diff --git a/common/log.cc b/common/log.cc
index 36a90f7a..95a2e715 100644
--- a/common/log.cc
+++ b/common/log.cc
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ static std::ofstream logfile;
 namespace logging
 {
 bitflags<flag> mask = bitflags<flag>(flag::ALL) & ~bitflags<flag>(flag::VERBOSE);
+bool enable_color_codes = true;
 
 void init(const fs::path &filename, const settings::common_settings &settings)
 {
@@ -71,14 +72,17 @@ void print(flag logflag, const char *str)
     }
 
     fmt::text_style style;
-    if (string_icontains(str, "error")) {
-        style = fmt::fg(fmt::color::red);
-    } else if (string_icontains(str, "warning")) {
-        style = fmt::fg(fmt::terminal_color::yellow);
-    } else if (bitflags<flag>(logflag) & flag::PERCENT) {
-        style = fmt::fg(fmt::terminal_color::blue);
-    } else if (bitflags<flag>(logflag) & flag::STAT) {
-        style = fmt::fg(fmt::terminal_color::cyan);
+
+    if (enable_color_codes) {
+        if (string_icontains(str, "error")) {
+            style = fmt::fg(fmt::color::red);
+        } else if (string_icontains(str, "warning")) {
+            style = fmt::fg(fmt::terminal_color::yellow);
+        } else if (bitflags<flag>(logflag) & flag::PERCENT) {
+            style = fmt::fg(fmt::terminal_color::blue);
+        } else if (bitflags<flag>(logflag) & flag::STAT) {
+            style = fmt::fg(fmt::terminal_color::cyan);
+        }
     }
 
     print_mutex.lock();
@@ -97,8 +101,15 @@ void print(flag logflag, const char *str)
 #endif
     }
 
-    // stdout (assume the terminal can render ANSI colors)
-    fmt::print(style, "{}", str);
+    if (enable_color_codes) {
+        // stdout (assume the terminal can render ANSI colors)
+        fmt::print(style, "{}", str);
+    } else {
+        std::cout << str;
+    }
+
+    // for TB, etc...
+    fflush(stdout);
 
     print_mutex.unlock();
 }
diff --git a/common/settings.cc b/common/settings.cc
index 544cab52..7e80c38f 100644
--- a/common/settings.cc
+++ b/common/settings.cc
@@ -185,5 +185,9 @@ void common_settings::postinitialize(int argc, const char **argv)
     if (noprogress.value()) {
         logging::mask &= ~bitflags<logging::flag>(logging::flag::PROGRESS);
     }
+    
+    if (nocolor.value()) {
+        logging::enable_color_codes = false;
+    }
 }
 } // namespace settings
diff --git a/include/common/log.hh b/include/common/log.hh
index 5b412d18..ae8c7ceb 100644
--- a/include/common/log.hh
+++ b/include/common/log.hh
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ enum class flag : uint8_t
 };
 
 extern bitflags<flag> mask;
+extern bool enable_color_codes;
 
 // initialize logging subsystem
 void init(const fs::path &filename, const settings::common_settings &settings);
diff --git a/include/common/settings.hh b/include/common/settings.hh
index 0f20a1aa..ea24c477 100644
--- a/include/common/settings.hh
+++ b/include/common/settings.hh
@@ -851,6 +851,7 @@ public:
     setting_bool nopercent{this, "nopercent", false, &logging_group, "don't output percentage messages"};
     setting_bool nostat{this, "nostat", false, &logging_group, "don't output statistic messages"};
     setting_bool noprogress{this, "noprogress", false, &logging_group, "don't output progress messages"};
+    setting_bool nocolor{this, "nocolor", false, &logging_group, "don't output color codes (for TB, etc)"};
     setting_redirect quiet{this, {"quiet", "noverbose"}, {&nopercent, &nostat, &noprogress}, &logging_group,
         "suppress non-important messages (equivalent to -nopercent -nostat -noprogress)"};
     setting_path gamedir{this, "gamedir", "", &game_group,
diff --git a/light/light.cc b/light/light.cc
index dbde660d..1e7238df 100644
--- a/light/light.cc
+++ b/light/light.cc
@@ -114,14 +114,19 @@ setting_group experimental_group{"Experimental options", 60};
 
 void light_settings::initialize(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
-    token_parser_t p(argc - 1, argv + 1, { "command line" });
-    auto remainder = parse(p);
+    try {
+        token_parser_t p(argc - 1, argv + 1, { "command line" });
+        auto remainder = parse(p);
 
-    if (remainder.size() <= 0 || remainder.size() > 1) {
+        if (remainder.size() <= 0 || remainder.size() > 1) {
+            printHelp();
+        }
+
+        sourceMap = remainder[0];
+    } catch (parse_exception &ex) {
+        logging::print(ex.what());
         printHelp();
     }
-
-    sourceMap = remainder[0];
 }
 
 void light_settings::postinitialize(int argc, const char **argv)
diff --git a/qbsp/qbsp.cc b/qbsp/qbsp.cc
index 383c6481..fd5f8f53 100644
--- a/qbsp/qbsp.cc
+++ b/qbsp/qbsp.cc
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ void qbsp_settings::initialize(int argc, const char **argv)
         if (remainder.size() == 2) {
             qbsp_options.bsp_path = remainder[1];
         }
-    } catch (parse_exception ex) {
+    } catch (parse_exception &ex) {
         logging::print(ex.what());
         printHelp();
     }
diff --git a/vis/vis.cc b/vis/vis.cc
index c9960727..b819729c 100644
--- a/vis/vis.cc
+++ b/vis/vis.cc
@@ -63,14 +63,19 @@ setting_group advanced_group{"Advanced", 300};
 
 void vis_settings::initialize(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
-    token_parser_t p(argc - 1, argv + 1, { "command line" });
-    auto remainder = parse(p);
+    try {
+        token_parser_t p(argc - 1, argv + 1, { "command line" });
+        auto remainder = parse(p);
 
-    if (remainder.size() <= 0 || remainder.size() > 1) {
+        if (remainder.size() <= 0 || remainder.size() > 1) {
+            printHelp();
+        }
+
+        sourceMap = DefaultExtension(remainder[0], "bsp");
+    } catch (parse_exception &ex) {
+        logging::print(ex.what());
         printHelp();
     }
-
-    sourceMap = DefaultExtension(remainder[0], "bsp");
 }
 } // namespace settings