diff --git a/bin/npm-cli.js b/bin/npm-cli.js
index 705aa472e7e55..b7f2af1ab2391 100755
--- a/bin/npm-cli.js
+++ b/bin/npm-cli.js
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
   conf._exit = true
   npm.load(conf, function (er) {
     if (er) return errorHandler(er)
+    const useUnicode = npm.config.get('unicode')
     if (
       !isGlobalNpmUpdate &&
       npm.config.get('update-notifier') &&
@@ -89,12 +90,19 @@
         !isCI
       ) {
         const color = require('ansicolors')
-        const useColor = npm.config.get('color')
-        const useUnicode = npm.config.get('unicode')
-        const old = notifier.update.current
-        const latest = notifier.update.latest
+        let old = notifier.update.current
+        let latest = notifier.update.latest
         let type = notifier.update.type
-        if (useColor) {
+        let changelogLabel = 'Changelog:'
+        let changelog = `https://github.com/npm/cli/releases/tag/v${latest}`
+        let installCommand = `npm install -g ${pkg.name}`
+        const arrow = useUnicode ? '→' : '->'
+        if (npm.config.get('color')) {
+          old = color.red(old)
+          latest = color.green(latest)
+          changelogLabel = color.yellow(changelogLabel)
+          changelog = color.cyan(changelog)
+          installCommand = color.green(installCommand)
           switch (type) {
             case 'major':
               type = color.red(type)
@@ -107,23 +115,11 @@
               break
           }
         }
-        const changelog = `https://github.com/npm/cli/releases/tag/v${latest}`
         notifier.notify({
-          message: `New ${type} version of ${pkg.name} available! ${
-            useColor ? color.red(old) : old
-          } ${useUnicode ? '→' : '->'} ${
-            useColor ? color.green(latest) : latest
-          }\n` +
-          `${
-            useColor ? color.yellow('Changelog:') : 'Changelog:'
-          } ${
-            useColor ? color.cyan(changelog) : changelog
-          }\n` +
-          `Run ${
-            useColor
-              ? color.green(`npm install -g ${pkg.name}`)
-              : `npm i -g ${pkg.name}`
-          } to update!`
+          message:
+            `New ${type} version of ${pkg.name} available! ${old} ${arrow} ${latest}\n` +
+            `${changelogLabel} ${changelog}\n` +
+            `Run ${installCommand} to update!`
         })
       }
     }
@@ -138,11 +134,11 @@
       ) {
         console.error(
           `\n ${
-            npm.config.get('unicode') ? '🎵 ' : ''
+            useUnicode ? '🎵 ' : ''
           } I Have the Honour to Be Your Obedient Servant,${
-            npm.config.get('unicode') ? '🎵 ' : ''
+            useUnicode ? '🎵 ' : ''
           } ~ npm ${
-            npm.config.get('unicode') ? '📜🖋 ' : ''
+            useUnicode ? '📜🖋 ' : ''
           }\n`
         )
       }