diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a2f3f6c1a5b..8bd1bf506e1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ usage: fzf [options]
     -i                   Case-insensitive match (default: smart-case match)
     +i                   Case-sensitive match
     +c, --no-color       Disable colors
+    +2, --no-256         Disable 256-color
         --no-mouse       Disable mouse
 
   Environment variables
diff --git a/fzf b/fzf
index f04900dad7d..cd334021b86 100755
--- a/fzf
+++ b/fzf
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ end
 
 class FZF
   C = Curses
-  attr_reader :rxflag, :sort, :color, :mouse, :multi, :query, :filter, :extended
+  attr_reader :rxflag, :sort, :color, :ansi256, :mouse, :multi, :query, :filter, :extended
 
   class AtomicVar
     def initialize value
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ class FZF
     @rxflag   = nil
     @sort     = ENV.fetch('FZF_DEFAULT_SORT', 1000).to_i
     @color    = true
+    @ansi256  = true
     @multi    = false
     @mouse    = true
     @extended = nil
@@ -101,6 +102,9 @@ class FZF
       when '+i'                  then @rxflag   = 0
       when '-c', '--color'       then @color    = true
       when '+c', '--no-color'    then @color    = false
+      when '-2', '--256'         then @ansi256  = true
+      when '+2', '--no-256'      then @ansi256  = false
+      when       '--mouse'       then @mouse    = true
       when       '--no-mouse'    then @mouse    = false
       when '+s', '--no-sort'     then @sort     = nil
       when '-q', '--query'
@@ -206,6 +210,7 @@ class FZF
     -i                   Case-insensitive match (default: smart-case match)
     +i                   Case-sensitive match
     +c, --no-color       Disable colors
+    +2, --no-256         Disable 256-color
         --no-mouse       Disable mouse
 
   Environment variables
@@ -522,7 +527,7 @@ class FZF
     C.noecho
 
     if @color
-      if ENV['TERM'].to_s =~ /256/
+      if @ansi256 && ENV['TERM'].to_s =~ /256/
         C.init_pair 1, 110, dbg
         C.init_pair 2, 108, dbg
         C.init_pair 3, 254, 236
diff --git a/test/test_fzf.rb b/test/test_fzf.rb
index ebba5c6f27c..df825928aeb 100644
--- a/test/test_fzf.rb
+++ b/test/test_fzf.rb
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def test_environment_variables
     fzf = FZF.new []
     assert_equal 20000, fzf.sort
 
-    ENV['FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS'] = '-x -m -s 10000 -q "  hello  world  " +c --no-mouse -f "goodbye world"'
+    ENV['FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS'] = '-x -m -s 10000 -q "  hello  world  " +c +2 --no-mouse -f "goodbye world"'
     fzf = FZF.new []
     assert_equal 10000,   fzf.sort
     assert_equal '  hello  world  ',
@@ -38,16 +38,18 @@ def test_environment_variables
     assert_equal :fuzzy,  fzf.extended
     assert_equal true,    fzf.multi
     assert_equal false,   fzf.color
+    assert_equal false,   fzf.ansi256
     assert_equal false,   fzf.mouse
   end
 
   def test_option_parser
     # Long opts
     fzf = FZF.new %w[--sort=2000 --no-color --multi +i --query hello
-                     --filter=howdy --extended-exact --no-mouse]
+                     --filter=howdy --extended-exact --no-mouse --no-256]
     assert_equal 2000,    fzf.sort
     assert_equal true,    fzf.multi
     assert_equal false,   fzf.color
+    assert_equal false,   fzf.ansi256
     assert_equal false,   fzf.mouse
     assert_equal 0,       fzf.rxflag
     assert_equal 'hello', fzf.query.get
@@ -55,11 +57,12 @@ def test_option_parser
     assert_equal :exact,  fzf.extended
 
     fzf = FZF.new %w[--sort=2000 --no-color --multi +i --query hello
-                     --filter a --filter b
-                     --no-sort -i --color --no-multi]
+                     --filter a --filter b --no-256
+                     --no-sort -i --color --no-multi --256]
     assert_equal nil,     fzf.sort
     assert_equal false,   fzf.multi
     assert_equal true,    fzf.color
+    assert_equal true,    fzf.ansi256
     assert_equal true,    fzf.mouse
     assert_equal 1,       fzf.rxflag
     assert_equal 'b',     fzf.filter
@@ -67,21 +70,23 @@ def test_option_parser
     assert_equal nil,     fzf.extended
 
     # Short opts
-    fzf = FZF.new %w[-s 2000 +c -m +i -qhello -x -fhowdy]
+    fzf = FZF.new %w[-s 2000 +c -m +i -qhello -x -fhowdy +2]
     assert_equal 2000,    fzf.sort
     assert_equal true,    fzf.multi
     assert_equal false,   fzf.color
+    assert_equal false,   fzf.ansi256
     assert_equal 0,       fzf.rxflag
     assert_equal 'hello', fzf.query.get
     assert_equal 'howdy', fzf.filter
     assert_equal :fuzzy,  fzf.extended
 
     # Left-to-right
-    fzf = FZF.new %w[-s 2000 +c -m +i -qhello -x -fgoodbye
-                     -s 3000 -c +m -i -q world +x -fworld]
+    fzf = FZF.new %w[-s 2000 +c -m +i -qhello -x -fgoodbye +2
+                     -s 3000 -c +m -i -q world +x -fworld -2]
     assert_equal 3000,    fzf.sort
     assert_equal false,   fzf.multi
     assert_equal true,    fzf.color
+    assert_equal true,    fzf.ansi256
     assert_equal 1,       fzf.rxflag
     assert_equal 'world', fzf.query.get
     assert_equal 'world', fzf.filter