diff --git a/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/logging/ConsoleConfig.java b/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/logging/ConsoleConfig.java
index b9abbfaf288e12..dd19a6c0db000a 100644
--- a/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/logging/ConsoleConfig.java
+++ b/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/logging/ConsoleConfig.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package io.quarkus.runtime.logging;
 
+import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 
 import io.quarkus.runtime.annotations.ConfigGroup;
@@ -29,10 +30,11 @@ public class ConsoleConfig {
     Level level;
 
     /**
-     * If the console logging should be in color
+     * If the console logging should be in color. If undefined quarkus takes
+     * best guess based on operating system and environment.
      */
-    @ConfigItem(defaultValue = "true")
-    boolean color;
+    @ConfigItem()
+    Optional<Boolean> color;
 
     /**
      * Specify how much the colors should be darkened
diff --git a/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/logging/LoggingSetupRecorder.java b/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/logging/LoggingSetupRecorder.java
index 4d6fee44f73035..e613c0aba54479 100644
--- a/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/logging/LoggingSetupRecorder.java
+++ b/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/logging/LoggingSetupRecorder.java
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ private boolean hasColorSupport() {
     private ErrorManager configureConsoleHandler(ConsoleConfig config, ErrorManager errorManager,
             List<LogCleanupFilterElement> filterElements, ArrayList<Handler> handlers) {
         final PatternFormatter formatter;
-        if (config.color && hasColorSupport()) {
+        if (config.color.orElse(hasColorSupport())) {
             formatter = new ColorPatternFormatter(config.darken, config.format);
         } else {
             formatter = new PatternFormatter(config.format);