diff --git a/lib/strainer.rb b/lib/strainer.rb
index 567a529..246433f 100644
--- a/lib/strainer.rb
+++ b/lib/strainer.rb
@@ -100,5 +100,5 @@ def logfile_path
 require_relative 'strainer/runner'
 require_relative 'strainer/sandbox'
 require_relative 'strainer/strainerfile'
-require_relative 'strainer/ui'
+require_relative 'strainer/shell'
 require_relative 'strainer/version'
diff --git a/lib/strainer/cli.rb b/lib/strainer/cli.rb
index c9b7972..1b690ac 100644
--- a/lib/strainer/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/strainer/cli.rb
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ def initialize(*args)
       # Set the Strainer path if it's specified
       Strainer.sandbox_path = @options[:sandbox] if @options[:sandbox]
 
+      # Use Strainer::Shell as the primary output shell
+      Thor::Base.shell = Strainer::Shell
+
+      # Set whether color output is enabled
+      Thor::Base.shell.enable_colors = @options[:color]
+
       # Unfreeze the options Hash from Thor
       @options = options.dup
 
@@ -54,11 +60,12 @@ def initialize(*args)
 
     # global options
     map ['-v', '--version'] => :version
-    class_option :cookbooks_path, :type => :string,  :aliases => '-p', :desc => 'The path to the cookbook store', :banner => 'PATH'
-    class_option :config,         :type => :string,  :aliases => '-c', :desc => 'The path to the knife.rb/client.rb config'
-    class_option :strainer_file,  :type => :string,  :aliases => '-s', :desc => 'The path to the Strainer file to run against', :banner => 'FILE', :default => Strainer::Strainerfile::DEFAULT_FILENAME
-    class_option :sandbox,        :type => :string,  :aliases => '-s', :desc => 'The sandbox path (defaults to a temporary directory)', :default => Dir.mktmpdir
-    class_option :debug,          :type => :boolean, :aliases => '-d', :desc => 'Show debugging log output', :default => false
+    class_option :cookbooks_path, :type => :string,  :aliases => '-p',  :desc => 'The path to the cookbook store', :banner => 'PATH'
+    class_option :config,         :type => :string,  :aliases => '-c',  :desc => 'The path to the knife.rb/client.rb config'
+    class_option :strainer_file,  :type => :string,  :aliases => '-s',  :desc => 'The path to the Strainer file to run against', :banner => 'FILE', :default => Strainer::Strainerfile::DEFAULT_FILENAME
+    class_option :sandbox,        :type => :string,  :aliases => '-s',  :desc => 'The sandbox path (defaults to a temporary directory)', :default => Dir.mktmpdir
+    class_option :debug,          :type => :boolean, :aliases => '-d',  :desc => 'Show debugging log output', :default => false
+    class_option :color,          :type => :boolean, :aliases => '-co', :desc => 'Enable color in Strainer output', :default => true
 
     # strainer test *COOKBOOKS
     method_option :except,        :type => :array,   :aliases => '-e', :desc => 'Strainerfile labels to ignore'
diff --git a/lib/strainer/shell.rb b/lib/strainer/shell.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6734c26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/strainer/shell.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#
+# Copyright 2013, Stafford Brunk <sbrunk@customink.com>
+# Copyright 2013, CustomInk, LLC
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#
+
+require_relative 'ui'
+
+module Strainer
+  class Shell < Thor::Shell::Color
+    include UI
+
+    class << self
+      attr_accessor :enable_colors
+    end
+
+    # Should output have ANSI colors applied?
+    def color_enabled?
+      !self.class.enable_colors
+    end
+
+    # Set ANSI colors for the given string only if
+    # colors are enabled for this shell
+    #
+    # @param [String]
+    #   message to set colors on 
+    # @param [Symbol] colors
+    #   the colors to apply
+    def set_color(string, *colors)
+      color_enabled? ? string : super
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/strainer/ui.rb b/lib/strainer/ui.rb
index af9b571..1837ed6 100644
--- a/lib/strainer/ui.rb
+++ b/lib/strainer/ui.rb
@@ -127,6 +127,3 @@ def deprecated(message)
     end
   end
 end
-
-# Include this module in Thor's shell
-Thor::Base.shell.send(:include, Strainer::UI)