diff --git a/letsencrypt/cli.py b/letsencrypt/cli.py
index e4787a849..7cb4a0458 100644
--- a/letsencrypt/cli.py
+++ b/letsencrypt/cli.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from acme import jose
 import letsencrypt
 
 from letsencrypt import account
+from letsencrypt import colored_logging
 from letsencrypt import configuration
 from letsencrypt import constants
 from letsencrypt import client
@@ -786,7 +787,7 @@ def _setup_logging(args):
     level = -args.verbose_count * 10
     fmt = "%(asctime)s:%(levelname)s:%(name)s:%(message)s"
     if args.text_mode:
-        handler = logging.StreamHandler()
+        handler = colored_logging.StreamHandler()
         handler.setFormatter(logging.Formatter(fmt))
     else:
         handler = log.DialogHandler()
diff --git a/letsencrypt/colored_logging.py b/letsencrypt/colored_logging.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..170da0b38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/colored_logging.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+"""A formatter and StreamHandler for colorizing logging output."""
+import logging
+import sys
+
+from letsencrypt import le_util
+
+
+class StreamHandler(logging.StreamHandler):
+    """Sends colored logging output to a stream.
+
+    If the specified stream is not a tty, the class works like the
+    standard logging.StreamHandler. Default red_level is logging.WARNING.
+
+    :ivar bool colored: True if output should be colored
+    :ivar bool red_level: The level at which to output
+
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, stream=None):
+        super(StreamHandler, self).__init__(stream)
+        self.colored = (sys.stderr.isatty() if stream is None else
+                        stream.isatty())
+        self.red_level = logging.WARNING
+
+    def format(self, record):
+        """Formats the string representation of record.
+
+        :param logging.LogRecord record: Record to be formatted
+
+        :returns: Formatted, string representation of record
+        :rtype: str
+
+        """
+        output = super(StreamHandler, self).format(record)
+        if self.colored and record.levelno >= self.red_level:
+            return ''.join((le_util.ANSI_SGR_RED,
+                            output,
+                            le_util.ANSI_SGR_RESET))
+        else:
+            return output
diff --git a/letsencrypt/le_util.py b/letsencrypt/le_util.py
index ffc7da190..5626902ef 100644
--- a/letsencrypt/le_util.py
+++ b/letsencrypt/le_util.py
@@ -18,6 +18,15 @@ Key = collections.namedtuple("Key", "file pem")
 CSR = collections.namedtuple("CSR", "file data form")
 
 
+# ANSI SGR escape codes
+# Formats text as bold or with increased intensity
+ANSI_SGR_BOLD = '\033[1m'
+# Colors text red
+ANSI_SGR_RED = "\033[31m"
+# Resets output format
+ANSI_SGR_RESET = "\033[0m"
+
+
 def run_script(params):
     """Run the script with the given params.
 
diff --git a/letsencrypt/reporter.py b/letsencrypt/reporter.py
index 0c4a7b378..482305838 100644
--- a/letsencrypt/reporter.py
+++ b/letsencrypt/reporter.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import textwrap
 import zope.interface
 
 from letsencrypt import interfaces
+from letsencrypt import le_util
 
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -30,8 +31,6 @@ class Reporter(object):
     LOW_PRIORITY = 2
     """Low priority constant. See `add_message`."""
 
-    _RESET = '\033[0m'
-    _BOLD = '\033[1m'
     _msg_type = collections.namedtuple('ReporterMsg', 'priority text on_crash')
 
     def __init__(self):
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ class Reporter(object):
             no_exception = sys.exc_info()[0] is None
             bold_on = sys.stdout.isatty()
             if bold_on:
-                print self._BOLD
+                print le_util.ANSI_SGR_BOLD
             print 'IMPORTANT NOTES:'
             first_wrapper = textwrap.TextWrapper(
                 initial_indent=' - ', subsequent_indent=(' ' * 3))
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@ class Reporter(object):
             msg = self.messages.get()
             if no_exception or msg.on_crash:
                 if bold_on and msg.priority > self.HIGH_PRIORITY:
-                    sys.stdout.write(self._RESET)
+                    sys.stdout.write(le_util.ANSI_SGR_RESET)
                     bold_on = False
                 lines = msg.text.splitlines()
                 print first_wrapper.fill(lines[0])
@@ -95,4 +94,4 @@ class Reporter(object):
                     print "\n".join(
                         next_wrapper.fill(line) for line in lines[1:])
         if bold_on:
-            sys.stdout.write(self._RESET)
+            sys.stdout.write(le_util.ANSI_SGR_RESET)
diff --git a/letsencrypt/tests/colored_logging_test.py b/letsencrypt/tests/colored_logging_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5b49ec820
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/tests/colored_logging_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+"""Tests for letsencrypt.colored_logging."""
+import logging
+import StringIO
+import unittest
+
+from letsencrypt import le_util
+
+
+class StreamHandlerTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Tests for letsencrypt.colored_logging."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        from letsencrypt import colored_logging
+
+        self.stream = StringIO.StringIO()
+        self.stream.isatty = lambda: True
+        self.handler = colored_logging.StreamHandler(self.stream)
+
+        self.logger = logging.getLogger()
+        self.logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+        self.logger.addHandler(self.handler)
+
+    def test_format(self):
+        msg = 'I did a thing'
+        self.logger.debug(msg)
+        self.assertEqual(self.stream.getvalue(), '{0}\n'.format(msg))
+
+    def test_format_and_red_level(self):
+        msg = 'I did another thing'
+        self.handler.red_level = logging.DEBUG
+        self.logger.debug(msg)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.stream.getvalue(),
+                         '{0}{1}{2}\n'.format(le_util.ANSI_SGR_RED,
+                                              msg,
+                                              le_util.ANSI_SGR_RESET))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()  # pragma: no cover