diff --git a/action/config/load.go b/action/config/load.go
index 393daa21..b5b60fbd 100644
--- a/action/config/load.go
+++ b/action/config/load.go
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ func (c *Config) Load(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 		// and if it is set in the context
 		if strings.Contains(f, internal.FlagColorTheme) &&
 			!ctx.IsSet(internal.FlagColorTheme) &&
-			len(config.ColorFormat) > 0 {
+			len(config.ColorTheme) > 0 {
 			// set the color theme field to value from config
 			err = ctx.Set(internal.FlagColorTheme, config.ColorTheme)
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/vela-cli/main.go b/cmd/vela-cli/main.go
index 7c0c5a78..a0026b8e 100644
--- a/cmd/vela-cli/main.go
+++ b/cmd/vela-cli/main.go
@@ -142,13 +142,13 @@ func main() {
 		&cli.StringFlag{
 			EnvVars: []string{"VELA_COLOR_FORMAT"},
 			Name:    internal.FlagColorFormat,
-			Usage:   "enable or disable color output",
+			Usage:   "overrides the output color format (default: terminal256)",
 		},
 
 		&cli.StringFlag{
 			EnvVars: []string{"VELA_COLOR_THEME"},
 			Name:    internal.FlagColorTheme,
-			Usage:   "configures the output color theme",
+			Usage:   "configures the output color theme (default: monokai)",
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/command/settings/view.go b/command/settings/view.go
index 96a3d7e1..384f16d6 100644
--- a/command/settings/view.go
+++ b/command/settings/view.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-vela/cli/action/settings"
 	"github.com/go-vela/cli/internal"
 	"github.com/go-vela/cli/internal/client"
+	"github.com/go-vela/cli/internal/output"
 )
 
 // CommandView defines the command for inspecting the platform settings record.
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ func view(c *cli.Context) error {
 	s := &settings.Config{
 		Action: internal.ActionView,
 		Output: c.String(internal.FlagOutput),
+		Color:  output.ColorOptionsFromCLIContext(c),
 	}
 
 	// validate settings configuration