diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 4a462336..6b21af22 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ features = ["suggestions", "color", "wrap_help"]
 
 [build-dependencies]
 clap = "2"
+output_vt100 = "0.1"
 
 [[bin]]
 name = "pastel"
diff --git a/src/cli/cli.rs b/src/cli/cli.rs
index a4499641..ba25d985 100644
--- a/src/cli/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli/cli.rs
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ pub fn build_cli() -> App<'static, 'static> {
                 .value_name("mode")
                 .help("Specify the terminal color mode: 24bit, 8bit, off, *auto*")
                 .possible_values(&["24bit", "8bit", "off", "auto"])
-                .default_value("auto")
+                .default_value(if output_vt100::try_init().is_ok() {"auto"} else {"off"})
                 .hide_possible_values(true)
                 .hide_default_value(true)
         )
diff --git a/src/cli/main.rs b/src/cli/main.rs
index 87758cf9..f9f31585 100644
--- a/src/cli/main.rs
+++ b/src/cli/main.rs
@@ -39,10 +39,6 @@ fn run() -> Result<ExitCode> {
 
     let interactive_mode = atty::is(Stream::Stdout);
 
-    if interactive_mode {
-        output_vt100::init();
-    }
-
     let color_mode = if global_matches.is_present("force-color") {
         Some(ansi::Mode::TrueColor)
     } else {