diff --git a/src/main.ml b/src/main.ml
index 7f301a2f..0fc23cfd 100644
--- a/src/main.ml
+++ b/src/main.ml
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ let create_log () =
 
 (* Called by the script generated by ../build.ml *)
 let bootstrap () =
+  Ansi_color.setup_err_formatter_colors ();
   let pkg = "jbuilder" in
   let main () =
     let anon s = raise (Arg.Bad (Printf.sprintf "don't know what to do with %s\n" s)) in