--- a/toys/posix/ls.c
+++ b/toys/posix/ls.c
@@ -513,9 +513,11 @@
     if (!FLAG(show_control_chars)) toys.optflags |= FLAG_b;
     if (FLAG(l)||FLAG(o)||FLAG(n)||FLAG(g)) toys.optflags |= FLAG_1;
     else if (!(FLAG(1)||FLAG(x)||FLAG(m))) toys.optflags |= FLAG_C;
+    if (TT.color && !strcmp(TT.color, "never")) toys.optflags ^= FLAG_color;
+    else toys.optflags |= FLAG_color;
   } else {
     if (!FLAG(m)) toys.optflags |= FLAG_1;
-    if (TT.color) toys.optflags ^= FLAG_color;
+    if (TT.color && strcmp(TT.color, "always")) toys.optflags ^= FLAG_color;
   }
 
   TT.screen_width = 80;