diff --git a/kde-modules/KDECompilerSettings.cmake b/kde-modules/KDECompilerSettings.cmake
--- a/kde-modules/KDECompilerSettings.cmake
+++ b/kde-modules/KDECompilerSettings.cmake
@@ -458,5 +458,13 @@
     set (CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS} -Wl,--export-all-symbols")
 endif()
 
+if (CMAKE_GENERATOR STREQUAL "Ninja" AND
+    ((CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU" AND NOT CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION VERSION_LESS 4.9) OR
+     (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "Clang" AND NOT CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.5)))
+    # Force colored warnings in Ninja's output, if the compiler has -fdiagnostics-color support.
+    # Rationale in https://github.com/ninja-build/ninja/issues/814
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -fdiagnostics-color=always")
+endif()
+
 include("${ECM_MODULE_DIR}/ECMEnableSanitizers.cmake")
 include("${ECM_MODULE_DIR}/ECMCoverageOption.cmake")