diff --git a/ros2controlcli/ros2controlcli/verb/list_controllers.py b/ros2controlcli/ros2controlcli/verb/list_controllers.py
index ca73e7afef..31ce814865 100644
--- a/ros2controlcli/ros2controlcli/verb/list_controllers.py
+++ b/ros2controlcli/ros2controlcli/verb/list_controllers.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 from controller_manager import list_controllers
+from controller_manager.spawner import bcolors
 
 from ros2cli.node.direct import add_arguments
 from ros2cli.node.strategy import NodeStrategy
@@ -22,7 +23,15 @@
 
 
 def print_controller_state(c, args):
-    print(f"{c.name:20s}[{c.type:20s}] {c.state:10s}")
+    state_color = ""
+    if c.state == "active":
+        state_color = bcolors.OKGREEN
+    elif c.state == "inactive":
+        state_color = bcolors.OKCYAN
+    elif c.state == "unconfigured":
+        state_color = bcolors.WARNING
+
+    print(f"{c.name:20s}[{c.type:20s}] {state_color}{c.state:10s}{bcolors.ENDC}")
     if args.claimed_interfaces or args.verbose:
         print("\tclaimed interfaces:")
         for claimed_interface in c.claimed_interfaces: