diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f6fed7277..758056f08 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -141,8 +141,13 @@ if("${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID}" STREQUAL "Clang")
   # using Clang
   set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -Wall -Wunreachable-code -pedantic -fPIC")
 elseif("${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID}" STREQUAL "GNU")
+  set(COLOR_FLAG "-fdiagnostics-color=auto")
+  CHECK_CXX_COMPILER_FLAG("-fdiagnostics-color=auto" HAS_COLOR_FLAG)
+  if(NOT HAS_COLOR_FLAG)
+    set(COLOR_FLAG "")
+  endif()
   # using GCC
-  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -Wall -pedantic -fPIC")
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -Wall -pedantic -fPIC ${COLOR_FLAG}")
   if (WIN32) # using mingw
     add_definitions(-D_USE_MATH_DEFINES) # define M_PI, M_1_PI etc.
     add_definitions(-DWIN32)