diff --git a/tools/idf_monitor_base/ansi_color_converter.py b/tools/idf_monitor_base/ansi_color_converter.py
index 20a58a4e01..f5cd42e11a 100644
--- a/tools/idf_monitor_base/ansi_color_converter.py
+++ b/tools/idf_monitor_base/ansi_color_converter.py
@@ -28,15 +28,14 @@ if os.name == 'nt':
     SetConsoleTextAttribute = ctypes.windll.kernel32.SetConsoleTextAttribute  # type: ignore
 
 
-def get_converter(orig_output_method=None, decode_output=False, force_color=False):
-    # type: (Any[TextIO, Optional[TextIOBase]], bool, bool) -> Union[ANSIColorConverter, Optional[TextIOBase]]
+def get_converter(orig_output_method=None, force_color=False):
+    # type: (Any[TextIO, Optional[TextIOBase]], bool) -> Union[ANSIColorConverter, Optional[TextIOBase]]
     """
     Returns an ANSIColorConverter on Windows and the original output method (orig_output_method) on other platforms.
-    The ANSIColorConverter with decode_output=True will decode the bytes before passing them to the output
-    The ANSIColorConverter with force_color=True will be forced to convert ANSI in windows format
+    The ANSIColorConverter with force_color=True will be forced to use ANSI color codes
     """
-    if os.name == 'nt':
-        return ANSIColorConverter(orig_output_method, decode_output, force_color)
+    if os.name == 'nt' and not force_color:
+        return ANSIColorConverter(orig_output_method, force_color)
     return orig_output_method
 
 
@@ -51,10 +50,11 @@ class ANSIColorConverter(object):
     least-bad working solution, as winpty doesn't support any "passthrough" mode for raw output.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, output=None, decode_output=False, force_color=False):
-        # type: (TextIOBase, bool, bool) -> None
+    def __init__(self, output=None, force_color=False):
+        # type: (TextIOBase, bool) -> None
         self.output = output
-        self.decode_output = decode_output
+        # string stream has to be encoded and then decoded back for proper escape sequence handling
+        self.decode_output = isinstance(output, TextIOBase)
         self.handle = GetStdHandle(STD_ERROR_HANDLE if self.output == sys.stderr else STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE)
         self.matched = b''
         self.force_color = force_color  # always print ANSI for colors if true
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ class ANSIColorConverter(object):
             data = bytearray(data)
         else:
             data = bytearray(data, 'utf-8')
+
         for b in data:
             b = bytes([b])
             length = len(self.matched)
@@ -91,12 +92,17 @@ class ANSIColorConverter(object):
                 self.matched = b
             elif (length == 1 and b == b'[') or (1 < length < 7):
                 self.matched += b
-                if not self.force_color and self.matched == ANSI_NORMAL.encode('latin-1'):  # reset console
+                if self.matched == ANSI_NORMAL.encode('latin-1'):  # reset console
                     # Flush is required only with Python3 - switching color before it is printed would mess up the console
                     self.flush()
                     SetConsoleTextAttribute(self.handle, FOREGROUND_GREY)
                     self.matched = b''
-                elif self.force_color or len(self.matched) == 7:  # could be an ANSI sequence
+                elif (length == 2 and b not in [b'0', b'1']) or (length == 3 and b != b';'):
+                    # other escape sequences like cursor position and status reports
+                    self._output_write(self.matched)
+                    self.flush()
+                    self.matched = b''
+                elif length == 6:  # could be an ANSI sequence
                     m = re.match(RE_ANSI_COLOR, self.matched)
                     if m is not None:
                         color = ANSI_TO_WINDOWS_COLOR[int(m.group(2))]
@@ -107,6 +113,7 @@ class ANSIColorConverter(object):
                         SetConsoleTextAttribute(self.handle, color)
                     else:
                         self._output_write(self.matched)  # not an ANSI color code, display verbatim
+                        self.flush()
                     self.matched = b''
             else:
                 self._output_write(b)