diff --git a/src/libs/utils/outputformatter.cpp b/src/libs/utils/outputformatter.cpp
index bb2973c6383..8ae568204d2 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/outputformatter.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/outputformatter.cpp
@@ -302,7 +302,8 @@ void OutputFormatter::doAppendMessage(const QString &text, OutputFormat format)
     // then our formatting should reflect that redirection as well, i.e. print in red
     // even if the nominal format is stdout.
     if (!involvedParsers.isEmpty()) {
-        const OutputFormat formatForParser = outputTypeForParser(involvedParsers.last(), format);
+        const OutputFormat formatForParser = res.formatOverride
+                ? *res.formatOverride : outputTypeForParser(involvedParsers.last(), format);
         if (formatForParser != format && cleanLine == text && formattedText.length() == 1) {
             charFmt = charFormat(formatForParser);
             formattedText.first().format = charFmt;
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/outputformatter.h b/src/libs/utils/outputformatter.h
index 00530325225..f34b984ce8c 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/outputformatter.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/outputformatter.h
@@ -65,11 +65,13 @@ public:
     using LinkSpecs = QList<LinkSpec>;
     class Result {
     public:
-        Result(Status s, const LinkSpecs &l = {}, const optional<QString> &c = {})
-            : status(s), linkSpecs(l), newContent(c) {}
+        Result(Status s, const LinkSpecs &l = {}, const optional<QString> &c = {},
+               const optional<OutputFormat> &f = {})
+            : status(s), linkSpecs(l), newContent(c), formatOverride(f) {}
         Status status;
         LinkSpecs linkSpecs;
         optional<QString> newContent; // Hard content override. Only to be used in extreme cases.
+        optional<OutputFormat> formatOverride;
     };
 
     static bool isLinkTarget(const QString &target);
diff --git a/src/plugins/qtsupport/qttestparser.cpp b/src/plugins/qtsupport/qttestparser.cpp
index e2bb435ad92..3496cdd4b06 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qtsupport/qttestparser.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qtsupport/qttestparser.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ OutputLineParser::Result QtTestParser::handleLine(const QString &line, OutputFor
         emitCurrentTask();
         m_currentTask = Task(Task::Error, theLine, FilePath(), -1,
                              Constants::TASK_CATEGORY_AUTOTEST);
-        return Status::InProgress;
+        return {Status::InProgress, {}, {}, StdErrFormat};
     }
     if (m_currentTask.isNull())
         return Status::NotHandled;