diff --git a/Source/cmStdIoTerminal.cxx b/Source/cmStdIoTerminal.cxx
index 5baff5e38b..428f7c7fae 100644
--- a/Source/cmStdIoTerminal.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmStdIoTerminal.cxx
@@ -141,9 +141,13 @@ void Print(OStream& os, TermAttrSet const& attrs,
       f(os.IOS());
       break;
     case TermKind::VT100:
-      SetVT100Attrs(os.IOS(), attrs);
-      f(os.IOS());
-      SetVT100Attrs(os.IOS(), TermAttr::Normal);
+      if (!attrs.empty()) {
+        SetVT100Attrs(os.IOS(), attrs);
+        f(os.IOS());
+        SetVT100Attrs(os.IOS(), TermAttr::Normal);
+      } else {
+        f(os.IOS());
+      }
       break;
 #ifdef _WIN32
     case TermKind::Console: {
diff --git a/Source/cmcmd.cxx b/Source/cmcmd.cxx
index 9e38384abf..805bdab920 100644
--- a/Source/cmcmd.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmcmd.cxx
@@ -1923,7 +1923,7 @@ int cmcmd::ExecuteEchoColor(std::vector<std::string> const& args)
 
   bool enabled = true;
   static cm::StdIo::TermAttrSet const noAttrs;
-  cm::StdIo::TermAttrSet attrs = cm::StdIo::TermAttr::Normal;
+  cm::StdIo::TermAttrSet attrs;
   bool newline = true;
   std::string progressDir;
   for (auto const& arg : cmMakeRange(args).advance(2)) {
@@ -1959,6 +1959,9 @@ int cmcmd::ExecuteEchoColor(std::vector<std::string> const& args)
     } else if (arg == "--white") {
       attrs = cm::StdIo::TermAttr::ForegroundWhite;
     } else if (arg == "--bold") {
+      if (attrs.empty()) {
+        attrs = cm::StdIo::TermAttr::Normal;
+      }
       attrs |= cm::StdIo::TermAttr::ForegroundBold;
     } else if (arg == "--no-newline") {
       newline = false;