diff --git a/oslo_log/_options.py b/oslo_log/_options.py
index 3a282e5f..356cf9a8 100644
--- a/oslo_log/_options.py
+++ b/oslo_log/_options.py
@@ -118,6 +118,11 @@ generic_log_opts = [
                 deprecated_for_removal=True,
                 deprecated_reason='Windows support is no longer maintained.',
                 help='Log output to Windows Event Log.'),
+    cfg.BoolOpt('log_color',
+                default=False,
+                help='(Optional) Set the \'color\' key according to log '
+                     'levels. This option takes effect only when logging '
+                     'to stderr or stdout is used. ' + _IGNORE_MESSAGE),
     cfg.IntOpt('log_rotate_interval',
                default=1,
                help='The amount of time before the log files are rotated. '
diff --git a/oslo_log/log.py b/oslo_log/log.py
index 4bb24424..0ce16acd 100644
--- a/oslo_log/log.py
+++ b/oslo_log/log.py
@@ -405,7 +405,10 @@ def _setup_logging_from_conf(conf, project, version):
         log_root.addHandler(filelog)
 
     if conf.use_stderr:
-        streamlog = handlers.ColorHandler()
+        if conf.log_color:
+            streamlog = handlers.ColorHandler()
+        else:
+            streamlog = logging.StreamHandler()
         log_root.addHandler(streamlog)
 
     if conf.use_journal:
@@ -425,9 +428,10 @@ def _setup_logging_from_conf(conf, project, version):
 
     # if None of the above are True, then fall back to standard out
     if not logpath and not conf.use_stderr and not conf.use_journal:
-        # pass sys.stdout as a positional argument
-        # python2.6 calls the argument strm, in 2.7 it's stream
-        streamlog = handlers.ColorHandler(sys.stdout)
+        if conf.log_color:
+            streamlog = handlers.ColorHandler(sys.stdout)
+        else:
+            streamlog = logging.StreamHandler(sys.stdout)
         log_root.addHandler(streamlog)
 
     if conf.publish_errors:
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/log_color-531437cab4477bcb.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/log_color-531437cab4477bcb.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6fefc9e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/log_color-531437cab4477bcb.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    The new ``log_color`` option has been added. When this option is set to
+    ``False``, color keys are not set.