diff --git a/ast/utils.c2 b/ast/utils.c2
index aedc05e8..b3e85391 100644
--- a/ast/utils.c2
+++ b/ast/utils.c2
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ public type Globals struct @(opaque) {
 #if AstStatistics
     Stats stats;
 #endif
+    const char*[15] colors;
 }
 
 // The only globals for AST are here, since they must be set explicitly for plugins!!
@@ -124,12 +125,26 @@ public QualType* builtins;
 public fn Globals* getGlobals() { return globals; }
 
 // only used by plugins
-public fn void setGlobals(Globals* g) @(unused){
+public fn void setGlobals(Globals* g) @(unused) {
     globals = g;
     attr.initialize(g.attr_name_indexes);
+    col_Normal     = g.colors[0];
+    col_Error      = g.colors[1];
+    col_Warning    = g.colors[2];
+    col_Keyword    = g.colors[3];
+    col_Identifier = g.colors[4];
+    col_Literal    = g.colors[5];
+    col_Comment    = g.colors[6];
+    col_Stmt       = g.colors[7];
+    col_Decl       = g.colors[8];
+    col_Expr       = g.colors[9];
+    col_Attr       = g.colors[10];
+    col_Template   = g.colors[11];
+    col_Type       = g.colors[12];
+    col_Value      = g.colors[13];
+    col_Calc       = g.colors[14];
 }
 
-
 // wordsize in bytes, must NOT be called from Plugin!
 public fn void initialize(Context* c, string_pool.Pool* astPool, u32 wordsize, bool use_color) {
     globals = stdlib.malloc(sizeof(Globals));
@@ -181,6 +196,22 @@ public fn void initialize(Context* c, string_pool.Pool* astPool, u32 wordsize, b
 
     attr.register(astPool, globals.attr_name_indexes);
     attr.initialize(globals.attr_name_indexes);
+
+    globals.colors[0]  = col_Normal     = color.getConfigColor("normal", color.Normal);
+    globals.colors[1]  = col_Error      = color.getConfigColor("error", color.Red);
+    globals.colors[2]  = col_Warning    = color.getConfigColor("warning", color.Yellow);
+    globals.colors[3]  = col_Keyword    = color.getConfigColor("keyword", color.Green);
+    globals.colors[4]  = col_Identifier = color.getConfigColor("identifier", color.Cyan);
+    globals.colors[5]  = col_Literal    = color.getConfigColor("literal", color.Cyan);
+    globals.colors[6]  = col_Comment    = color.getConfigColor("comment", color.Cyan);
+    globals.colors[7]  = col_Stmt       = color.getConfigColor("ast.stmt", color.Bmagenta);
+    globals.colors[8]  = col_Decl       = color.getConfigColor("ast.decl", color.Bgreen);
+    globals.colors[9]  = col_Expr       = color.getConfigColor("ast.expr", color.Bmagenta);
+    globals.colors[10] = col_Attr       = color.getConfigColor("ast.attr", color.Blue);
+    globals.colors[11] = col_Template   = color.getConfigColor("ast.template", color.Green);
+    globals.colors[12] = col_Type       = color.getConfigColor("ast.type", color.Green);
+    globals.colors[13] = col_Value      = color.getConfigColor("ast.value", color.Bcyan);
+    globals.colors[14] = col_Calc       = color.getConfigColor("ast.calc", color.Yellow);    // all calculated values
 }
 
 public fn void deinit(bool print_stats) {
@@ -196,6 +227,7 @@ public fn void deinit(bool print_stats) {
     globals.string_types.clear();
     stdlib.free(globals);
     stdlib.free(builtins);
+    // TODO: free allocated config colors
 }
 
 public fn u32 getWordSize() {
@@ -297,17 +329,22 @@ public fn QualType getNativeType() {
     return builtins[kind];
 }
 
+public const char* col_Normal = color.Normal;
+public const char* col_Error = color.Red;
+public const char* col_Warning = color.Yellow;
+public const char* col_Keyword = color.Green;
+public const char* col_Identifier = color.Cyan;
+public const char* col_Literal = color.Cyan;
+public const char* col_Comment = color.Cyan;
+
 const char* col_Stmt = color.Bmagenta;
 const char* col_Decl = color.Bgreen;
 const char* col_Expr = color.Bmagenta;
 const char* col_Attr = color.Blue;
 const char* col_Template = color.Green;
-//const char* col_Cast = color.Red;
 const char* col_Type = color.Green;
 const char* col_Value = color.Bcyan;
-const char* col_Error = color.Red;
 const char* col_Calc = color.Yellow;    // all calculated value
-const char* col_Normal = color.Normal;
 
 public type AttrHandlerFn fn bool (void* arg, Decl* d, const attr.Attr* a);
 
diff --git a/ast_utils/color.c2 b/ast_utils/color.c2
index 60cc5b6d..63578e66 100644
--- a/ast_utils/color.c2
+++ b/ast_utils/color.c2
@@ -14,27 +14,149 @@
  */
 
 module color;
-import unistd;
-
-public const char[] Black    = "\033[0;30m";
-public const char[] Red      = "\033[0;31m";
-public const char[] Green    = "\033[0;32m";
-public const char[] Yellow   = "\033[0;33m";
-public const char[] Blue     = "\033[0;34m";
-public const char[] Magenta  = "\033[0;35m";
-public const char[] Cyan     = "\033[0;36m";
-public const char[] Grey     = "\033[0;37m";
-public const char[] Darkgrey = "\033[01;30m";
-public const char[] Bred     = "\033[01;31m";
-public const char[] Bgreen   = "\033[01;32m";
-public const char[] Byellow  = "\033[01;33m";
-public const char[] Bblue    = "\033[01;34m";
-public const char[] Bmagenta = "\033[01;35m";
-public const char[] Bcyan    = "\033[01;36m";
-public const char[] White    = "\033[01;37m";
-public const char[] Normal   = "\033[0m";
+
+import ctype local;
+import stdio local;
+import stdlib local;
+import string local;
+import unistd local;
+
+public const char[] Black    @(unused) = "\033[0;30m";
+public const char[] Red      @(unused) = "\033[0;31m";
+public const char[] Green    @(unused) = "\033[0;32m";
+public const char[] Yellow   @(unused) = "\033[0;33m";
+public const char[] Blue     @(unused) = "\033[0;34m";
+public const char[] Magenta  @(unused) = "\033[0;35m";
+public const char[] Cyan     @(unused) = "\033[0;36m";
+public const char[] Grey     @(unused) = "\033[0;37m";
+public const char[] Darkgrey @(unused) = "\033[01;30m";
+public const char[] Bred     @(unused) = "\033[01;31m";
+public const char[] Bgreen   @(unused) = "\033[01;32m";
+public const char[] Byellow  @(unused) = "\033[01;33m";
+public const char[] Bblue    @(unused) = "\033[01;34m";
+public const char[] Bmagenta @(unused) = "\033[01;35m";
+public const char[] Bcyan    @(unused) = "\033[01;36m";
+public const char[] White    @(unused) = "\033[01;37m";
+public const char[] Normal   @(unused) = "\033[0m";
+
+i8 use_color = -1;
+char *c2_colors;
 
 public fn bool useColor() {
-    return unistd.isatty(1);
+    if (use_color < 0) {
+        use_color = isatty(1) != 0;
+        if (use_color) {
+            char *p = getenv("C2_COLORS");
+            if (p) {
+                if (!strcmp(p, "none"))
+                    use_color = 0;
+                else
+                    c2_colors = p;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return use_color;
+}
+
+const char*[] standardColors = {
+    "black",        Black,
+    "red",          Red,
+    "green",        Green,
+    "yellow",       Yellow,
+    "blue",         Blue,
+    "magenta",      Magenta,
+    "cyan",         Cyan,
+    "grey",         Grey,
+    "darkgrey",     Darkgrey,
+    "bred",         Bred,
+    "bgreen",       Bgreen,
+    "byellow",      Byellow,
+    "bblue",        Bblue,
+    "bmagenta",     Bmagenta,
+    "bcyan",        Bcyan,
+    "white",        White,
+    "normal",       Normal,
+}
+
+fn bool getStyleDef(char* buf1, u32 size1, char* buf2, u32 size2, const char** pp) {
+    const char *p = *pp;
+    while (isspace(*p))
+        p++;
+    if (!*p)
+        return false;
+    u32 i = 0;
+    while (isalpha(*p) || *p == '.' || *p == '_') {
+        char c = cast<char>(tolower(*p++));
+        if (i + 1 < size1)
+            buf1[i++] = c;
+    }
+    buf1[i] = '\0';
+    if (*p != '=' && *p != ':')
+        return false;
+    p++;
+    i = 0;
+    while (*p && *p != ' ' && *p != ',' && *p != ';') {
+        char c = cast<char>(tolower(*p++));
+        if (i + 1 < size2 && c != '-' && c != '_')
+            buf2[i++] = c;
+    }
+    buf2[i] = '\0';
+    if (*p == ',' || *p == ';')
+        p++;
+    *pp = p;
+    return true;
 }
 
+fn bool matchColorName(const char *p, const char *name) {
+    while (*p) {
+        char c = *p++;
+        if (c == 'b' && !strncmp(p, "right", 5))
+            p += 5;
+        if (c != *name++)
+            return false;
+    }
+    return *name == '\0';
+}
+
+fn const char* convertColor(const char *val, const char *def) {
+    if (*val == '\0')
+        return "";
+
+    for (u32 i = 0; i < elemsof(standardColors); i += 2) {
+        if (matchColorName(val, standardColors[i]))
+            return standardColors[i + 1];
+    }
+    if (!strcasecmp(val, "default"))
+        return def;
+
+    char[32] buf;
+    i32 pal;
+    i32 r;
+    i32 g;
+    i32 b;
+    if (sscanf(val, "%*1[pP]%d", &pal) == 1) {
+        snprintf(buf, elemsof(buf), "\033[38;5;%dm", pal);
+    } else
+    if (sscanf(val, "#%2x%2x%2x", &r, &g, &b) == 3) {
+        snprintf(buf, elemsof(buf), "\033[38;2;%d;%d;%dm", r, g, b);
+    } else {
+        // TODO: complain about unknown color
+        return def;
+    }
+    return strdup(buf);
+}
+
+public fn const char* getConfigColor(const char* cat, const char* def) {
+    if (!use_color)
+        return "";
+    if (c2_colors) {
+        const char *p = c2_colors;
+        char[16] style;
+        char[16] val;
+        while (getStyleDef(style, elemsof(style), val, elemsof(val), &p)) {
+            if (!strcmp(style, cat))
+                return convertColor(val, def);
+        }
+    }
+    return def;
+}
diff --git a/common/console.c2 b/common/console.c2
index 278dc09c..de69be09 100644
--- a/common/console.c2
+++ b/common/console.c2
@@ -26,8 +26,19 @@ bool show_timing = false;
 
 const u32 BUF_SIZE = 4096;
 
+const char* col_normal = color.Normal;
+const char* col_error = color.Red;
+const char* col_warning = color.Yellow;
+const char* col_debug = color.Blue;
+const char* col_timing = color.Blue;
+
 public fn void init() {
     use_color = color.useColor();
+    col_normal = color.getConfigColor("normal", color.Normal);
+    col_error = color.getConfigColor("error", color.Red);
+    col_warning = color.getConfigColor("warning", color.Yellow);
+    col_debug = color.getConfigColor("debug", color.Blue);
+    col_timing = color.getConfigColor("timing", color.Blue);
 }
 
 public fn void setDebug(bool enable) {
@@ -46,11 +57,7 @@ public fn void debug(const char* format @(printf_format), ...) {
     va_start(args, format);
     vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), format, args);
     va_end(args);
-    if (use_color) {
-        printf("%s%s%s\n", color.Blue, buf, color.Normal);
-    } else {
-        printf("%s\n", buf);
-    }
+    printf("%s%s%s\n", col_debug, buf, col_normal);
 }
 
 public fn void log(const char* format @(printf_format), ...) {
@@ -68,45 +75,29 @@ public fn void warn(const char* format @(printf_format), ...) {
     va_start(args, format);
     vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), format, args);
     va_end(args);
-    if (use_color) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%swarning: %s%s\n", color.Yellow, buf, color.Normal);
-    } else {
-        fprintf(stderr, "warning: %s\n", buf);
-    }
+    fprintf(stderr, "%swarning: %s%s\n", col_warning, buf, col_normal);
 }
 
 public fn void error(const char* format @(printf_format), ...) {
     char[BUF_SIZE] buf;
     va_list args;
     va_start(args, format);
-    vsprintf(buf, format, args);
+    vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), format, args);
     va_end(args);
-    if (use_color) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%serror: %s%s\n", color.Red, buf, color.Normal);
-    } else {
-        fprintf(stderr, "error: %s\n", buf);
-    }
+    fprintf(stderr, "%serror: %s%s\n", col_error, buf, col_normal);
 }
 
 public fn void error_diag(const char* loc, const char* format @(printf_format), ...) {
     char[BUF_SIZE] buf;
     va_list args;
     va_start(args, format);
-    vsprintf(buf, format, args);
+    vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), format, args);
     va_end(args);
-    if (use_color) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s%s: error: %s%s\n", color.Red, loc, buf, color.Normal);
-    } else {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: error: %s\n", loc, buf);
-    }
+    fprintf(stderr, "%s%s: error: %s%s\n", col_error, loc, buf, col_normal);
 }
 
 public fn void log_time(const char* item, u64 duration) {
     if (!show_timing) return;
-    if (use_color) {
-        printf("%s%s took %d usec%s\n", color.Blue, item, duration, color.Normal);
-    } else {
-        printf("%s took %d usec\n", item, duration);
-    }
+    printf("%s%s took %d usec%s\n", col_timing, item, duration, col_normal);
 }
 
diff --git a/common/diagnostics.c2 b/common/diagnostics.c2
index da84992e..58d4415b 100644
--- a/common/diagnostics.c2
+++ b/common/diagnostics.c2
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@ public fn Diags* create(source_mgr.SourceMgr* sm, bool use_color, const utils.Pa
     diags.sm = sm;
     diags.out = string_buffer.create(512, use_color, 1);
     diags.path_info = path_info;
+    if (use_color) {
+        for (u32 i = 0; i < elemsof(category_colors); i++) {
+            category_colors[i] = color.getConfigColor(category_names[i], category_colors[i]);
+        }
+        col_Normal = color.getConfigColor("normal", color.Normal);
+        col_Range = color.getConfigColor("range", color.Bgreen);
+    }
     return diags;
 }
 
@@ -75,6 +82,9 @@ const char*[] category_colors = {
     color.Bred,
 }
 
+const char* col_Normal = color.Normal;
+const char* col_Range = color.Bgreen;
+
 public fn void Diags.error(Diags* diags, SrcLoc loc, const char* format @(printf_format), ...) {
     va_list args;
     va_start(args, format);
@@ -167,7 +177,7 @@ fn void Diags.internal(Diags* diags,
     out.color(category_colors[category]);
     out.add(category_names[category]);
     out.add(": ");
-    out.color(color.Normal);
+    out.color(col_Normal);
 
     out.vprintf(format, args);
     out.newline();
@@ -234,12 +244,12 @@ fn void Diags.internal(Diags* diags,
             char c = ' ';
             if (text[col - 1] == '\t')  // if a TAB was output in the soure
                 c = '\t';               // output a TAB at the same position
-            if (col == range_start_col) out.color(color.Bgreen);
+            if (col == range_start_col) out.color(col_Range);
             if (col >= range_start_col && col < range_end_col) c = '~';
             if (col == loc_col) c = '^';
             out.add1(c);
         }
-        out.color(color.Normal);
+        out.color(col_Normal);
         out.newline();
     }
     fputs(out.data(), stderr);
diff --git a/common/source_mgr.c2 b/common/source_mgr.c2
index 5b42be7b..97800d5c 100644
--- a/common/source_mgr.c2
+++ b/common/source_mgr.c2
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
 module source_mgr;
 
-import color;
+import console;
 import file_utils;
 import string_buffer;
 import string_pool;
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ public fn void SourceMgr.clear(SourceMgr* sm, i32 handle) {
     for (u32 i = start_handle; i < sm.num_files; i++) {
         File* f = &sm.files[i];
         if (f.needed && !f.is_generated) {
-            stdio.printf("WARN %s still not closed\n", sm.pool.idx2str(f.filename));
+            console.warn("%s still not closed", sm.pool.idx2str(f.filename));
         }
         f.clear();
     }
@@ -216,13 +216,10 @@ fn file_utils.Reader SourceMgr.openInternal(SourceMgr* sm, const char* filename,
     if (file.open(filename)) {
         sm.num_open++;
     } else {
-        // TODO only color if enabled (cannot use console since we need source loc first)
         if (loc) {
-            stdio.fprintf(stdio.stderr, "%s: %serror:%s cannot open %s: %s\n",
-                sm.loc2str(loc), color.Red, color.Normal, filename, file.getError());
+            console.error_diag(sm.loc2str(loc), "cannot open %s: %s", filename, file.getError());
         } else {
-            stdio.fprintf(stdio.stderr, "%serror%s: cannot open %s: %s\n",
-                color.Red, color.Normal, filename, file.getError());
+            console.error("cannot open %s: %s", filename, file.getError());
         }
     }
     return file;
@@ -285,9 +282,7 @@ public fn i32 SourceMgr.addGenerated(SourceMgr* sm,
 public fn i32 SourceMgr.open(SourceMgr* sm, u32 filename, SrcLoc loc, bool is_source) {
     if (sm.num_open == sm.max_open) {
         if (!sm.close_oldest()) {
-            // TODO use diags (color)
-            stdio.fprintf(stdio.stderr, "%serror%s: too many files open\n",
-                color.Red, color.Normal);
+            console.error("too many files open");
             return -1;
         }
     }
@@ -339,9 +334,7 @@ fn void SourceMgr.checkOpen(SourceMgr* sm, i32 handle) {
 
     if (sm.num_open == sm.max_open) {
         if (!sm.close_oldest()) {
-            // TODO use diags (color)
-            stdio.fprintf(stdio.stderr, "%serror%s: too many files open\n",
-                color.Red, color.Normal);
+            console.error("too many files open");
             stdlib.exit(-1);
         }
     }
diff --git a/compiler/c2recipe_parser.c2 b/compiler/c2recipe_parser.c2
index 4a855745..b2d6c550 100644
--- a/compiler/c2recipe_parser.c2
+++ b/compiler/c2recipe_parser.c2
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 module c2recipe;
 
 import build_target;
-import color;
+import console;
 import ctype;
 import source_mgr;
 import src_loc local;
@@ -195,14 +195,10 @@ fn void Parser.error(Parser* p, const char* format @(printf_format), ...) @(nore
     char[128] msg;
     va_list args;
     va_start(args, format);
-    vsnprintf(msg, sizeof(msg)-1, format, args);
+    vsnprintf(msg, elemsof(msg), format, args);
     va_end(args);
 
-    if (color.useColor()) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: %serror:%s %s\n", p.sm.loc2str(p.token.loc), color.Red, color.Normal, msg);
-    } else {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: error: %s\n", p.sm.loc2str(p.token.loc), msg);
-    }
+    console.error_diag(p.sm.loc2str(p.token.loc), "%s", msg);
     longjmp(&p.jmpbuf, 1);
 }
 
diff --git a/parser/c2_parser.c2 b/parser/c2_parser.c2
index 0458d605..87f1a64d 100644
--- a/parser/c2_parser.c2
+++ b/parser/c2_parser.c2
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import ast_builder local;
 import ast local;
 import attr;
 import c2_tokenizer;
-import color;
 import constants;
 import diagnostics;
 import keywords;
@@ -733,13 +732,13 @@ fn void Parser.dump_token(Parser* p, const Token* tok) @(unused) {
     out.clear();
 
     if (is_keyword(tok.kind))
-        out.color(color.Green);
+        out.color(col_Keyword);
     out.print("%12s", tok.kind.str());
     if (is_keyword(tok.kind))
-        out.color(color.Normal);
+        out.color(col_Normal);
     out.print("  %6d %s  ", tok.loc, p.sm.loc2str(tok.loc));
 
-    out.color(color.Cyan);
+    out.color(col_Literal);
     switch (tok.kind) {
     case Identifier:
         out.add(p.pool.idx2str(tok.name_idx));
@@ -791,7 +790,7 @@ fn void Parser.dump_token(Parser* p, const Token* tok) @(unused) {
         out.add1('"');
         out.encodeBytes(p.pool.idx2str(tok.text_idx), tok.text_len, '"');
         out.add1('"');
-        out.color(color.Normal);
+        out.color(col_Normal);
         out.print(" (len %d)", tok.text_len);
         break;
     case LineComment:
@@ -804,18 +803,18 @@ fn void Parser.dump_token(Parser* p, const Token* tok) @(unused) {
         out.add("*/");
         break;
     case Warning:
-        out.color(color.Yellow);
+        out.color(col_Warning);
         out.add(tok.error_msg);
         break;
     case Error:
-        out.color(color.Red);
+        out.color(col_Error);
         out.add(p.tokenizer.error_msg);
         break;
     default:
         break;
     }
     // TODO use callback
-    out.color(color.Normal);
+    out.color(col_Normal);
     out.newline();
     fputs(out.data(), stdout);
 }
diff --git a/recipe.txt b/recipe.txt
index ea46334c..e7196014 100644
--- a/recipe.txt
+++ b/recipe.txt
@@ -338,6 +338,7 @@ executable tester
     ast_utils/color.c2
     ast_utils/string_buffer.c2
 
+    common/console.c2
     common/constants.c2
     common/file/reader.c2
     common/file/writer.c2
@@ -361,6 +362,7 @@ executable c2cat
     ast_utils/string_buffer.c2
     ast_utils/string_pool.c2
 
+    common/console.c2
     common/constants.c2
     common/file/reader.c2
     common/string_list.c2
@@ -390,6 +392,7 @@ executable c2loc
     ast_utils/string_pool.c2
 
     common/build_target.c2
+    common/console.c2
     common/constants.c2
     common/file/reader.c2
     common/library_list.c2
diff --git a/tools/c2cat.c2 b/tools/c2cat.c2
index 2aa49728..51767e53 100644
--- a/tools/c2cat.c2
+++ b/tools/c2cat.c2
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ module c2cat_main;
 
 import c2_tokenizer;
 import color;
+import console;
 import file_utils;
 import keywords;
 import string_buffer;
@@ -81,21 +82,20 @@ const char*[] attr_names = {
 
 
 fn void init_colors() {
-    if (!color.useColor()) {
-        col_keyword = "";
-        col_type = "";
-        col_feature = "";
-        col_attr = "";
-        col_identifier = "";
-        col_integer = "";
-        col_float = "";
-        col_charconst = "";
-        col_string = "";
-        col_comment = "";
-        col_invalid = "";
-        col_error = "";
-        col_normal = "";
-    }
+    color.useColor();
+    col_keyword = color.getConfigColor("c2.keyword", color.Byellow);
+    col_type = color.getConfigColor("c2.type", color.Green);
+    col_feature = color.getConfigColor("c2.feature", color.Blue);
+    col_attr = color.getConfigColor("c2.attr", color.Blue);
+    col_identifier = color.getConfigColor("c2.identifier", "");
+    col_integer = color.getConfigColor("c2.integer", color.Magenta);
+    col_float = color.getConfigColor("c2.float", color.Magenta);
+    col_charconst = color.getConfigColor("c2.charconst", color.Magenta);
+    col_string = color.getConfigColor("c2.string", color.Magenta);
+    col_comment = color.getConfigColor("c2.comment", color.Bcyan);
+    col_invalid = color.getConfigColor("c2.invalid", color.Bred);
+    col_error = color.getConfigColor("c2.error", color.Bred);
+    col_normal = color.getConfigColor("c2.normal", color.Normal);
 }
 
 fn bool is_attribute(const char* str) {
@@ -343,6 +343,7 @@ public fn i32 c2cat(const char* filename)
 public fn i32 main(i32 argc, const char** argv)
 {
     if (argc == 1) usage(argv[0]);
+    console.init();
     init_colors();
     for (i32 i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
         if (argc > 2)
diff --git a/tools/c2loc.c2 b/tools/c2loc.c2
index e4486b9f..f17490fb 100644
--- a/tools/c2loc.c2
+++ b/tools/c2loc.c2
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ module c2loc_main;
 
 import build_target;
 import c2recipe;
+import console;
 import constants;
 import source_mgr;
 import string_pool;
@@ -106,6 +107,7 @@ fn void handle_target(build_target.Target* t, const char* name) {
 
 public fn i32 main(i32 argc, const char** argv)
 {
+    console.init();
     parse_opts(argc, argv);
 
     if (other_dir) {
diff --git a/tools/tester/test_db.c2 b/tools/tester/test_db.c2
index 63deab82..579c5cb0 100644
--- a/tools/tester/test_db.c2
+++ b/tools/tester/test_db.c2
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import stdlib local;
 import string local;
 import unistd local;
 
-import color;
 import constants;
 import expect_file local;
 import file_utils;
@@ -470,7 +469,7 @@ fn void Db.error(Db* db, const char* format @(printf_format), ...) {
     vsnprintf(msg, sizeof(msg), format, args);
     va_end(args);
     // TODO use colError?
-    color_print2(db.output, color.Bred, "%s:%d: %s", db.filename, db.line_nr, msg);
+    color_print2(db.output, colError, "%s:%d: %s", db.filename, db.line_nr, msg);
     db.hasErrors = true;
 }
 
@@ -747,7 +746,7 @@ public fn void Db.testFile(Db* db) {
             // TODO print pipe_stderr
             db.output.color(colError);
             db.output.add("c2c crashed!");
-            db.output.color(color.Normal);
+            db.output.color(colNormal);
             db.output.newline();
             db.hasErrors = true;
             return;
@@ -762,7 +761,7 @@ public fn void Db.testFile(Db* db) {
         if (retcode == 254) { // from TODO/FATAL_ERROR macros
             db.output.color(colError);
             db.output.add("c2c returned error");
-            db.output.color(color.Normal);
+            db.output.color(colNormal);
             db.output.newline();
             db.hasErrors = true;
             return;
@@ -864,7 +863,7 @@ public fn bool Db.printIssues(const Db* db) {
         db.output.color(colError);
         db.output.print("%s:%d: expected error '%s'",
                 iter.getFilename(), iter.getLineNr(), iter.getMsg());
-        db.output.color(color.Normal);
+        db.output.color(colNormal);
         db.output.newline();
         res = true;
         iter.next();
@@ -875,7 +874,7 @@ public fn bool Db.printIssues(const Db* db) {
         db.output.color(colError);
         db.output.print("%s:%d: expected warning '%s'",
                 iter.getFilename(), iter.getLineNr(), iter.getMsg());
-        db.output.color(color.Normal);
+        db.output.color(colNormal);
         db.output.newline();
         res = true;
         iter.next();
@@ -886,7 +885,7 @@ public fn bool Db.printIssues(const Db* db) {
         db.output.color(colError);
         db.output.print("%s:%d: expected note '%s'",
                 iter.getFilename(), iter.getLineNr(), iter.getMsg());
-        db.output.color(color.Normal);
+        db.output.color(colNormal);
         db.output.newline();
         res = true;
         iter.next();
diff --git a/tools/tester/test_utils.c2 b/tools/tester/test_utils.c2
index 9a93422d..bfc66b0b 100644
--- a/tools/tester/test_utils.c2
+++ b/tools/tester/test_utils.c2
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ public const char* colError = color.Bred;
 public const char* colSkip = color.Bcyan;
 public const char* colOk = color.Green;
 public const char* colDebug = color.Bmagenta;
+public const char* colNormal = color.Normal;
 
 // NOTE: end must point AFTER last valid char (could be 0-terminator)
 
@@ -45,9 +46,15 @@ public fn void skipTrailingWhitespace(const char* start, const char** end) {
     *end = cp;
 }
 
-public fn void set_color_output(const char *name, bool enable) {
+public fn void set_color_output(const char *name) {
     proc_name = name;
-    color_output = enable;
+    color_output = color.useColor();
+    // customize colors
+    colError = color.getConfigColor("test.error", color.Bred);
+    colSkip = color.getConfigColor("test.skip", color.Bcyan);
+    colOk = color.getConfigColor("test.ok", color.Green);
+    colDebug = color.getConfigColor("test.debug", color.Bmagenta);
+    colNormal = color.getConfigColor("test.normal", color.Normal);
 }
 
 public fn void color_print(const char* col, const char* format @(printf_format), ...) {
@@ -57,7 +64,7 @@ public fn void color_print(const char* col, const char* format @(printf_format),
     vsnprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), format, args);
     va_end(args);
 
-    if (color_output) printf("%s%s%s\n", col, buffer, color.Normal);
+    if (color_output) printf("%s%s%s\n", col, buffer, colNormal);
     else printf("%s\n", buffer);
 }
 
@@ -68,7 +75,7 @@ public fn void print_error(const char* format @(printf_format), ...) {
     vsnprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), format, args);
     va_end(args);
 
-    if (color_output) fprintf(stderr, "%s: %s%s%s\n", proc_name, color.Byellow, buffer, color.Normal);
+    if (color_output) fprintf(stderr, "%s: %s%s%s\n", proc_name, colError, buffer, colNormal);
     else fprintf(stderr, "%s: %s\n", proc_name, buffer);
 }
 
@@ -83,7 +90,7 @@ public fn void color_print2(string_buffer.Buf* output,
     vsnprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), format, args);
     va_end(args);
 
-    if (color_output) output.print("%s%s%s\n", col, buffer, color.Normal);
+    if (color_output) output.print("%s%s%s\n", col, buffer, colNormal);
     else output.print("%s\n", buffer);
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/tester/tester.c2 b/tools/tester/tester.c2
index ef995604..bd2f57f3 100644
--- a/tools/tester/tester.c2
+++ b/tools/tester/tester.c2
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ public fn i32 main(i32 argc, char** argv) {
 
     u64 t1 = now();
 
-    set_color_output(argv[0], unistd.isatty(1));
+    set_color_output(argv[0]);
 
     for (i32 i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
         char *arg = argv[i];