--- a/cmd/root.go	Mon May 01 12:42:37 2017 +0200
+++ b/cmd/root.go	Mon May 01 13:03:06 2017 +0200
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 var verbose bool
 var outputFormat string
 var outputTemplate, outputTemplateFile string
+var colorMode string
 
 // Shell completion functions
 const shellComplFunc = `
@@ -39,6 +40,9 @@
 __madonctl_output() {
 	COMPREPLY=( plain json yaml template )
 }
+__madonctl_color() {
+	COMPREPLY=( auto on off )
+}
 `
 
 // RootCmd represents the base command when called without any subcommands
@@ -124,6 +128,8 @@
 		"Go template (for output=template)")
 	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&outputTemplateFile, "template-file", "",
 		"Go template file (for output=template)")
+	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&colorMode, "color", "",
+		"Color mode (auto|on|off; for output=template)")
 
 	// Configuration file bindings
 	viper.BindPFlag("output", RootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("output"))
@@ -133,12 +139,16 @@
 	viper.BindPFlag("login", RootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("login"))
 	viper.BindPFlag("password", RootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("password"))
 	viper.BindPFlag("token", RootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("token"))
+	viper.BindPFlag("color", RootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("color"))
 
 	// Flag completion
-	annotation := make(map[string][]string)
-	annotation[cobra.BashCompCustom] = []string{"__madonctl_output"}
+	annotationOutput := make(map[string][]string)
+	annotationOutput[cobra.BashCompCustom] = []string{"__madonctl_output"}
+	annotationColor := make(map[string][]string)
+	annotationColor[cobra.BashCompCustom] = []string{"__madonctl_color"}
 
-	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("output").Annotations = annotation
+	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("output").Annotations = annotationOutput
+	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("color").Annotations = annotationColor
 }
 
 func checkOutputFormat(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -190,6 +200,14 @@
 	var opt string
 	of := getOutputFormat()
 
+	// Initialize color mode
+	switch viper.GetString("color") {
+	case "on", "yes", "force":
+		printer.ColorMode = 1
+	case "off", "no":
+		printer.ColorMode = 2
+	}
+
 	if of == "template" {
 		opt = outputTemplate
 		if outputTemplateFile != "" {

--- a/printer/templateprinter.go	Mon May 01 12:42:37 2017 +0200
+++ b/printer/templateprinter.go	Mon May 01 13:03:06 2017 +0200
@@ -20,8 +20,11 @@
 	"github.com/McKael/madonctl/printer/colors"
 )
 
-// DisableColors can be set to true to disable the color template function
-var DisableColors bool
+// ColorMode defines the color behaviour: 0=auto, 1=forced, 2=disabled
+var ColorMode int
+
+// disableColors can be set to true to disable the color template function
+var disableColors bool
 
 // TemplatePrinter represents a Template printer
 type TemplatePrinter struct {
@@ -42,9 +45,10 @@
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Check if stdout is a TTY
-	if !isatty.IsTerminal(os.Stdout.Fd()) {
-		DisableColors = true
+	// Update disableColors.
+	// In auto-mode, check if stdout is a TTY.
+	if ColorMode == 2 || (ColorMode == 0 && !isatty.IsTerminal(os.Stdout.Fd())) {
+		disableColors = true
 	}
 
 	return &TemplatePrinter{
@@ -130,7 +134,7 @@
 }
 
 func ansiColor(desc string) (string, error) {
-	if DisableColors {
+	if disableColors {
 		return "", nil
 	}
 	return colors.ANSICodeString(desc)