      case sbt.internal.util.LogOption.Always => "Always"
+      case sbt.internal.util.LogOption.Never => "Never"
+      case sbt.internal.util.LogOption.Auto => "Auto"
+    }
+    builder.writeString(str)
+  }
+}
+}
diff --git a/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband/logging.contra b/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband/logging.contra
index 19b019c66..73d0b1a56 100644
--- a/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband/logging.contra
+++ b/internal/util-logging/src/main/contraband/logging.contra
@@ -25,3 +25,10 @@ type TraceEvent implements sbt.internal.util.AbstractEntry {
 type SuccessEvent {
   message: String!
 }
+
+## value for logging options like color
+enum LogOption {
+  Always
+  Never
+  Auto
+}
diff --git a/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/ConsoleAppender.scala b/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/ConsoleAppender.scala
index d5f6f7919..f070a1252 100644
--- a/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/ConsoleAppender.scala
+++ b/internal/util-logging/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/util/ConsoleAppender.scala
@@ -101,13 +101,49 @@ object ConsoleAppender {
   /** Hide stack trace altogether. */
   val noSuppressedMessage = (_: SuppressedTraceContext) => None
 
-  /** Indicates whether formatting has been disabled in environment variables. */
+  /**
+   * Indicates whether formatting has been disabled in environment variables.
+   * 1. -Dsbt.log.noformat=true means no formatting.
+   * 2. -Dsbt.color=always/auto/never/true/false
+   * 3. -Dsbt.colour=always/auto/never/true/false
+   * 4. -Dsbt.log.format=always/auto/never/true/false
+   */
   val formatEnabledInEnv: Boolean = {
-    import java.lang.Boolean.{ getBoolean, parseBoolean }
-    val value = System.getProperty("sbt.log.format")
-    if (value eq null) (ansiSupported && !getBoolean("sbt.log.noformat")) else parseBoolean(value)
+    def useColorDefault: Boolean = {
+      // This approximates that both stdin and stdio are connected,
+      // so by default color will be turned off for pipes and redirects.
+      val hasConsole = Option(java.lang.System.console).isDefined
+      ansiSupported && hasConsole
+    }
+    sys.props.get("sbt.log.noformat") match {
+      case Some(_) => !java.lang.Boolean.getBoolean("sbt.log.noformat")
+      case _ =>
+        sys.props
+          .get("sbt.color")
+          .orElse(sys.props.get("sbt.colour"))
+          .orElse(sys.props.get("sbt.log.format"))
+          .flatMap({ s =>
+            parseLogOption(s) match {
+              case LogOption.Always => Some(true)
+              case LogOption.Never  => Some(false)
+              case _                => None
+            }
+          })
+          .getOrElse(useColorDefault)
+    }
   }
 
+  private[sbt] def parseLogOption(s: String): LogOption =
+    s.toLowerCase match {
+      case "always"  => LogOption.Always
+      case "auto"    => LogOption.Auto
+      case "never"   => LogOption.Never
+      case "true"    => LogOption.Always
+      case "false"   => LogOption.Never
+      case "default" => LogOption.Auto
+      case _         => LogOption.Auto
+    }
+
   private[this] val generateId: AtomicInteger = new AtomicInteger
 
   /**