diff --git a/nox/_options.py b/nox/_options.py
index f761277e..ab7fed76 100644
--- a/nox/_options.py
+++ b/nox/_options.py
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ def _color_finalizer(value: bool, args: argparse.Namespace) -> bool:
     if args.forcecolor:
         return True
 
-    if args.nocolor:
+    if args.nocolor or "NO_COLOR" in os.environ:
         return False
 
     return sys.stdout.isatty()