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/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) {