diff --git a/django/core/management/base.py b/django/core/management/base.py
index 52f4a074dc..0734324eb7 100644
--- a/django/core/management/base.py
+++ b/django/core/management/base.py
@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@ class BaseCommand(object):
         if options.get('no_color'):
             self.style = no_style()
             self.stderr = OutputWrapper(options.get('stderr', sys.stderr))
+            os.environ["DJANGO_COLORS"] = "nocolor"
         else:
             self.stderr = OutputWrapper(options.get('stderr', sys.stderr), self.style.ERROR)
 
diff --git a/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py b/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py
index 00498e122f..da00841cdb 100644
--- a/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py
+++ b/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py
@@ -1385,6 +1385,7 @@ class CommandTypes(AdminScriptTestCase):
         out = StringIO()
 
         call_command('color_command', no_color=True, stdout=out)
+        self.assertEqual(os.environ.get('DJANGO_COLORS', ''), 'nocolor')
         self.assertEqual(out.getvalue(), 'BEGIN\n')
 
     def test_base_command(self):