diff --git a/t/t4034-diff-words.sh b/t/t4034-diff-words.sh
index 4508effcaac..17621dd5a41 100755
--- a/t/t4034-diff-words.sh
+++ b/t/t4034-diff-words.sh
@@ -11,18 +11,9 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 
 '
 
-decrypt_color () {
-	sed \
-		-e 's/.\[1m/<WHITE>/g' \
-		-e 's/.\[31m/<RED>/g' \
-		-e 's/.\[32m/<GREEN>/g' \
-		-e 's/.\[36m/<BROWN>/g' \
-		-e 's/.\[m/<RESET>/g'
-}
-
 word_diff () {
 	test_must_fail git diff --no-index "$@" pre post > output &&
-	decrypt_color < output > output.decrypted &&
+	test_decode_color <output >output.decrypted &&
 	test_cmp expect output.decrypted
 }
 
@@ -47,7 +38,7 @@ cat > expect <<\EOF
 <WHITE>index 330b04f..5ed8eff 100644<RESET>
 <WHITE>--- a/pre<RESET>
 <WHITE>+++ b/post<RESET>
-<BROWN>@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@<RESET>
+<CYAN>@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@<RESET>
 <RED>h(4)<RESET><GREEN>h(4),hh[44]<RESET>
 <RESET>
 a = b + c<RESET>
@@ -68,7 +59,7 @@ cat > expect <<\EOF
 <WHITE>index 330b04f..5ed8eff 100644<RESET>
 <WHITE>--- a/pre<RESET>
 <WHITE>+++ b/post<RESET>
-<BROWN>@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@<RESET>
+<CYAN>@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@<RESET>
 h(4),<GREEN>hh<RESET>[44]
 <RESET>
 a = b + c<RESET>
@@ -104,7 +95,7 @@ cat > expect <<\EOF
 <WHITE>index 330b04f..5ed8eff 100644<RESET>
 <WHITE>--- a/pre<RESET>
 <WHITE>+++ b/post<RESET>
-<BROWN>@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@<RESET>
+<CYAN>@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@<RESET>
 h(4)<GREEN>,hh[44]<RESET>
 <RESET>
 a = b + c<RESET>
@@ -146,7 +137,7 @@ cat > expect <<\EOF
 <WHITE>index 330b04f..5ed8eff 100644<RESET>
 <WHITE>--- a/pre<RESET>
 <WHITE>+++ b/post<RESET>
-<BROWN>@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@<RESET>
+<CYAN>@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@<RESET>
 h(4),<GREEN>hh[44<RESET>]
 <RESET>
 a = b + c<RESET>
@@ -168,7 +159,7 @@ cat > expect <<\EOF
 <WHITE>index c29453b..be22f37 100644<RESET>
 <WHITE>--- a/pre<RESET>
 <WHITE>+++ b/post<RESET>
-<BROWN>@@ -1 +1 @@<RESET>
+<CYAN>@@ -1 +1 @@<RESET>
 aaa (aaa) <GREEN>aaa<RESET>
 EOF
 
@@ -187,7 +178,7 @@ cat > expect <<\EOF
 <WHITE>index 289cb9d..2d06f37 100644<RESET>
 <WHITE>--- a/pre<RESET>
 <WHITE>+++ b/post<RESET>
-<BROWN>@@ -1 +1 @@<RESET>
+<CYAN>@@ -1 +1 @@<RESET>
 (<RED>:<RESET>
 EOF
 
diff --git a/t/t7508-status.sh b/t/t7508-status.sh
index 8e7727e5d41..cf67fe3a4a0 100755
--- a/t/t7508-status.sh
+++ b/t/t7508-status.sh
@@ -8,26 +8,26 @@ test_description='git status'
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
 test_expect_success 'setup' '
-	: > tracked &&
-	: > modified &&
+	: >tracked &&
+	: >modified &&
 	mkdir dir1 &&
-	: > dir1/tracked &&
-	: > dir1/modified &&
+	: >dir1/tracked &&
+	: >dir1/modified &&
 	mkdir dir2 &&
-	: > dir1/tracked &&
-	: > dir1/modified &&
+	: >dir1/tracked &&
+	: >dir1/modified &&
 	git add . &&
 
 	git status >output &&
 
 	test_tick &&
 	git commit -m initial &&
-	: > untracked &&
-	: > dir1/untracked &&
-	: > dir2/untracked &&
-	echo 1 > dir1/modified &&
-	echo 2 > dir2/modified &&
-	echo 3 > dir2/added &&
+	: >untracked &&
+	: >dir1/untracked &&
+	: >dir2/untracked &&
+	echo 1 >dir1/modified &&
+	echo 2 >dir2/modified &&
+	echo 3 >dir2/added &&
 	git add dir2/added
 '
 
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status (1)' '
 
 '
 
-cat > expect << \EOF
+cat >expect <<\EOF
 # On branch master
 # Changes to be committed:
 #   (use "git reset HEAD <file>..." to unstage)
@@ -63,12 +63,12 @@ EOF
 
 test_expect_success 'status (2)' '
 
-	git status > output &&
+	git status >output &&
 	test_cmp expect output
 
 '
 
-cat > expect << \EOF
+cat >expect <<\EOF
  M dir1/modified
 A  dir2/added
 ?? dir1/untracked
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ EOF
 
 test_expect_success 'status -s (2)' '
 
-	git status -s > output &&
+	git status -s >output &&
 	test_cmp expect output
 
 '
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ cat >expect <<EOF
 EOF
 test_expect_success 'status -uno' '
 	mkdir dir3 &&
-	: > dir3/untracked1 &&
-	: > dir3/untracked2 &&
+	: >dir3/untracked1 &&
+	: >dir3/untracked2 &&
 	git status -uno >output &&
 	test_cmp expect output
 '
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status -s (status.showUntrackedFiles all)' '
 	test_cmp expect output
 '
 
-cat > expect << \EOF
+cat >expect <<\EOF
 # On branch master
 # Changes to be committed:
 #   (use "git reset HEAD <file>..." to unstage)
@@ -275,12 +275,12 @@ EOF
 
 test_expect_success 'status with relative paths' '
 
-	(cd dir1 && git status) > output &&
+	(cd dir1 && git status) >output &&
 	test_cmp expect output
 
 '
 
-cat > expect << \EOF
+cat >expect <<\EOF
  M modified
 A  ../dir2/added
 ?? untracked
@@ -292,12 +292,12 @@ A  ../dir2/added
 EOF
 test_expect_success 'status -s with relative paths' '
 
-	(cd dir1 && git status -s) > output &&
+	(cd dir1 && git status -s) >output &&
 	test_cmp expect output
 
 '
 
-cat > expect << \EOF
+cat >expect <<\EOF
  M dir1/modified
 A  dir2/added
 ?? dir1/untracked
@@ -310,12 +310,121 @@ EOF
 
 test_expect_success 'status --porcelain ignores relative paths setting' '
 
-	(cd dir1 && git status --porcelain) > output &&
+	(cd dir1 && git status --porcelain) >output &&
 	test_cmp expect output
 
 '
 
-cat > expect << \EOF
+test_expect_success 'setup unique colors' '
+
+	git config status.color.untracked blue
+
+'
+
+cat >expect <<\EOF
+# On branch master
+# Changes to be committed:
+#   (use "git reset HEAD <file>..." to unstage)
+#
+#	<GREEN>new file:   dir2/added<RESET>
+#
+# Changed but not updated:
+#   (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
+#   (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
+#
+#	<RED>modified:   dir1/modified<RESET>
+#
+# Untracked files:
+#   (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)
+#
+#	<BLUE>dir1/untracked<RESET>
+#	<BLUE>dir2/modified<RESET>
+#	<BLUE>dir2/untracked<RESET>
+#	<BLUE>expect<RESET>
+#	<BLUE>output<RESET>
+#	<BLUE>untracked<RESET>
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'status with color.ui' '
+
+	git config color.ui always &&
+	git status | test_decode_color >output &&
+	test_cmp expect output
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'status with color.status' '
+
+	git config --unset color.ui &&
+	git config color.status always &&
+	git status | test_decode_color >output &&
+	test_cmp expect output
+
+'
+
+cat >expect <<\EOF
+ <RED>M<RESET> dir1/modified
+<GREEN>A<RESET>  dir2/added
+<BLUE>??<RESET> dir1/untracked
+<BLUE>??<RESET> dir2/modified
+<BLUE>??<RESET> dir2/untracked
+<BLUE>??<RESET> expect
+<BLUE>??<RESET> output
+<BLUE>??<RESET> untracked
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'status -s with color.ui' '
+
+	git config --unset color.status &&
+	git config color.ui always &&
+	git status -s | test_decode_color >output &&
+	test_cmp expect output
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'status -s with color.status' '
+
+	git config --unset color.ui &&
+	git config color.status always &&
+	git status -s | test_decode_color >output &&
+	test_cmp expect output
+
+'
+
+cat >expect <<\EOF
+ M dir1/modified
+A  dir2/added
+?? dir1/untracked
+?? dir2/modified
+?? dir2/untracked
+?? expect
+?? output
+?? untracked
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'status --porcelain ignores color.ui' '
+
+	git config --unset color.status &&
+	git config color.ui always &&
+	git status --porcelain | test_decode_color >output &&
+	test_cmp expect output
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'status --porcelain ignores color.status' '
+
+	git config --unset color.ui &&
+	git config color.status always &&
+	git status --porcelain | test_decode_color >output &&
+	test_cmp expect output
+
+'
+
+# recover unconditionally from color tests
+git config --unset color.status
+git config --unset color.ui
+
+cat >expect <<\EOF
 # On branch master
 # Changes to be committed:
 #   (use "git reset HEAD <file>..." to unstage)
@@ -339,15 +448,16 @@ cat > expect << \EOF
 #	untracked
 EOF
 
+
 test_expect_success 'status without relative paths' '
 
 	git config status.relativePaths false
-	(cd dir1 && git status) > output &&
+	(cd dir1 && git status) >output &&
 	test_cmp expect output
 
 '
 
-cat > expect << \EOF
+cat >expect <<\EOF
  M dir1/modified
 A  dir2/added
 ?? dir1/untracked
@@ -360,7 +470,7 @@ EOF
 
 test_expect_success 'status -s without relative paths' '
 
-	(cd dir1 && git status -s) > output &&
+	(cd dir1 && git status -s) >output &&
 	test_cmp expect output
 
 '
diff --git a/t/test-lib.sh b/t/test-lib.sh
index 5fdc5d94a20..d63ad2d8704 100644
--- a/t/test-lib.sh
+++ b/t/test-lib.sh
@@ -208,6 +208,17 @@ test_set_editor () {
 	export VISUAL
 }
 
+test_decode_color () {
+	sed	-e 's/.\[1m/<WHITE>/g' \
+		-e 's/.\[31m/<RED>/g' \
+		-e 's/.\[32m/<GREEN>/g' \
+		-e 's/.\[33m/<YELLOW>/g' \
+		-e 's/.\[34m/<BLUE>/g' \
+		-e 's/.\[35m/<MAGENTA>/g' \
+		-e 's/.\[36m/<CYAN>/g' \
+		-e 's/.\[m/<RESET>/g'
+}
+
 test_tick () {
 	if test -z "${test_tick+set}"
 	then