diff --git a/init/fish_function.fish b/init/fish_function.fish
index 3f52b3923..f6c1a1ba8 100644
--- a/init/fish_function.fish
+++ b/init/fish_function.fish
@@ -168,10 +168,19 @@ end
 #
 # Make ls use colors if we are on a system that supports this
 #
-if ls --help 1>/dev/null 2>/dev/null
+
+if ls --version 1>/dev/null 2>/dev/null
+	# This is GNU ls
 	function ls -d "List contents of directory"
 		command ls --color=auto --indicator-style=classify $argv
 	end
+else
+	# BSD, OS X and a few more support colors through the -G switch instead
+	if ls / -G 1>/dev/null 2>/dev/null
+		function ls -d "List contents of directory"
+			command ls -G $argv
+		end
+	end
 end
 
 #