diff --git a/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/cmd.go b/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/cmd.go
index 2be5da683f9..0b7e2a0217e 100644
--- a/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/cmd.go
+++ b/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/cmd.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ var (
 	opts              config.SkaffoldOptions
 	v                 string
 	defaultColor      int
-	forceColors       bool
+	forceColor        bool
 	overwrite         bool
 	interactive       bool
 	timestamps        bool
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func NewSkaffoldCommand(out, errOut io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 			// These are used for command completion and send debug messages on stderr.
 			if cmd.Name() != cobra.ShellCompRequestCmd && cmd.Name() != cobra.ShellCompNoDescRequestCmd {
 				instrumentation.SetCommand(cmd.Name())
-				out := output.GetWriter(context.Background(), out, defaultColor, forceColors, timestamps)
+				out := output.GetWriter(context.Background(), out, defaultColor, forceColor, timestamps)
 				cmd.Root().SetOut(out)
 				cmd.Root().SetErr(errOut)
 
@@ -205,7 +205,8 @@ func NewSkaffoldCommand(out, errOut io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	templates.ActsAsRootCommand(rootCmd, nil, groups...)
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&v, "verbosity", "v", log.DefaultLogLevel.String(), fmt.Sprintf("Log level: one of %v", log.AllLevels))
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().IntVar(&defaultColor, "color", int(output.DefaultColorCode), "Specify the default output color in ANSI escape codes")
-	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&forceColors, "force-colors", false, "Always print color codes (hidden)")
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&forceColor, "force-colors", false, "Always print color codes (hidden)")
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&forceColor, "force-color", false, "Always print color codes")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&interactive, "interactive", true, "Allow user prompts for more information")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&update.EnableCheck, "update-check", true, "Check for a more recent version of Skaffold")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&timestamps, "timestamps", false, "Print timestamps in logs")
@@ -244,6 +245,12 @@ func setEnvVariablesFromFile() {
 // Each flag can also be set with an env variable whose name starts with `SKAFFOLD_`.
 func setFlagsFromEnvVariables(rootCmd *cobra.Command) {
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().VisitAll(func(f *pflag.Flag) {
+		if f.Name == "force-color" {
+			if val, present := os.LookupEnv("FORCE_COLOR"); present {
+				rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Set(f.Name, val)
+			}
+		}
+
 		envVar := FlagToEnvVarName(f)
 		if val, present := os.LookupEnv(envVar); present {
 			rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Set(f.Name, val)
diff --git a/docs-v2/content/en/docs/references/cli/_index.md b/docs-v2/content/en/docs/references/cli/_index.md
index e7287f6c5c6..e25fdde0b3b 100644
--- a/docs-v2/content/en/docs/references/cli/_index.md
+++ b/docs-v2/content/en/docs/references/cli/_index.md
@@ -1108,6 +1108,7 @@ Env vars:
 The following options can be passed to any command:
 
       --color=34: Specify the default output color in ANSI escape codes
+      --force-color=false: Always print color codes
       --interactive=true: Allow user prompts for more information
       --timestamps=false: Print timestamps in logs
       --update-check=true: Check for a more recent version of Skaffold
@@ -1116,6 +1117,15 @@ The following options can be passed to any command:
 
 ```
 
+Env vars:
+
+* `SKAFFOLD_COLOR` (same as `--color`)
+* `SKAFFOLD_FORCE_COLOR` or `FORCE_COLOR` (same as `--force-color`)
+* `SKAFFOLD_INTERACTIVE` (same as `--interactive`)
+* `SKAFFOLD_TIMESTAMPS` (same as `--timestamps`)
+* `SKAFFOLD_UPDATE_CHECK` (same as `--update-check`)
+* `SKAFFOLD_VERBOSITY` (same as `--verbosity`)
+
 ### skaffold render
 
 Generate rendered Kubernetes manifests
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/output/color.go b/pkg/skaffold/output/color.go
index 8b34388e6d7..5b343c7edbc 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/output/color.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/output/color.go
@@ -52,14 +52,14 @@ var DefaultColorCodes = []Color{
 }
 
 // SetupColors conditionally wraps the input `Writer` with a color enabled `Writer`.
-func SetupColors(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, defaultColor int, forceColors bool) io.Writer {
+func SetupColors(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, defaultColor int, forceColor bool) io.Writer {
 	_, isTerm := term.IsTerminal(out)
 	supportsColor, err := term.SupportsColor(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Entry(context.TODO()).Debugf("error checking for color support: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	useColors := (isTerm && supportsColor) || forceColors
+	useColors := (isTerm && supportsColor) || forceColor
 	if useColors {
 		// Use EnableColorsStdout to enable use of color on Windows
 		useColors = false // value is updated if color-enablement is successful
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/output/output.go b/pkg/skaffold/output/output.go
index d3a3806a263..76937a80c51 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/output/output.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/output/output.go
@@ -63,13 +63,13 @@ func (s skaffoldWriter) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
 	return written, nil
 }
 
-func GetWriter(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, defaultColor int, forceColors bool, timestamps bool) io.Writer {
+func GetWriter(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, defaultColor int, forceColor bool, timestamps bool) io.Writer {
 	if _, isSW := out.(skaffoldWriter); isSW {
 		return out
 	}
 
 	return skaffoldWriter{
-		MainWriter:  SetupColors(ctx, out, defaultColor, forceColors),
+		MainWriter:  SetupColors(ctx, out, defaultColor, forceColor),
 		EventWriter: eventV2.NewLogger(constants.DevLoop, "-1"),
 		timestamps:  timestamps,
 	}