diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
index ad5849603..fd33831b1 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ## New in git-machete 2.12.4
 
+- fixed: remove stray ANSI escape characters in ASCII-only mode
+- improved: `machete-status-branch` hook now receives `ASCII_ONLY` env var depending on whether `status` runs in ASCII-only mode
 - fixed: artifact upload to Github Releases
 - added: creation and upload of Debian packages to Github Releases
 
diff --git a/git_machete/cmd.py b/git_machete/cmd.py
index 6415eaa80..d876808c3 100644
--- a/git_machete/cmd.py
+++ b/git_machete/cmd.py
@@ -1485,7 +1485,8 @@ def print_line_prefix(b_, suffix):
                         fp_suffix = (colored(" " + right_arrow() + " fork point ???", RED) + " commit " + short_sha(fp_sha(b)) + " found in reflog of " + fp_branches_formatted)
                     else:
                         fp_suffix = ''
-                    print_line_prefix(b, vertical_bar() + " " + ENDC + dim(msg) + fp_suffix + "\n")
+                    print_line_prefix(b, vertical_bar())
+                    write_unicode(" " + dim(msg) + fp_suffix + "\n")
             elbow_ascii_only = {DIM: "m-", RED: "x-", GREEN: "o-", YELLOW: "?-"}
             elbow = u"└─" if not ascii_only else elbow_ascii_only[edge_color[b]]
             print_line_prefix(b, elbow)
@@ -1512,7 +1513,8 @@ def print_line_prefix(b_, suffix):
         hook_output = ""
         if hook_executable:
             debug("status()", "running machete-status-branch hook (%s) for branch %s" % (hook_path, b))
-            status_code, stdout, stderr = popen_cmd(hook_path, b, cwd=get_root_dir())
+            hook_env = dict(os.environ, ASCII_ONLY=str(ascii_only).lower())
+            status_code, stdout, stderr = popen_cmd(hook_path, b, cwd=get_root_dir(), env=hook_env)
             if status_code == 0:
                 if not stdout.isspace():
                     hook_output = "  " + stdout.rstrip()
@@ -1726,6 +1728,9 @@ def usage(c=None):
                 The standard output of this hook is displayed at the end of the line, after branch name, (optionally) custom annotation and (optionally) remote sync-ness status.
                 Standard error is ignored. If the hook returns a non-zero status, both stdout and stderr are ignored, and printing the status continues as usual.
 
+                Note: the hook is always invoked with 'ASCII_ONLY' variable passed into the environment.
+                If 'status' runs in ASCII-only mode (i.e. if '--color=auto' and stdout is not a terminal, or if '--color=never'), then 'ASCII_ONLY=true', otherwise 'ASCII_ONLY=false'.
+
             Please see hook_samples/ directory for examples (also includes an example of using the standard git post-commit hook to 'git machete add' branches automatically).
         """,
         "list": """
@@ -1849,7 +1854,7 @@ def usage(c=None):
 
             Options:
             -l, --list-commits            Additionally lists the messages of commits introduced on each branch.
-            --color=WHEN                  Colorize the output; WHEN can be 'always', 'auto', or 'never'.
+            --color=WHEN                  Colorize the output; WHEN can be 'always', 'auto' (default; i.e. only if stdout is a terminal), or 'never'.
         """,
         "traverse": """
             Usage: git machete traverse [-l|--list-commits]
diff --git a/hook_samples/machete-status-branch b/hook_samples/machete-status-branch
index e81a7a550..2895bde30 100755
--- a/hook_samples/machete-status-branch
+++ b/hook_samples/machete-status-branch
@@ -21,8 +21,12 @@ submod_commit=$(git ls-tree -d "$branch" -- "$submod_rel_path" | grep -Po '(?<=1
 # Check which submodule's local branches (and/or submodule's HEAD) point at submod_commit.
 refs=$(git --git-dir=.git/modules/"$submod_rel_path" log --no-walk --format=%D --decorate --decorate-refs-exclude=refs/remotes/ "$submod_commit")
 
-dim='\033[2m'
-endc='\033[0m'
+function ansi_esc {
+  [[ $ASCII_ONLY = true ]] || echo -n "$1"
+}
+dim=$(ansi_esc '\033[2m')
+endc=$(ansi_esc '\033[0m')
+
 echo -ne "${dim}[$(basename "$submod_rel_path") at $endc"
 if [ -n "$refs" ] && [ "$refs" != HEAD ]; then
     echo -n "$refs"