diff --git a/common.h b/common.h
index 7eaed8665..8bb5b8bdb 100644
--- a/common.h
+++ b/common.h
@@ -303,6 +303,14 @@ T from_string(const wcstring &x) {
     return result;
 }
 
+template<typename T>
+T from_string(const std::string &x) {
+    T result = T();
+    std::stringstream stream(x);
+    stream >> result;
+    return result;
+}
+
 template<typename T>
 wcstring to_string(const T &x) {
     std::wstringstream stream;
@@ -318,6 +326,16 @@ inline wcstring to_string(const long &x) {
     return wcstring(buff);
 }
 
+template<>
+inline bool from_string(const std::string &x) {
+    return ! x.empty() && strchr("YTyt", x.at(0));
+}
+
+template<>
+inline bool from_string(const wcstring &x) {
+    return ! x.empty() && wcschr(L"YTyt", x.at(0));
+}
+
 template<>
 inline wcstring to_string(const int &x) {
     return to_string(static_cast<long>(x));
diff --git a/fish_pager.cpp b/fish_pager.cpp
index 8c81e1380..c351a88b1 100644
--- a/fish_pager.cpp
+++ b/fish_pager.cpp
@@ -1089,6 +1089,15 @@ static void init( int mangle_descriptors, int out )
 		free( wterm );
 	}
 	
+    /* Infer term256 support */
+    char *fish_term256 = getenv("fish_term256");
+    bool support_term256;
+    if (fish_term256) {
+        support_term256 = from_string<bool>(fish_term256);
+    } else {
+        support_term256 = term && strstr(term, "256color");
+    }
+    output_set_supports_term256(support_term256);    
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/input.cpp b/input.cpp
index 14e434dc6..26138cfe0 100644
--- a/input.cpp
+++ b/input.cpp
@@ -324,10 +324,19 @@ int input_init()
 	output_set_term( term.c_str() );
 	
 	input_terminfo_init();
+    
+    /* Infer term256 support. Consider using t_Co */
+    env_var_t fish_term256 = env_get_string(L"fish_term256");
+    bool support_term256;
+    if (! fish_term256.missing_or_empty()) {
+        support_term256 = from_string<bool>(fish_term256);
+    } else {
+        env_var_t term = env_get_string(L"TERM");
+        support_term256 = ! term.missing() && term.find(L"256color") != wcstring::npos;
+    }
+    output_set_supports_term256(support_term256);
 
-	/*
-	  If we have no keybindings, add a few simple defaults
-	*/
+	/* If we have no keybindings, add a few simple defaults */
 	if( mapping_list.size() )
 	{
 		input_mapping_add( L"", L"self-insert" );
diff --git a/output.cpp b/output.cpp
index 7fcf4c925..99de8cb68 100644
--- a/output.cpp
+++ b/output.cpp
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ static int (*out)(char c) = &writeb_internal;
  */
 static wcstring current_term;
 
+/* Whether term256 is supported */
+static bool support_term256 = false;
+
 
 void output_set_writer( int (*writer)(char) )
 {
@@ -127,16 +130,16 @@ int (*output_get_writer())(char)
 	return out;
 }
 
-bool allow_term256(void)
-{
-    //consider using t_Co
-    ASSERT_IS_MAIN_THREAD();
-    const wchar_t *t = output_get_term();
-    return t && wcsstr(t, L"256color");
+bool output_get_supports_term256() {
+    return support_term256;
+}
+
+void output_set_supports_term256(bool val) {
+    support_term256 = val;
 }
 
 static unsigned char index_for_color(rgb_color_t c) {
-    if (c.is_named() || ! allow_term256()) {
+    if (c.is_named() || ! output_get_supports_term256()) {
         return c.to_name_index();
     } else {
         return c.to_term256_index();
@@ -842,7 +845,7 @@ rgb_color_t parse_color( const wcstring &val, bool is_background ) {
     
     // If we have both RGB and named colors, then prefer rgb if term256 is supported
     rgb_color_t result;
-    if ((!first_rgb.is_none() && allow_term256()) || first_named.is_none()) {
+    if ((!first_rgb.is_none() && output_get_supports_term256()) || first_named.is_none()) {
         result = first_rgb;
     } else {
         result = first_named;
diff --git a/output.h b/output.h
index 2b7d9d318..30fb23251 100644
--- a/output.h
+++ b/output.h
@@ -154,16 +154,14 @@ void output_set_writer( int (*writer)(char) );
  */
 int (*output_get_writer())(char) ;
 
-/**
-   Set the terminal name
- */
+/** Set the terminal name */
 void output_set_term( const wchar_t *term );
-/**
-   Return the terminal name
- */
+
+/** Return the terminal name */
 const wchar_t *output_get_term();
 
-/** Determines whether term256 colors are supported */
-bool allow_term256(void);
+/** Sets whether term256 colors are supported */
+bool output_get_supports_term256();
+void output_set_supports_term256(bool val);
 
 #endif