diff --git a/doc/fftools-common-opts.texi b/doc/fftools-common-opts.texi
index 618441e0451bb..7f192f71aec5d 100644
--- a/doc/fftools-common-opts.texi
+++ b/doc/fftools-common-opts.texi
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ Set the logging level used by the library.
 
 By default the program logs to stderr, if coloring is supported by the
 terminal, colors are used to mark errors and warnings. Log coloring
-can be disabled setting the environment variable @env{NO_COLOR}.
+can be disabled setting the environment variable @env{NO_COLOR}, or can
+be forced setting the environment variable @env{FFMPEG_FORCE_COLOR}.
 
 @end table
diff --git a/libavutil/log.c b/libavutil/log.c
index 0fd7c96baae53..1975bab396af9 100644
--- a/libavutil/log.c
+++ b/libavutil/log.c
@@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ static void colored_fputs(int level, const char *str){
             background = attr_orig & 0xF0;
         }
 #elif HAVE_ISATTY
-        use_color= getenv("TERM") && !getenv("NO_COLOR") && isatty(2);
+        use_color= !getenv("NO_COLOR") && (getenv("TERM") && isatty(2) || getenv("FFMPEG_FORCE_COLOR"));
 #else
-        use_color= 0;
+        use_color= getenv("FFMPEG_FORCE_COLOR") && !getenv("NO_COLOR");
 #endif
     }