diff --git a/zsh/env.zsh b/zsh/env.zsh
index 0cbcc3d..9870a4a 100644
--- a/zsh/env.zsh
+++ b/zsh/env.zsh
@@ -15,3 +15,17 @@ export LSCOLORS="Gxfxcxdxbxegedabagacad"
 if [[ -z "$LS_COLORS" ]] && command_exists dircolors; then
   eval "$(dircolors --bourne-shell)"
 fi
+
+# see COLORS in jq(1)
+jq_colors=(
+  "0;38;5;16" # null
+  "0;38;5;16" # false
+  "0;38;5;16" # true
+  "0;38;5;16" # numbers
+  "0;32"    # strings
+  "0;39"    # arrays
+  "0;39"    # objects
+)
+# join all values from jq_colors with a semicolon
+export JQ_COLORS="${(j.:.)jq_colors}"
+# unset jq_colors