diff --git a/tests/run-tests.py b/tests/run-tests.py
--- a/tests/run-tests.py
+++ b/tests/run-tests.py
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@
 osenvironb = getattr(os, 'environb', os.environ)
 processlock = threading.Lock()
 
-with_color = False
 pygmentspresent = False
 # ANSI color is unsupported prior to Windows 10
 if os.name != 'nt':
@@ -96,7 +95,6 @@
         import pygments
         import pygments.lexers as lexers
         import pygments.formatters as formatters
-        with_color = True
         pygmentspresent = True
     except ImportError:
         pass
@@ -1571,7 +1569,7 @@
         if not self.stream.isatty(): # check if the terminal is capable
             options.color = False
         elif options.color == 'auto':
-            options.color = with_color
+            options.color = pygmentspresent
         elif options.color == 'never':
             options.color = False
         else: # 'always', for testing purposes