diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index e1631602..7999699b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -153,6 +153,11 @@ if (EVENT__ENABLE_VERBOSE_DEBUG)
     add_definitions(-DUSE_DEBUG=1)
 endif()
 
+# make it colorful under ninja-build
+if ("${CMAKE_GENERATOR}" STREQUAL "Ninja")
+    add_compiler_flags(-fdiagnostics-color=always)
+endif()
+
 # Setup compiler flags for coverage.
 if (EVENT__COVERAGE)
     if (NOT "${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE_LOWER}" STREQUAL "debug")