diff --git a/docs/content/manual/manual.yml b/docs/content/manual/manual.yml
index 2af18064d5..f031c9279d 100644
--- a/docs/content/manual/manual.yml
+++ b/docs/content/manual/manual.yml
@@ -168,6 +168,8 @@ sections:
         By default, jq outputs colored JSON if writing to a
         terminal. You can force it to produce color even if writing to
         a pipe or a file using `-C`, and disable color with `-M`.
+        When the `NO_COLOR` environment variable is not empty, jq disables
+        colored output by default, but you can enable it by `-C`.
 
         Colors can be configured with the `JQ_COLORS` environment
         variable (see below).
diff --git a/jq.1.prebuilt b/jq.1.prebuilt
index 3c63997d2e..bfa4a2b7fe 100644
--- a/jq.1.prebuilt
+++ b/jq.1.prebuilt
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ Use the given number of spaces (no more than 7) for indentation\.
 \fB\-\-color\-output\fR / \fB\-C\fR and \fB\-\-monochrome\-output\fR / \fB\-M\fR:
 .
 .IP
-By default, jq outputs colored JSON if writing to a terminal\. You can force it to produce color even if writing to a pipe or a file using \fB\-C\fR, and disable color with \fB\-M\fR\.
+By default, jq outputs colored JSON if writing to a terminal\. You can force it to produce color even if writing to a pipe or a file using \fB\-C\fR, and disable color with \fB\-M\fR\. When the \fBNO_COLOR\fR environment variable is not empty, jq disables colored output by default, but you can enable it by \fB\-C\fR\.
 .
 .IP
 Colors can be configured with the \fBJQ_COLORS\fR environment variable (see below)\.