diff --git a/src/display/side_by_side.rs b/src/display/side_by_side.rs
index f1c19925a..17134d42e 100644
--- a/src/display/side_by_side.rs
+++ b/src/display/side_by_side.rs
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ pub fn print(
                             display_options.use_color,
                         );
                         if let Some(line_num) = lhs_line_num {
-                            if lhs_lines_with_novel.contains(&line_num) {
+                            if display_options.use_color && lhs_lines_with_novel.contains(&line_num) {
                                 s = if display_options.background_color.is_dark() {
                                     s.bright_red().to_string()
                                 } else {
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ pub fn print(
                             display_options.use_color,
                         );
                         if let Some(line_num) = rhs_line_num {
-                            if rhs_lines_with_novel.contains(&line_num) {
+                            if display_options.use_color && rhs_lines_with_novel.contains(&line_num) {
                                 s = if display_options.background_color.is_dark() {
                                     s.bright_green().to_string()
                                 } else {