diff --git a/coreutils/ls.c b/coreutils/ls.c
index 80ef92079..1f7d7f7bf 100644
--- a/coreutils/ls.c
+++ b/coreutils/ls.c
@@ -1145,11 +1145,15 @@ int ls_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 
 #if ENABLE_FEATURE_LS_COLOR
 	/* set G_show_color = 1/0 */
-	if (ENABLE_FEATURE_LS_COLOR_IS_DEFAULT && isatty(STDOUT_FILENO)) {
+	if (ENABLE_FEATURE_LS_COLOR_IS_DEFAULT && !is_TERM_dumb()) {
 		char *p = getenv("LS_COLORS");
 		/* LS_COLORS is unset, or (not empty && not "none") ? */
-		if (!p || (p[0] && strcmp(p, "none") != 0))
-			G_show_color = 1;
+		if (!p || (p[0] && strcmp(p, "none") != 0)) {
+			if (isatty(STDOUT_FILENO)) {
+				/* check isatty() last because it's expensive (syscall) */
+				G_show_color = 1;
+			}
+		}
 	}
 	if (opt & OPT_color) {
 		if (color_opt[0] == 'n')
@@ -1158,7 +1162,7 @@ int ls_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 		case 3:
 		case 4:
 		case 5:
-			if (isatty(STDOUT_FILENO)) {
+			if (!is_TERM_dumb() && isatty(STDOUT_FILENO)) {
 		case 0:
 		case 1:
 		case 2:
diff --git a/include/libbb.h b/include/libbb.h
index 03f9c35f3..4c9c83bd1 100644
--- a/include/libbb.h
+++ b/include/libbb.h
@@ -1773,6 +1773,7 @@ extern void print_login_issue(const char *issue_file, const char *tty) FAST_FUNC
 extern void print_login_prompt(void) FAST_FUNC;
 
 char *xmalloc_ttyname(int fd) FAST_FUNC RETURNS_MALLOC;
+int is_TERM_dumb(void) FAST_FUNC;
 /* NB: typically you want to pass fd 0, not 1. Think 'applet | grep something' */
 int get_terminal_width_height(int fd, unsigned *width, unsigned *height) FAST_FUNC;
 int get_terminal_width(int fd) FAST_FUNC;
diff --git a/libbb/xfuncs.c b/libbb/xfuncs.c
index d93d8aaf5..c81ce4546 100644
--- a/libbb/xfuncs.c
+++ b/libbb/xfuncs.c
@@ -303,6 +303,12 @@ int FAST_FUNC get_terminal_width(int fd)
 	return width;
 }
 
+int FAST_FUNC is_dumb_term(void)
+{
+	char *term = getenv("TERM");
+	return term && strcmp(term, "dumb") == 0;
+}
+
 int FAST_FUNC tcsetattr_stdin_TCSANOW(const struct termios *tp)
 {
 	return tcsetattr(STDIN_FILENO, TCSANOW, tp);