diff --git a/src/mu-util.c b/src/mu-util.c
index 6081bb04..882bf97a 100644
--- a/src/mu-util.c
+++ b/src/mu-util.c
@@ -145,6 +145,43 @@ mu_util_cache_dir (void)
 }
 
 
+void
+mu_util_color_print (MuColor col, const char *str)
+{
+	const char *pfx;
+	const char *reset = "\x1b[0m";
+
+	static int is_tty = -1;
+
+	if (!str)
+		return;
+	
+	if (is_tty == -1)
+		is_tty = isatty(fileno(stdout)) ? 1 : 0;
+	
+	switch (col) {
+	case MU_COLOR_RED	: pfx = "\x1b[31m"; break;
+	case MU_COLOR_GREEN	: pfx = "\x1b[32m"; break;
+	case MU_COLOR_YELLOW	: pfx = "\x1b[33m"; break;
+	case MU_COLOR_BLUE	: pfx = "\x1b[34m"; break;
+	case MU_COLOR_MAGENTA	: pfx = "\x1b[35m"; break;
+	case MU_COLOR_CYAN	: pfx = "\x1b[36m"; break;
+		
+	default:
+		g_critical ("invalid color %u", (unsigned)col);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (is_tty)
+		fputs (pfx, stdout);
+
+	fputs (str, stdout);
+
+	if (is_tty)
+		fputs (reset, stdout);
+}
+
+
 gboolean
 mu_util_init_system (void)
 {
diff --git a/src/mu-util.h b/src/mu-util.h
index 8ce7fd74..b7633eb8 100644
--- a/src/mu-util.h
+++ b/src/mu-util.h
@@ -105,6 +105,27 @@ gboolean mu_util_check_dir (const gchar* path, gboolean readable,
 const char* mu_util_cache_dir (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
 
+enum _MuColor {
+	MU_COLOR_RED         = 0,
+	MU_COLOR_GREEN,
+	MU_COLOR_YELLOW,
+	MU_COLOR_BLUE,
+	MU_COLOR_MAGENTA,
+	MU_COLOR_CYAN
+};
+typedef enum _MuColor MuColor;
+
+
+/**
+ * print string to stdout in a certain color if the output is to a
+ * sufficiently capable tty; otherwise, just print the string. Color
+ * will *only* be printed if stdout actually is a tty.
+ *  
+ * @param col a MuColor
+ * @param str a string, or NULL
+ */
+void mu_util_color_print (MuColor col, const char *str);
+
 /**
  * create a writeable file and return its file descriptor (which
  * you'll need to close(2) when done with it.)