diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index 64c15cdc493..530f4734137 100755
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -2994,14 +2994,29 @@ nvm() {
     case $i in
       --) break ;;
       '-h'|'help'|'--help')
-        NVM_NO_COLORS=""
-        for j in "$@"; do
-          if [ "${j}" = '--no-colors' ]; then
-            NVM_NO_COLORS="${j}"
-            break
-          fi
+        local NVM_NO_COLORS
+        NVM_NO_COLORS=''
+        local NVM_YES_COLORS
+        NVM_YES_COLORS=0
+
+        while [ $# -ne 0 ]; do
+          case "${1}" in
+            --colors) NVM_YES_COLORS=1 ;;
+            --no-colors) NVM_NO_COLORS='--no-colors' ;;
+            --) ;;
+          esac
+          shift
         done
 
+        if [ $NVM_YES_COLORS -eq 1 ]; then
+          if [ "${NVM_NO_COLORS-}" = '--no-colors' ]; then
+            nvm_err '--colors and --no-colors are mutually exclusive'
+            return 55
+          fi
+        elif ! nvm_stdout_is_terminal; then
+          NVM_NO_COLORS='--no-colors'
+        fi
+
         local NVM_IOJS_PREFIX
         NVM_IOJS_PREFIX="$(nvm_iojs_prefix)"
         local NVM_NODE_PREFIX
@@ -3598,6 +3613,7 @@ nvm() {
 
       return $EXIT_CODE
     ;;
+
     "uninstall")
       if [ $# -ne 1 ]; then
         >&2 nvm --help
@@ -3678,6 +3694,7 @@ nvm() {
         nvm unalias "$(command basename "${ALIAS}")"
       done
     ;;
+
     "deactivate")
       local NVM_SILENT
       while [ $# -ne 0 ]; do
@@ -3727,6 +3744,7 @@ nvm() {
       unset NVM_BIN
       unset NVM_INC
     ;;
+
     "use")
       local PROVIDED_VERSION
       local NVM_SILENT
@@ -3864,6 +3882,7 @@ nvm() {
         nvm_echo "${NVM_USE_OUTPUT}"
       fi
     ;;
+
     "run")
       local provided_version
       local has_checked_nvmrc
@@ -3948,6 +3967,7 @@ nvm() {
       EXIT_CODE="$?"
       return $EXIT_CODE
     ;;
+
     "exec")
       local NVM_SILENT
       local NVM_LTS
@@ -4008,14 +4028,18 @@ nvm() {
       fi
       NODE_VERSION="${VERSION}" "${NVM_DIR}/nvm-exec" "$@"
     ;;
+
     "ls" | "list")
       local PATTERN
       local NVM_NO_COLORS
+      local NVM_YES_COLORS
+      NVM_YES_COLORS=0
       local NVM_NO_ALIAS
 
       while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
         case "${1}" in
           --) ;;
+          --colors) NVM_YES_COLORS=1 ;;
           --no-colors) NVM_NO_COLORS="${1}" ;;
           --no-alias) NVM_NO_ALIAS="${1}" ;;
           --*)
@@ -4028,6 +4052,16 @@ nvm() {
         esac
         shift
       done
+
+      if [ $NVM_YES_COLORS -eq 1 ]; then
+        if [ "${NVM_NO_COLORS-}" = '--no-colors' ]; then
+          nvm_err '--colors and --no-colors are mutually exclusive'
+          return 55
+        fi
+      elif ! nvm_stdout_is_terminal; then
+        NVM_NO_COLORS='--no-colors'
+      fi
+
       if [ -n "${PATTERN-}" ] && [ -n "${NVM_NO_ALIAS-}" ]; then
         nvm_err '`--no-alias` is not supported when a pattern is provided.'
         return 55
@@ -4046,10 +4080,13 @@ nvm() {
       fi
       return $NVM_LS_EXIT_CODE
     ;;
+
     "ls-remote" | "list-remote")
       local NVM_LTS
       local PATTERN
       local NVM_NO_COLORS
+      local NVM_YES_COLORS
+      NVM_YES_COLORS=0
 
       while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
         case "${1-}" in
@@ -4060,6 +4097,7 @@ nvm() {
           --lts=*)
             NVM_LTS="${1##--lts=}"
           ;;
+          --colors) NVM_YES_COLORS=1 ;;
           --no-colors) NVM_NO_COLORS="${1}" ;;
           --*)
             nvm_err "Unsupported option \"${1}\"."
@@ -4086,6 +4124,15 @@ nvm() {
         shift
       done
 
+      if [ $NVM_YES_COLORS -eq 1 ]; then
+        if [ "${NVM_NO_COLORS-}" = '--no-colors' ]; then
+          nvm_err '--colors and --no-colors are mutually exclusive'
+          return 55
+        fi
+      elif ! nvm_stdout_is_terminal; then
+        NVM_NO_COLORS='--no-colors'
+      fi
+
       local NVM_OUTPUT
       local EXIT_CODE
       NVM_OUTPUT="$(NVM_LTS="${NVM_LTS-}" nvm_remote_versions "${PATTERN}" &&:)"
@@ -4166,12 +4213,15 @@ nvm() {
       local ALIAS
       local TARGET
       local NVM_NO_COLORS
+      local NVM_YES_COLORS
+      NVM_YES_COLORS=0
       ALIAS='--'
       TARGET='--'
 
       while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
         case "${1-}" in
           --) ;;
+          --colors) NVM_YES_COLORS=1 ;;
           --no-colors) NVM_NO_COLORS="${1}" ;;
           --*)
             nvm_err "Unsupported option \"${1}\"."
@@ -4188,6 +4238,15 @@ nvm() {
         shift
       done
 
+      if [ $NVM_YES_COLORS -eq 1 ]; then
+        if [ "${NVM_NO_COLORS-}" = '--no-colors' ]; then
+          nvm_err '--colors and --no-colors are mutually exclusive'
+          return 55
+        fi
+      elif ! nvm_stdout_is_terminal; then
+        NVM_NO_COLORS='--no-colors'
+      fi
+
       if [ -z "${TARGET}" ]; then
         # for some reason the empty string was explicitly passed as the target
         # so, unalias it.
@@ -4216,6 +4275,7 @@ nvm() {
         nvm_list_aliases "${ALIAS-}"
       fi
     ;;
+
     "unalias")
       local NVM_ALIAS_DIR
       NVM_ALIAS_DIR="$(nvm_alias_path)"
diff --git a/test/common.sh b/test/common.sh
index f5bf6ffbf6b..47afa3fb125 100644
--- a/test/common.sh
+++ b/test/common.sh
@@ -245,3 +245,8 @@ _json_parse() {
 nvm_json_extract() {
   nvm_json_tokenize | _json_parse | grep -e "${1}" | awk '{print $2 $3}'
 }
+
+# ensures that commands are run as if in a terminal
+run_in_terminal() {
+  script -q -a /dev/null sh -c "\. ../nvm.sh ; $*"
+}
diff --git "a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias \313\202aliasname\313\203 \313\202target\313\203' again should change the target" "b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias \313\202aliasname\313\203 \313\202target\313\203' again should change the target"
index f366bebd34e..7db81500638 100755
--- "a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias \313\202aliasname\313\203 \313\202target\313\203' again should change the target"	
+++ "b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias \313\202aliasname\313\203 \313\202target\313\203' again should change the target"	
@@ -11,14 +11,14 @@ if [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ]; then
   setopt noclobber
 fi
 
-nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.2 || die '`nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.2` failed'
+nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.2 || die "\`nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.2\` failed"
 
-OUTPUT="$(nvm alias test-stable-1 | strip_colors)"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal 'nvm alias test-stable-1' | strip_colors)"
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT='test-stable-1 -> 0.0.2 (-> v0.0.2)'
 echo "$OUTPUT" | \grep -F "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" || die "nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.2 did not set test-stable-1 to 0.0.2: got '$OUTPUT'"
 
-nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.1 || die '`nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.1` failed'
+nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.1 || die "\`nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.1\` failed"
 
-OUTPUT="$(nvm alias test-stable-1 | strip_colors)"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal 'nvm alias test-stable-1' | strip_colors)"
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT='test-stable-1 -> 0.0.1 (-> v0.0.1)'
 echo "$OUTPUT" | \grep -F "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" || die "nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.1 did not set test-stable-1 to 0.0.1: got '$OUTPUT'"
diff --git a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists implicit aliases when they do not exist b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists implicit aliases when they do not exist
index 24a341c7efd..5ab0e0c3690 100755
--- a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists implicit aliases when they do not exist	
+++ b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists implicit aliases when they do not exist	
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 die () { echo "$@" ; exit 1; }
 
-NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT=$(nvm alias | strip_colors)
+NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT=$(run_in_terminal 'nvm alias' | strip_colors)
 
 EXPECTED_STABLE="$(nvm_print_implicit_alias local stable)"
 STABLE_VERSION="$(nvm_version "$EXPECTED_STABLE")"
diff --git a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists manual aliases instead of implicit aliases when present b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists manual aliases instead of implicit aliases when present
index 1857f44cb5e..2defaa4a757 100755
--- a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists manual aliases instead of implicit aliases when present	
+++ b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists manual aliases instead of implicit aliases when present	
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ nvm alias unstable "$EXPECTED_STABLE"
 nvm alias node stable
 nvm alias iojs unstable
 
-NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT=$(nvm alias | strip_colors)
+NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT=$(run_in_terminal 'nvm alias' | strip_colors)
 
 echo "$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT" | command grep -F "stable -> $EXPECTED_UNSTABLE (-> $UNSTABLE_VERSION)" \
   || die "nvm alias did not contain the overridden 'stable' alias; got '$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT'"
diff --git a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' should list all aliases b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' should list all aliases
index d620fe510f1..c4b5e200701 100755
--- a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' should list all aliases	
+++ b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' should list all aliases	
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 die () { echo "$@" ; exit 1; }
 
-NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT="$(nvm alias | strip_colors)"
+NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal 'nvm alias' | strip_colors)"
 echo "$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT" | \grep -F 'test-stable-1 -> 0.0.1 (-> v0.0.1)' \
   || die "did not find test-stable-1 alias; got '$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT'"
 echo "$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT" | \grep -F 'test-stable-2 -> 0.0.2 (-> v0.0.2)' \
diff --git a/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set b/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set
index 7e7dab8347f..851c7cbed3a 100755
--- a/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set
+++ b/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ nvm_ensure_default_set 0.3 || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' with an existing def
 
 nvm unalias default || die "'nvm unalias default' failed"
 
-OUTPUT="$(nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2)"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal 'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2')"
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT="Creating default alias: default -> 0.2 (-> iojs-v0.2.10)"
 EXIT_CODE="$?"
 
-[ "_$(echo "$OUTPUT" | strip_colors)" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2' did not output '$EXPECTED_OUTPUT', got '$OUTPUT'"
-[ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_0" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2' did not exit with 0, got $EXIT_CODE"
+[ "_$(echo "${OUTPUT}" | strip_colors)" = "_${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2' did not output '${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}', got '${OUTPUT}'"
+[ "_${EXIT_CODE}" = "_0" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2' did not exit with 0, got ${EXIT_CODE}"
diff --git a/test/fast/Set Colors/Using --colors and --no-colors errors b/test/fast/Set Colors/Using --colors and --no-colors errors
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..f4c401f3c00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/Set Colors/Using --colors and --no-colors errors	
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+die () { echo "$@" ; cleanup ; exit 1; }
+
+\. ../../../nvm.sh
+
+set -ex
+
+nvm ls --colors --no-colors && die "\`nvm ls --colors --no-colors\` did not fail"
+nvm ls-remote --colors --no-colors && die "\`nvm ls-remote --colors --no-colors\` did not fail"
+nvm alias --colors --no-colors && die "\`nvm alias --colors --no-colors\` did not fail"
+nvm --help --colors --no-colors && die "\`nvm --help --colors --no-colors\` did not fail"
diff --git a/test/fast/Set Colors/`--no-colors` is implied in a pipe b/test/fast/Set Colors/`--no-colors` is implied in a pipe
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..81e92553961
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/Set Colors/`--no-colors` is implied in a pipe	
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+die () { echo "$@" ; cleanup ; exit 1; }
+
+\. ../../../nvm.sh
+\. ../../common.sh
+
+
+set -ex
+
+for cmd in ls ls-remote alias --help; do
+  NO_COLORS="$(run_in_terminal nvm "${cmd}" --no-colors)"
+  COLORS="$(run_in_terminal nvm "${cmd}" --colors)"
+
+  [ "${COLORS}" != "${NO_COLORS}" ] || die "Expected \`nvm ${cmd} --colors\` to be different from \`nvm ${cmd} --no-colors\`"
+
+  PIPE="$(nvm "${cmd}")"
+  PIPE_COLORS="$(nvm "${cmd}" --colors)"
+
+  [ "${PIPE}" = "${NO_COLORS}" ] || die "Expected \`nvm ${cmd}\` in a pipe to be the same as \`nvm ${cmd} --no-colors\`"
+  [ "${PIPE_COLORS}" = "${COLORS}" ] || die "Expected \`nvm ${cmd} --colors\` in a pipe to be the same as \`nvm ls\` in a terminal (with colors)"
+done
diff --git a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm ls-remote b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm ls-remote
index 683fe927cb5..f3257ba5bd2 100755
--- a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm ls-remote	
+++ b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm ls-remote	
@@ -6,15 +6,16 @@ die () { echo "$@" ; cleanup ; exit 1; }
 
 cleanup() {
   unset -f nvm_download nvm_ls_remote nvm_ls_remote_iojs
-  if [ -n TEMP_NVM_COLORS ]; then
-    export NVM_COLORS=TEMP_NVM_COLORS
+  if [ -n "${TEMP_NVM_COLORS}" ]; then
+    export NVM_COLORS="${TEMP_NVM_COLORS}"
   fi
   unset TEMP_NVM_COLORS
 }
 
 \. ../../../nvm.sh
-if [ -n ${NVM_COLORS} ]; then
-  export TEMP_NVM_COLORS=NVM_COLORS
+
+if [ -n "${NVM_COLORS}" ]; then
+  export TEMP_NVM_COLORS="${NVM_COLORS}"
   unset NVM_COLORS
 fi
 
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ nvm deactivate 2>/dev/null || die 'unable to deactivate'
 
 MOCKS_DIR="$PWD/mocks"
 
+# shellcheck disable=SC2317
 nvm_download() {
   if [ "$*" = "-L -s $(nvm_get_mirror node std)/index.tab -o -" ]; then
     cat "$MOCKS_DIR/nodejs.org-dist-index.tab"
@@ -33,14 +35,14 @@ nvm_download() {
 }
 
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH="${MOCKS_DIR}/nvm ls-remote lts.txt"
-OUTPUT="$(nvm ls-remote --lts | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal 'nvm ls-remote --lts' | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT="$(cat "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//' )"
-[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "nvm ls-remote --lts did not output expected sorted versions; got $(echo ">$OUTPUT<") expected $(echo ">$EXPECTED_OUTPUT<")"
+[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "nvm ls-remote --lts did not output expected sorted versions; got >$OUTPUT< expected >$EXPECTED_OUTPUT<"
 
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH="${MOCKS_DIR}/nvm ls-remote lts.txt"
-OUTPUT="$(nvm ls-remote "lts/*" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal 'nvm ls-remote "lts/*"' | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT="$(cat "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//' )"
-[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "nvm ls-remote lts/* did not output expected sorted versions; got $(echo ">$OUTPUT<") expected $(echo ">$EXPECTED_OUTPUT<")"
+[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "nvm ls-remote lts/* did not output expected sorted versions; got >$OUTPUT< expected >$EXPECTED_OUTPUT<"
 
 MOCKS_DIR="$PWD/mocks"
 LTS_NAMES_PATH="${MOCKS_DIR}/LTS_names.txt"
@@ -48,9 +50,9 @@ LTS_LIST="$(cat "${LTS_NAMES_PATH}" | tail -n +2)"
 
 INDEX=1
 printf '%s\n' "${LTS_LIST}" | while IFS= read -r LTS; do
-  ACTUAL="$(nvm ls-remote "lts/-${INDEX}" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
+  ACTUAL="$(run_in_terminal "nvm ls-remote \"lts/-${INDEX}\"" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
   MESSAGE="for lts/-${INDEX} (${LTS})"
-  EXPECTED="$(nvm ls-remote "lts/${LTS}" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
+  EXPECTED="$(run_in_terminal "nvm ls-remote \"lts/${LTS}\"" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
   [ "${ACTUAL}" = "${EXPECTED}" ] || die "${MESSAGE}: expected >${EXPECTED}<, got >${ACTUAL}<"
 
   INDEX=$(($INDEX + 1))
@@ -66,8 +68,8 @@ nvm_ls_remote_iojs() {
 }
 
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH="${MOCKS_DIR}/nvm ls-remote.txt"
-OUTPUT="$(nvm ls-remote | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal 'nvm ls-remote' | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT="$(cat "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//' )"
-[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "bare nvm ls-remote did not output expected sorted versions; got $(echo ">$OUTPUT<") expected $(echo ">$EXPECTED_OUTPUT<")"
+[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "bare nvm ls-remote did not output expected sorted versions; got >${OUTPUT}< expected >${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}<"
 
 cleanup
diff --git a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set
index 14b53ebe491..f54f038f718 100755
--- a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set	
+++ b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set	
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ die () { echo "$@" ; exit 1; }
 \. ../../../nvm.sh
 
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT="nvm_ensure_default_set: a version is required"
-OUTPUT="$(nvm_ensure_default_set 2>&1 >/dev/null)"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal 'nvm_ensure_default_set' 2>&1 >/dev/null)"
 EXIT_CODE="$?"
-[ "_$(echo "$OUTPUT" | strip_colors)" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' did not output "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT", got "$OUTPUT""
-[ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_1" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' did not exit with 1, got "$EXIT_CODE""
+[ "_$(echo "$OUTPUT" | strip_colors)" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' did not output \`${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}\`, got \`${OUTPUT}\`"
+[ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_1" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' did not exit with 1, got \`${EXIT_CODE}\`"
 
 # see test/fast/Aliases for remaining nvm_ensure_default_set tests