diff --git a/client/src/fileutils.c b/client/src/fileutils.c
index 936bf0aef..4d1b8355d 100644
--- a/client/src/fileutils.c
+++ b/client/src/fileutils.c
@@ -986,10 +986,10 @@ int loadFileJSON(const char *preferredName, void *data, size_t maxdatalen, size_
         }
         *datalen = sptr;
     }
+    PrintAndLogEx(SUCCESS, "loaded from JSON file " _YELLOW_("%s"), fileName);
     if (!strcmp(ctype, "settings")) {
         preferences_load_callback(root);
     }
-    PrintAndLogEx(SUCCESS, "loaded from JSON file " _YELLOW_("%s"), fileName);
 out:
     json_decref(root);
     free(fileName);
diff --git a/client/src/preferences.c b/client/src/preferences.c
index eb6634531..f0c3a0f50 100644
--- a/client/src/preferences.c
+++ b/client/src/preferences.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ int preferences_load(void) {
 
     // to better control json cant find file error msg.
     if (fileExists(prefGetFilename())) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(INFO, "Loading Preferences %s",prefGetFilename());
+        PrintAndLogEx(INFO, "Loading Preferences...");
         if (loadFileJSON(prefGetFilename(), &dummyData, sizeof(dummyData), &dummyDL) == PM3_SUCCESS) {
             session.preferences_loaded = true;
         }
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ int preferences_save(void) {
     char *backupFilename = NULL;// [FILENAME_MAX+sizeof(preferencesFilename)+10] = {0};
     int  fnLen = 0;
 
-    PrintAndLogEx(INFO, "Saving preferences ...");
+    PrintAndLogEx(INFO, "Saving Preferences...");
 
     fnLen = strlen(prefGetFilename()) + 5; // .bak\0
     backupFilename = (char *)calloc(fnLen, sizeof(uint8_t));
diff --git a/client/src/proxmark3.c b/client/src/proxmark3.c
index 730504714..0cd545389 100644
--- a/client/src/proxmark3.c
+++ b/client/src/proxmark3.c
@@ -908,6 +908,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
             session.supports_colors = true;
             session.emoji_mode = EMOJI;
         }
+    } else {
+        // even if prefs, we disable colors if stdin or stdout is not a TTY
+        if ((! session.stdinOnTTY) || (! session.stdoutOnTTY)) {
+            session.supports_colors = false;
+            session.emoji_mode = ALTTEXT;
+        }
     }
 #else
     if (session.stdinOnTTY && session.stdoutOnTTY) {