diff --git a/src/xpra/client/gl/gl_check.py b/src/xpra/client/gl/gl_check.py
index a888a17229..bb16c8fe70 100755
--- a/src/xpra/client/gl/gl_check.py
+++ b/src/xpra/client/gl/gl_check.py
@@ -490,9 +490,11 @@ def main():
     from xpra.platform import init,clean
     from xpra.platform.gui import init as gui_init
     from xpra.util import pver
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
     try:
         init("OpenGL-Check")
         gui_init()
+        enable_color()
         verbose = "-v" in sys.argv or "--verbose" in sys.argv
         if verbose:
             log.enable_debug()
diff --git a/src/xpra/client/gtk_base/client_launcher.py b/src/xpra/client/gtk_base/client_launcher.py
index 40bce8ed94..98026eeba1 100755
--- a/src/xpra/client/gtk_base/client_launcher.py
+++ b/src/xpra/client/gtk_base/client_launcher.py
@@ -742,10 +742,11 @@ def main():
 
     from xpra.platform import init as platform_init, clean as platform_clean
     from xpra.platform.gui import ready as gui_ready
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
     try:
         platform_init("Xpra-Launcher", "Xpra Connection Launcher")
+        enable_color()
         gui_init()
-    
         try:
             from xpra.scripts.main import parse_cmdline, fixup_debug_option
             options, args = parse_cmdline(sys.argv)
diff --git a/src/xpra/codecs/loader.py b/src/xpra/codecs/loader.py
index 232465d052..dee59c635c 100755
--- a/src/xpra/codecs/loader.py
+++ b/src/xpra/codecs/loader.py
@@ -257,8 +257,10 @@ def encoding_help(encoding):
 
 def main():
     from xpra.platform import init, clean
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
     try:
         init("Loader", "Encoding Info")
+        enable_color()
         verbose = "-v" in sys.argv or "--verbose" in sys.argv
         if verbose:
             log.enable_debug()
diff --git a/src/xpra/codecs/video_helper.py b/src/xpra/codecs/video_helper.py
index fbcf3e8d48..f96f7d72bb 100755
--- a/src/xpra/codecs/video_helper.py
+++ b/src/xpra/codecs/video_helper.py
@@ -427,18 +427,27 @@ def getVideoHelper():
 
 def main():
     from xpra.codecs.loader import log as loader_log, load_codecs
-    if "-v" in sys.argv or "--verbose" in sys.argv:
-        loader_log.enable_debug()
-        log.enable_debug()
-    load_codecs()
-    vh = getVideoHelper()
-    vh.set_modules(ALL_VIDEO_ENCODER_OPTIONS, ALL_CSC_MODULE_OPTIONS, ALL_VIDEO_DECODER_OPTIONS)
-    vh.init()
-    log.info("VideoHelper.get_info():")
-    info = vh.get_info()
-    for k in sorted(info.keys()):
-        v = info.get(k)
-        log.info("%s=%s", k, v)
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
+    from xpra.platform import init, clean
+    try:
+        init("Video Helper")
+        enable_color()
+        if "-v" in sys.argv or "--verbose" in sys.argv:
+            loader_log.enable_debug()
+            log.enable_debug()
+        load_codecs()
+        vh = getVideoHelper()
+        vh.set_modules(ALL_VIDEO_ENCODER_OPTIONS, ALL_CSC_MODULE_OPTIONS, ALL_VIDEO_DECODER_OPTIONS)
+        vh.init()
+        log.info("VideoHelper.get_info():")
+        info = vh.get_info()
+        for k in sorted(info.keys()):
+            v = info.get(k)
+            if type(v) in (list, tuple):
+                v = csv(v)
+            log.info("%s=%s", k, v)
+    finally:
+        clean()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/src/xpra/gtk_common/gtk_view_clipboard.py b/src/xpra/gtk_common/gtk_view_clipboard.py
index 5625ea05f5..2086ca6de2 100755
--- a/src/xpra/gtk_common/gtk_view_clipboard.py
+++ b/src/xpra/gtk_common/gtk_view_clipboard.py
@@ -239,8 +239,10 @@ def destroy(self, *args):
 
 def main():
     from xpra.platform import init, clean
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
     try:
         init("Clipboard-Test", "Clipboard Test Tool")
+        enable_color()
         ClipboardStateInfoWindow()
         gtk.main()
     finally:
diff --git a/src/xpra/gtk_common/gtk_view_keyboard.py b/src/xpra/gtk_common/gtk_view_keyboard.py
index 62ca64dda8..21042096c2 100755
--- a/src/xpra/gtk_common/gtk_view_keyboard.py
+++ b/src/xpra/gtk_common/gtk_view_keyboard.py
@@ -120,8 +120,10 @@ def destroy(self, *args):
 
 def main():
     from xpra.platform import init, clean
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
     try:
         init("Keyboard-Test", "Keyboard Test Tool")
+        enable_color()
         KeyboardStateInfoWindow()
         gtk.main()
     finally:
diff --git a/src/xpra/gtk_common/keymap.py b/src/xpra/gtk_common/keymap.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 0899f55d09..115e632f52
--- a/src/xpra/gtk_common/keymap.py
+++ b/src/xpra/gtk_common/keymap.py
@@ -56,9 +56,11 @@ def get_gtk_keymap(ignore_keys=[None, "VoidSymbol", "0xffffff"]):
 def main():
     import sys
     from xpra.platform import init, clean
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
     try:
         init("Keymap-Tool", "Keymap Information Tool")
-        if "-v" in sys.argv:
+        enable_color()
+        if "-v" in sys.argv or "--verbose" in sys.argv:
             log.enable_debug()
         gtk_keymap = get_gtk_keymap()
         def pkey(*entries):
diff --git a/src/xpra/log.py b/src/xpra/log.py
index 9687e68181..7adcd42afe 100644
--- a/src/xpra/log.py
+++ b/src/xpra/log.py
@@ -107,6 +107,19 @@ def set_global_logging_handler(h):
     global_logging_handler = h
     return saved
 
+
+def setloghandler(lh):
+    logging.root.handlers = []
+    logging.root.addHandler(lh)
+
+def enable_color(to=sys.stdout, formatter=NOPREFIX_FORMAT):
+    from xpra.colorstreamhandler import ColorStreamHandler
+    from logging import Formatter
+    csh = ColorStreamHandler(to)
+    csh.setFormatter(Formatter(formatter))
+    setloghandler(csh)
+
+
 #the order will be preserved with Python 2.7 onwards:
 try:
     from collections import OrderedDict
diff --git a/src/xpra/net/net_util.py b/src/xpra/net/net_util.py
index a9ecbbe7ed..3fbde86863 100755
--- a/src/xpra/net/net_util.py
+++ b/src/xpra/net/net_util.py
@@ -160,8 +160,10 @@ def get_info():
 
 def main():
 	from xpra.platform import init, clean
+	from xpra.log import enable_color
 	try:
 		init("Network-Info", "Network Info")
+		enable_color()
 		verbose = "-v" in sys.argv or "--verbose" in sys.argv
 		if verbose:
 			log.enable_debug()
diff --git a/src/xpra/platform/gui.py b/src/xpra/platform/gui.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index ab93e06315..2ffc9c4ac6
--- a/src/xpra/platform/gui.py
+++ b/src/xpra/platform/gui.py
@@ -190,8 +190,10 @@ def fnames(l):
 def main():
     from xpra.platform import init as platform_init,clean
     from xpra.util import nonl
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
     try:
         platform_init("GUI-Properties")
+        enable_color()
         init()
         verbose = "-v" in sys.argv or "--verbose" in sys.argv
         if verbose:
diff --git a/src/xpra/platform/printing.py b/src/xpra/platform/printing.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index d7f77cc081..cc0630ae26
--- a/src/xpra/platform/printing.py
+++ b/src/xpra/platform/printing.py
@@ -84,8 +84,10 @@ def print_dict(d):
             v = d[k]
             print("* %s : %s" % (k.ljust(32), nonl(pver(v))))
     from xpra.platform import init, clean
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
     try:
         init("Printing", "Printing")
+        enable_color()
         if len(sys.argv)<3:
             print_dict(get_printers())
         else:
diff --git a/src/xpra/scripts/bug_report.py b/src/xpra/scripts/bug_report.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 444b8e65e7..2cad2933c0
--- a/src/xpra/scripts/bug_report.py
+++ b/src/xpra/scripts/bug_report.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 def main():
     from xpra.platform import init as platform_init
     platform_init("Xpra-Bug-Report", "Xpra Bug Report")
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
+    enable_color()
 
     from xpra.log import Logger, enable_debug_for
     log = Logger("util")
diff --git a/src/xpra/scripts/config.py b/src/xpra/scripts/config.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 0301e60db4..1b5c147b1a
--- a/src/xpra/scripts/config.py
+++ b/src/xpra/scripts/config.py
@@ -752,10 +752,12 @@ def print_options(o):
                 v = ", ".join(str(x) for x in v)
             print("* %-32s : %s" % (k, nonl(v)))
     from xpra.platform import init, clean
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
     try:
         init("Config-Info", "Config Info")
+        enable_color()
         args = list(sys.argv[1:])
-        if "-v" in args:
+        if "-v" in args or "--verbose" in sys.argv:
             global debug
             def debug(*args):
                 print(args[0] % args[1:])
diff --git a/src/xpra/scripts/main.py b/src/xpra/scripts/main.py
index 533dd40183..cbbd556d43 100755
--- a/src/xpra/scripts/main.py
+++ b/src/xpra/scripts/main.py
@@ -788,28 +788,21 @@ def show_sound_codec_help(is_server, speaker_codecs, microphone_codecs):
         microphone_codecs += all_microphone_codecs
     return info
 
-def setloghandler(lh):
-    logging.root.handlers = []
-    logging.root.addHandler(lh)
-
 def configure_logging(options, mode):
     to = sys.stderr
     if mode in ("showconfig", "info", "control", "list", "attach", "stop", "version", "print"):
         to = sys.stdout
-    if mode in ("start", "upgrade", "attach", "shadow", "proxy", "_sound_record", "_sound_play", "stop", "version", "print"):
+    if mode in ("start", "upgrade", "attach", "shadow", "proxy", "_sound_record", "_sound_play", "stop", "version", "print", "showconfig"):
         if "help" in options.speaker_codec or "help" in options.microphone_codec:
             info = show_sound_codec_help(mode!="attach", options.speaker_codec, options.microphone_codec)
             raise InitInfo("\n".join(info))
         if (hasattr(to, "fileno") and os.isatty(to.fileno())) or os.environ.get("XPRA_FORCE_COLOR_LOG", "0")=="1":
-            from xpra.colorstreamhandler import ColorStreamHandler
-            from xpra.log import LOG_FORMAT
-            from logging import Formatter
-            csh = ColorStreamHandler(to)
-            csh.setFormatter(Formatter(LOG_FORMAT))
-            setloghandler(csh)
+            from xpra.log import LOG_FORMAT, enable_color
+            enable_color(to, LOG_FORMAT)
     else:
         #a bit naughty here, but it's easier to let xpra.log initialize
         #the logging system every time, and just undo things here..
+        from xpra.log import setloghandler
         setloghandler(logging.StreamHandler(to))
 
     from xpra.log import add_debug_category, add_disabled_category, enable_debug_for, disable_debug_for
@@ -1689,15 +1682,10 @@ def run_list(error_cb, opts, extra_args):
     return 0
 
 def run_showconfig(options, args):
-    from xpra.colorstreamhandler import ColorStreamHandler
-    from xpra.log import Logger, NOPREFIX_FORMAT
-    from xpra.util import nonl
-    from logging import Formatter
-    csh = ColorStreamHandler(sys.stdout)
-    csh.setFormatter(Formatter(NOPREFIX_FORMAT))
-    setloghandler(csh)
+    from xpra.log import Logger
     log = Logger("util")
     from xpra.scripts.config import dict_to_validated_config, print_env
+    from xpra.util import nonl
     d = dict_to_validated_config({})
     fixup_options(d)
     VIRTUAL = ["mode"]       #no such option! (it's a virtual one for the launch by config files)
diff --git a/src/xpra/sound/gstreamer_util.py b/src/xpra/sound/gstreamer_util.py
index ab90f40619..c1d239c7ac 100755
--- a/src/xpra/sound/gstreamer_util.py
+++ b/src/xpra/sound/gstreamer_util.py
@@ -583,8 +583,10 @@ def sound_option_or_all(name, options, all_values):
 def main():
     global pygst_version, gst_version, gst_vinfo
     from xpra.platform import init, clean
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
     try:
         init("GStreamer-Info", "GStreamer Information")
+        enable_color()
         if "-v" in sys.argv or "--verbose" in sys.argv:
             log.enable_debug()
         import_gst()
diff --git a/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_util.py b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_util.py
index e8bea35350..25926b4703 100755
--- a/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_util.py
+++ b/src/xpra/sound/pulseaudio_util.py
@@ -54,11 +54,18 @@ def add_audio_tagging_env(env_dict=os.environ, icon_path=None):
 
 
 def main():
-    if "-v" in sys.argv:
-        log.enable_debug()
-    i = get_info()
-    for k in sorted(i):
-        log.info("%s : %s", k.ljust(64), i[k])
+    from xpra.platform import init, clean
+    from xpra.log import enable_color
+    try:
+        init("Pulseaudio-Info")
+        enable_color()
+        if "-v" in sys.argv or "--verbose" in sys.argv:
+            log.enable_debug()
+        i = get_info()
+        for k in sorted(i):
+            log.info("%s : %s", k.ljust(64), i[k])
+    finally:
+        clean()
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()