diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index 010801e314..2ba9d9b9e1 100644
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -34,9 +34,7 @@ nvm_is_alias() {
 
 nvm_has_colors() {
   local NVM_COLORS
-  if test -t 1; then
-    NVM_COLORS="$(tput -T "${TERM:-vt100}" colors)"
-  fi
+  NVM_COLORS="$(tput -T "${TERM:-vt100}" colors)"
   [ "${NVM_COLORS:--1}" -ge 8 ]
 }
 
diff --git a/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set b/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set
index c719e4bf69..602ceba0ef 100755
--- a/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set
+++ b/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+. ../../common.sh
+
 die () { echo $@ ; exit 1; }
 
 . ../../../nvm.sh
@@ -14,5 +16,5 @@ OUTPUT="$(nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2)"
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT="Creating default alias: default -> 0.2 (-> iojs-v0.2.10)"
 EXIT_CODE="$?"
 
-[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2' did not output '$EXPECTED_OUTPUT', got '$OUTPUT'"
+[ "_$(echo "$OUTPUT" | strip_colors)" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2' did not output '$EXPECTED_OUTPUT', got '$OUTPUT'"
 [ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_0" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2' did not exit with 0, got $EXIT_CODE"
diff --git a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set
index edd926cbb1..fb0461b931 100755
--- a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set	
+++ b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set	
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+. ../../common.sh
+
 die () { echo $@ ; exit 1; }
 
 . ../../../nvm.sh
@@ -7,7 +9,7 @@ die () { echo $@ ; exit 1; }
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT="nvm_ensure_default_set: a version is required"
 OUTPUT="$(nvm_ensure_default_set 2>&1 >/dev/null)"
 EXIT_CODE="$?"
-[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' did not output "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT", got "$OUTPUT""
+[ "_$(echo "$OUTPUT" | strip_colors)" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' did not output "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT", got "$OUTPUT""
 [ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_1" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' did not exit with 1, got "$EXIT_CODE""
 
 # see test/fast/Aliases for remaining nvm_ensure_default_set tests