diff --git a/common/flatpak-utils-private.h b/common/flatpak-utils-private.h
index 9c9e2077d..5a692eda7 100644
--- a/common/flatpak-utils-private.h
+++ b/common/flatpak-utils-private.h
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ const char * flatpak_path_match_prefix (const char *pattern,
                                         const char *path);
 
 void     flatpak_disable_fancy_output (void);
+void     flatpak_enable_fancy_output (void);
 gboolean flatpak_fancy_output (void);
 
 const char * flatpak_get_arch (void);
diff --git a/common/flatpak-utils.c b/common/flatpak-utils.c
index b032762fc..23b672b5a 100644
--- a/common/flatpak-utils.c
+++ b/common/flatpak-utils.c
@@ -591,19 +591,25 @@ flatpak_get_gtk_theme (void)
   return (const char *) gtk_theme;
 }
 
-static gboolean no_fancy_output;
+static int fancy_output = -1;
 
 void
 flatpak_disable_fancy_output (void)
 {
-  no_fancy_output = TRUE;
+  fancy_output = FALSE;
+}
+
+void
+flatpak_enable_fancy_output (void)
+{
+  fancy_output = TRUE;
 }
 
 gboolean
 flatpak_fancy_output (void)
 {
-  if (no_fancy_output)
-    return FALSE;
+  if (fancy_output != -1)
+    return fancy_output;
 
   if (g_strcmp0 (g_getenv ("FLATPAK_FANCY_OUTPUT"), "0") == 0)
     return FALSE;