diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 1e212b61..29c5dd58 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 - new ``worker_id`` fixture, returns the id of the worker in a test or fixture.
   Thanks Jared Hellman for the PR.
 
+- display progress during collection only when in a terminal, similar to pytest #1397 issue.
+  Thanks Bruno Oliveira for the PR.
+
 
 1.14
 ----
diff --git a/testing/acceptance_test.py b/testing/acceptance_test.py
index 9ba158be..a736ad96 100644
--- a/testing/acceptance_test.py
+++ b/testing/acceptance_test.py
@@ -642,3 +642,25 @@ def test_worker_id1(worker_id, run_num):
         assert worker_ids == set(['master'])
     else:
         assert worker_ids == set(['gw0', 'gw1'])
+
+
+def test_color_yes_collection_on_non_atty(testdir, request):
+    """skip collect progress report when working on non-terminals.
+
+    Similar to pytest-dev/pytest#1397
+    """
+    tr = request.config.pluginmanager.getplugin("terminalreporter")
+    if not hasattr(tr, 'isatty'):
+        pytest.skip('only valid for newer pytest versions')
+    testdir.makepyfile("""
+        import pytest
+        @pytest.mark.parametrize('i', range(10))
+        def test_this(i):
+            assert 1
+    """)
+    args = ['--color=yes', '-n2']
+    result = testdir.runpytest(*args)
+    assert 'test session starts' in result.stdout.str()
+    assert '\x1b[1m' in result.stdout.str()
+    assert 'gw0 [10] / gw1 [10]' in result.stdout.str()
+    assert 'gw0 C / gw1 C' not in result.stdout.str()
diff --git a/xdist/dsession.py b/xdist/dsession.py
index fa66f1d8..58b1a750 100644
--- a/xdist/dsession.py
+++ b/xdist/dsession.py
@@ -722,17 +722,20 @@ def __init__(self, config):
         self.tr = config.pluginmanager.getplugin("terminalreporter")
         self._status = {}
         self._lastlen = 0
+        self._isatty = self.tr.hasmarkup 
+        if hasattr(self.tr, 'isatty'):
+            self._isatty = self.tr.isatty
 
     def write_line(self, msg):
         self.tr.write_line(msg)
 
     def ensure_show_status(self):
-        if not self.tr.hasmarkup:
+        if not self._isatty:
             self.write_line(self.getstatus())
 
     def setstatus(self, spec, status, show=True):
         self._status[spec.id] = status
-        if show and self.tr.hasmarkup:
+        if show and self._isatty:
             self.rewrite(self.getstatus())
 
     def getstatus(self):