diff --git a/hgext/color.py b/hgext/color.py
--- a/hgext/color.py
+++ b/hgext/color.py
@@ -198,12 +198,13 @@ def uisetup(ui):
     extensions.wrapfunction(dispatch, '_runcommand', colorcmd)
 
 def extsetup(ui):
-    commands.globalopts.append(
-        ('', 'color', 'auto',
-         # i18n: 'always', 'auto', 'never', and 'debug' are keywords
-         # and should not be translated
-         _("when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or debug)"),
-         _('TYPE')))
+    # change default color config
+    for idx, entry in enumerate(commands.globalopts):
+        if entry[1] == 'color':
+            patch = ('auto', entry[3].replace(' (EXPERIMENTAL)', ''))
+            new = entry[:2] + patch + entry[4:]
+            commands.globalopts[idx] = new
+            break
 
 @command('debugcolor',
         [('', 'style', None, _('show all configured styles'))],
diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -77,6 +77,12 @@ globalopts = [
      _('do not prompt, automatically pick the first choice for all prompts')),
     ('q', 'quiet', None, _('suppress output')),
     ('v', 'verbose', None, _('enable additional output')),
+    ('', 'color', 'never',
+     # i18n: 'always', 'auto', 'never', and 'debug' are keywords
+     # and should not be translated
+     _("when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or debug)"
+       " (EXPERIMENTAL)"),
+     _('TYPE')),
     ('', 'config', [],
      _('set/override config option (use \'section.name=value\')'),
      _('CONFIG')),
diff --git a/tests/test-completion.t b/tests/test-completion.t
--- a/tests/test-completion.t
+++ b/tests/test-completion.t
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ Show the alias of a debug command if the
 
 Show the global options
   $ hg debugcomplete --options | sort
+  --color
   --config
   --cwd
   --debug
@@ -158,6 +159,7 @@ Show the options for the "serve" command
   --address
   --certificate
   --cmdserver
+  --color
   --config
   --cwd
   --daemon
diff --git a/tests/test-extension.t b/tests/test-extension.t
--- a/tests/test-extension.t
+++ b/tests/test-extension.t
@@ -532,6 +532,8 @@ hide outer repo
                           all prompts
    -q --quiet             suppress output
    -v --verbose           enable additional output
+      --color TYPE        when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or
+                          debug) (EXPERIMENTAL) (default: never)
       --config CONFIG [+] set/override config option (use 'section.name=value')
       --debug             enable debugging output
       --debugger          start debugger
@@ -569,6 +571,8 @@ hide outer repo
                           all prompts
    -q --quiet             suppress output
    -v --verbose           enable additional output
+      --color TYPE        when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or
+                          debug) (EXPERIMENTAL) (default: never)
       --config CONFIG [+] set/override config option (use 'section.name=value')
       --debug             enable debugging output
       --debugger          start debugger
@@ -849,6 +853,8 @@ extension help itself
                           all prompts
    -q --quiet             suppress output
    -v --verbose           enable additional output
+      --color TYPE        when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or
+                          debug) (EXPERIMENTAL) (default: never)
       --config CONFIG [+] set/override config option (use 'section.name=value')
       --debug             enable debugging output
       --debugger          start debugger
@@ -884,6 +890,8 @@ Make sure that single '-v' option shows 
                           all prompts
    -q --quiet             suppress output
    -v --verbose           enable additional output
+      --color TYPE        when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or
+                          debug) (EXPERIMENTAL) (default: never)
       --config CONFIG [+] set/override config option (use 'section.name=value')
       --debug             enable debugging output
       --debugger          start debugger
@@ -957,6 +965,8 @@ help options '-v' and '-v -e' should be 
                           all prompts
    -q --quiet             suppress output
    -v --verbose           enable additional output
+      --color TYPE        when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or
+                          debug) (EXPERIMENTAL) (default: never)
       --config CONFIG [+] set/override config option (use 'section.name=value')
       --debug             enable debugging output
       --debugger          start debugger
@@ -991,6 +1001,8 @@ help options '-v' and '-v -e' should be 
                           all prompts
    -q --quiet             suppress output
    -v --verbose           enable additional output
+      --color TYPE        when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or
+                          debug) (EXPERIMENTAL) (default: never)
       --config CONFIG [+] set/override config option (use 'section.name=value')
       --debug             enable debugging output
       --debugger          start debugger
diff --git a/tests/test-gendoc-ro.t b/tests/test-gendoc-ro.t
--- a/tests/test-gendoc-ro.t
+++ b/tests/test-gendoc-ro.t
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@ moving pager to core. These two warnings
 until the localization is corrected.
   $ $TESTDIR/check-gendoc ro
   checking for parse errors
-  gendoc.txt:55: (WARNING/2) Inline interpreted text or phrase reference start-string without end-string.
-  gendoc.txt:55: (WARNING/2) Inline interpreted text or phrase reference start-string without end-string.
+  gendoc.txt:58: (WARNING/2) Inline interpreted text or phrase reference start-string without end-string.
+  gendoc.txt:58: (WARNING/2) Inline interpreted text or phrase reference start-string without end-string.
diff --git a/tests/test-help.t b/tests/test-help.t
--- a/tests/test-help.t
+++ b/tests/test-help.t
@@ -316,6 +316,8 @@ Test short command list with verbose opt
                           all prompts
    -q --quiet             suppress output
    -v --verbose           enable additional output
+      --color TYPE        when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or
+                          debug) (EXPERIMENTAL) (default: never)
       --config CONFIG [+] set/override config option (use 'section.name=value')
       --debug             enable debugging output
       --debugger          start debugger
@@ -414,6 +416,8 @@ Verbose help for add
                           all prompts
    -q --quiet             suppress output
    -v --verbose           enable additional output
+      --color TYPE        when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or
+                          debug) (EXPERIMENTAL) (default: never)
       --config CONFIG [+] set/override config option (use 'section.name=value')
       --debug             enable debugging output
       --debugger          start debugger
@@ -2516,6 +2520,9 @@ Dish up an empty repo; serve it cold.
   <td>--verbose</td>
   <td>enable additional output</td></tr>
   <tr><td></td>
+  <td>--color TYPE</td>
+  <td>when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or debug) (EXPERIMENTAL) (default: never)</td></tr>
+  <tr><td></td>
   <td>--config CONFIG [+]</td>
   <td>set/override config option (use 'section.name=value')</td></tr>
   <tr><td></td>
@@ -2714,6 +2721,9 @@ Dish up an empty repo; serve it cold.
   <td>--verbose</td>
   <td>enable additional output</td></tr>
   <tr><td></td>
+  <td>--color TYPE</td>
+  <td>when to colorize (boolean, always, auto, never, or debug) (EXPERIMENTAL) (default: never)</td></tr>
+  <tr><td></td>
   <td>--config CONFIG [+]</td>
   <td>set/override config option (use 'section.name=value')</td></tr>
   <tr><td></td>