diff --git a/test/functional/test_runner.py b/test/functional/test_runner.py
index 381d2b9426..2178d5868c 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_runner.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_runner.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import logging
 import unittest
 
 # Formatting. Default colors to empty strings.
-BOLD, GREEN, RED, GREY = ("", ""), ("", ""), ("", ""), ("", "")
+DEFAULT, BOLD, GREEN, RED = ("", ""), ("", ""), ("", ""), ("", "")
 try:
     # Make sure python thinks it can write unicode to its stdout
     "\u2713".encode("utf_8").decode(sys.stdout.encoding)
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ if os.name != 'nt' or sys.getwindowsversion() >= (10, 0, 14393): #type:ignore
         kernel32.SetConsoleMode(stderr, stderr_mode.value | ENABLE_VIRTUAL_TERMINAL_PROCESSING)
     # primitive formatting on supported
     # terminal via ANSI escape sequences:
+    DEFAULT = ('\033[0m', '\033[0m')
     BOLD = ('\033[0m', '\033[1m')
     GREEN = ('\033[0m', '\033[0;32m')
     RED = ('\033[0m', '\033[0;31m')
-    GREY = ('\033[0m', '\033[1;30m')
 
 TEST_EXIT_PASSED = 0
 TEST_EXIT_SKIPPED = 77
@@ -366,11 +366,11 @@ def main():
 
     args, unknown_args = parser.parse_known_args()
     if not args.ansi:
-        global BOLD, GREEN, RED, GREY
+        global DEFAULT, BOLD, GREEN, RED
+        DEFAULT = ("", "")
         BOLD = ("", "")
         GREEN = ("", "")
         RED = ("", "")
-        GREY = ("", "")
 
     # args to be passed on always start with two dashes; tests are the remaining unknown args
     tests = [arg for arg in unknown_args if arg[:2] != "--"]
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ class TestResult():
             color = RED
             glyph = CROSS
         elif self.status == "Skipped":
-            color = GREY
+            color = DEFAULT
             glyph = CIRCLE
 
         return color[1] + "%s | %s%s | %s s\n" % (self.name.ljust(self.padding), glyph, self.status.ljust(7), self.time) + color[0]