diff --git a/Documentation/config.txt b/Documentation/config.txt
index d5c9c4cab6..cb0f951ddc 100644
--- a/Documentation/config.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config.txt
@@ -1052,10 +1052,10 @@ clean.requireForce::
 
 color.branch::
 	A boolean to enable/disable color in the output of
-	linkgit:git-branch[1]. May be set to `always`,
-	`false` (or `never`) or `auto` (or `true`), in which case colors are used
-	only when the output is to a terminal. If unset, then the
-	value of `color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
+	linkgit:git-branch[1]. May be set to `false` (or `never`) to
+	disable color entirely, `auto` (or `true` or `always`) in which
+	case colors are used only when the output is to a terminal.  If
+	unset, then the value of `color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
 
 color.branch.<slot>::
 	Use customized color for branch coloration. `<slot>` is one of
@@ -1066,12 +1066,11 @@ color.branch.<slot>::
 
 color.diff::
 	Whether to use ANSI escape sequences to add color to patches.
-	If this is set to `always`, linkgit:git-diff[1],
+	If this is set to `true` or `auto`, linkgit:git-diff[1],
 	linkgit:git-log[1], and linkgit:git-show[1] will use color
-	for all patches.  If it is set to `true` or `auto`, those
-	commands will only use color when output is to the terminal.
-	If unset, then the value of `color.ui` is used (`auto` by
-	default).
+	when output is to the terminal. The value `always` is a
+	historical synonym for `auto`.  If unset, then the value of
+	`color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
 +
 This does not affect linkgit:git-format-patch[1] or the
 'git-diff-{asterisk}' plumbing commands.  Can be overridden on the
@@ -1124,12 +1123,12 @@ color.grep.<slot>::
 --
 
 color.interactive::
-	When set to `always`, always use colors for interactive prompts
+	When set to `true` or `auto`, use colors for interactive prompts
 	and displays (such as those used by "git-add --interactive" and
-	"git-clean --interactive"). When false (or `never`), never.
-	When set to `true` or `auto`, use colors only when the output is
-	to the terminal. If unset, then the value of `color.ui` is
-	used (`auto` by default).
+	"git-clean --interactive") when the output is to the terminal.
+	When false (or `never`), never show colors. The value `always`
+	is a historical synonym for `auto`.  If unset, then the value of
+	`color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
 
 color.interactive.<slot>::
 	Use customized color for 'git add --interactive' and 'git clean
@@ -1176,10 +1175,10 @@ color.ui::
 	configuration to set a default for the `--color` option.  Set it
 	to `false` or `never` if you prefer Git commands not to use
 	color unless enabled explicitly with some other configuration
-	or the `--color` option. Set it to `always` if you want all
-	output not intended for machine consumption to use color, to
-	`true` or `auto` (this is the default since Git 1.8.4) if you
-	want such output to use color when written to the terminal.
+	or the `--color` option. Set it to `true` or `auto` to enable
+	color when output is written to the terminal (this is also the
+	default since Git 1.8.4). The value `always` is a historical
+	synonym for `auto`.
 
 column.ui::
 	Specify whether supported commands should output in columns.
diff --git a/color.c b/color.c
index 7aa8b076f0..17e2713f96 100644
--- a/color.c
+++ b/color.c
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ int git_config_colorbool(const char *var, const char *value)
 		if (!strcasecmp(value, "never"))
 			return 0;
 		if (!strcasecmp(value, "always"))
-			return 1;
+			return var ? GIT_COLOR_AUTO : 1;
 		if (!strcasecmp(value, "auto"))
 			return GIT_COLOR_AUTO;
 	}
diff --git a/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh b/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh
index 39d0130f88..a49c12c79b 100755
--- a/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh
+++ b/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh
@@ -483,4 +483,14 @@ test_expect_success 'hunk-editing handles custom comment char' '
 	git diff --exit-code
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'add -p works even with color.ui=always' '
+	git reset --hard &&
+	echo change >>file &&
+	test_config color.ui always &&
+	echo y | git add -p &&
+	echo file >expect &&
+	git diff --cached --name-only >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_done