diff --git a/spa/plugins/support/logger.c b/spa/plugins/support/logger.c
index 3581a2be0..04adc70f5 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/support/logger.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/support/logger.c
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ impl_init(const struct spa_handle_factory *factory,
 	if (linebuf)
 		setlinebuf(this->file);
 
-	if (!isatty(fileno(this->file)) && !force_colors) {
+	if (this->colors && !force_colors && !isatty(fileno(this->file)) ) {
 		this->colors = false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/tools/pw-config.c b/src/tools/pw-config.c
index 8315b32b2..de38095fb 100644
--- a/src/tools/pw-config.c
+++ b/src/tools/pw-config.c
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	d.opt_prefix = NULL;
 	d.opt_recurse = false;
 	d.opt_newline = true;
-	if (isatty(fileno(stdout)) && getenv("NO_COLOR") == NULL)
+	if (getenv("NO_COLOR") == NULL && isatty(fileno(stdout)))
 		d.opt_colors = true;
 	d.opt_cmd = "paths";
 
diff --git a/src/tools/pw-dump.c b/src/tools/pw-dump.c
index 0fe9143f7..aa972a4d2 100644
--- a/src/tools/pw-dump.c
+++ b/src/tools/pw-dump.c
@@ -1541,7 +1541,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	pw_init(&argc, &argv);
 
 	data.out = stdout;
-	if (isatty(fileno(data.out)) && getenv("NO_COLOR") == NULL)
+	if (getenv("NO_COLOR") == NULL && isatty(fileno(data.out)))
 		colors = true;
 	setlinebuf(data.out);
 
diff --git a/src/tools/pw-mon.c b/src/tools/pw-mon.c
index a4b246e4d..fc3bbc0fe 100644
--- a/src/tools/pw-mon.c
+++ b/src/tools/pw-mon.c
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	setlinebuf(stdout);
 
-	if (isatty(STDOUT_FILENO) && getenv("NO_COLOR") == NULL)
+	if (getenv("NO_COLOR") == NULL && isatty(STDOUT_FILENO))
 		colors = true;
 
 	while ((c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "hVr:NCoa", long_options, NULL)) != -1) {