diff --git a/console.go b/console.go
index e66d8886..28279885 100644
--- a/console.go
+++ b/console.go
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ func needsQuote(s string) bool {
 // colorize returns the string s wrapped in ANSI code c, unless disabled is true.
 func colorize(s interface{}, c int, disabled bool) string {
 	e := os.Getenv("NO_COLOR")
-	if e == "true" {
+	if e != "" {
 		disabled = true
 	}
 
diff --git a/console_test.go b/console_test.go
index 6460c8fe..0265672d 100644
--- a/console_test.go
+++ b/console_test.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func TestConsoleWriter(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	t.Run("NO_COLOR = true", func(t *testing.T) {
-		os.Setenv("NO_COLOR", "true")
+		os.Setenv("NO_COLOR", "anything")
 
 		buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
 		w := zerolog.ConsoleWriter{Out: buf}
@@ -123,25 +123,6 @@ func TestConsoleWriter(t *testing.T) {
 		os.Unsetenv("NO_COLOR")
 	})
 
-	t.Run("NO_COLOR = false", func(t *testing.T) {
-		os.Setenv("NO_COLOR", "false")
-
-		buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
-		w := zerolog.ConsoleWriter{Out: buf}
-
-		_, err := w.Write([]byte(`{"level": "warn", "message": "Foobar"}`))
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("Unexpected error when writing output: %s", err)
-		}
-
-		expectedOutput := "\x1b[90m<nil>\x1b[0m \x1b[31mWRN\x1b[0m Foobar\n"
-		actualOutput := buf.String()
-		if actualOutput != expectedOutput {
-			t.Errorf("Unexpected output %q, want: %q", actualOutput, expectedOutput)
-		}
-		os.Unsetenv("NO_COLOR")
-	})
-
 	t.Run("Write fields", func(t *testing.T) {
 		buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
 		w := zerolog.ConsoleWriter{Out: buf, NoColor: true}