diff --git a/column.c b/column.c
index ff7bdab1a3..49ab85b769 100644
--- a/column.c
+++ b/column.c
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ int finalize_colopts(unsigned int *colopts, int stdout_is_tty)
 		if (stdout_is_tty < 0)
 			stdout_is_tty = isatty(1);
 		*colopts &= ~COL_ENABLE_MASK;
-		if (stdout_is_tty)
+		if (stdout_is_tty || pager_in_use())
 			*colopts |= COL_ENABLED;
 	}
 	return 0;
diff --git a/t/t7006-pager.sh b/t/t7006-pager.sh
index f0f1abd1c2..865168ec6a 100755
--- a/t/t7006-pager.sh
+++ b/t/t7006-pager.sh
@@ -570,4 +570,18 @@ test_expect_success 'command with underscores does not complain' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success TTY 'git tag with auto-columns ' '
+	test_commit one &&
+	test_commit two &&
+	test_commit three &&
+	test_commit four &&
+	test_commit five &&
+	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
+	initial  one      two      three    four     five
+	EOF
+	test_terminal env PAGER="cat >actual" COLUMNS=80 \
+		git -c column.ui=auto tag --sort=authordate &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_done