diff --git a/tools/buildman/builder.py b/tools/buildman/builder.py
index 238b711dec4..7cbb1a6f628 100644
--- a/tools/buildman/builder.py
+++ b/tools/buildman/builder.py
@@ -1249,13 +1249,20 @@ class Builder:
                 colour: Colour to use for output
             """
             if err_lines:
-                out = []
+                out_list = []
                 for line in err_lines:
                     boards = ''
                     names = [board.target for board in line.boards]
-                    boards = '(%s) ' % ','.join(names) if names else ''
-                    out.append('%s%s%s' % (line.char, boards, line.errline))
-                Print('\n'.join(out), colour=colour)
+                    board_str = ','.join(names) if names else ''
+                    if board_str:
+                        out = self.col.Color(colour, line.char + '(')
+                        out += self.col.Color(self.col.MAGENTA, board_str,
+                                              bright=False)
+                        out += self.col.Color(colour, ') %s' % line.errline)
+                    else:
+                        out = self.col.Color(colour, line.char + line.errline)
+                    out_list.append(out)
+                Print('\n'.join(out_list))
                 self._error_lines += 1
 
 
diff --git a/tools/buildman/test.py b/tools/buildman/test.py
index 3ca4da849d4..5f8e37e578b 100644
--- a/tools/buildman/test.py
+++ b/tools/buildman/test.py
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ class TestBuild(unittest.TestCase):
             list_error_boards: Adjust the check for output produced with the
                --list-error-boards flag
         """
-        def add_line_prefix(prefix, boards, error_str):
+        def add_line_prefix(prefix, boards, error_str, colour):
             """Add a prefix to each line of a string
 
             The training \n in error_str is removed before processing
@@ -230,14 +230,23 @@ class TestBuild(unittest.TestCase):
             Args:
                 prefix: String prefix to add
                 error_str: Error string containing the lines
+                colour: Expected colour for the line. Note that the board list,
+                    if present, always appears in magenta
 
             Returns:
                 New string where each line has the prefix added
             """
-            if boards:
-                boards = '(%s) ' % boards
             lines = error_str.strip().splitlines()
-            new_lines = [prefix + boards + line for line in lines]
+            new_lines = []
+            for line in lines:
+                if boards:
+                    expect = self._col.Color(colour, prefix + '(')
+                    expect += self._col.Color(self._col.MAGENTA, boards,
+                                              bright=False)
+                    expect += self._col.Color(colour, ') %s' % line)
+                else:
+                    expect = self._col.Color(colour, prefix + line)
+                new_lines.append(expect)
             return '\n'.join(new_lines)
 
         # Upstream commit: no errors
@@ -262,9 +271,9 @@ class TestBuild(unittest.TestCase):
         # Second commit: The warnings should be listed
         line = next(lines)
 
+        self.maxDiff = 1000
         self.assertEqual(line.text,
-                         add_line_prefix('w+', boards1234, errors[0]))
-        self.assertEqual(line.colour, col.YELLOW)
+            add_line_prefix('w+', boards1234, errors[0], col.YELLOW))
 
         # Third commit: Still fails
         self.assertEqual(next(lines).text, '03: %s' % commits[2][1])
@@ -276,8 +285,8 @@ class TestBuild(unittest.TestCase):
 
         # Expect a compiler error
         line = next(lines)
-        self.assertEqual(line.text, add_line_prefix('+', boards234, errors[1]))
-        self.assertEqual(line.colour, col.RED)
+        self.assertEqual(line.text,
+                         add_line_prefix('+', boards234, errors[1], col.RED))
 
         # Fourth commit: Compile errors are fixed, just have warning for board3
         self.assertEqual(next(lines).text, '04: %s' % commits[3][1])
@@ -294,12 +303,12 @@ class TestBuild(unittest.TestCase):
 
         # Compile error fixed
         line = next(lines)
-        self.assertEqual(line.text, add_line_prefix('-', boards234, errors[1]))
-        self.assertEqual(line.colour, col.GREEN)
+        self.assertEqual(line.text,
+                         add_line_prefix('-', boards234, errors[1], col.GREEN))
 
         line = next(lines)
-        self.assertEqual(line.text, add_line_prefix('w+', boards34, errors[2]))
-        self.assertEqual(line.colour, col.YELLOW)
+        self.assertEqual(line.text,
+                         add_line_prefix('w+', boards34, errors[2], col.YELLOW))
 
         # Fifth commit
         self.assertEqual(next(lines).text, '05: %s' % commits[4][1])
@@ -312,12 +321,12 @@ class TestBuild(unittest.TestCase):
         expect = [expect[0]] + expect[2:]
         expect = '\n'.join(expect)
         line = next(lines)
-        self.assertEqual(line.text, add_line_prefix('+', boards4, expect))
-        self.assertEqual(line.colour, col.RED)
+        self.assertEqual(line.text,
+                         add_line_prefix('+', boards4, expect, col.RED))
 
         line = next(lines)
-        self.assertEqual(line.text, add_line_prefix('w-', boards34, errors[2]))
-        self.assertEqual(line.colour, col.CYAN)
+        self.assertEqual(line.text,
+                         add_line_prefix('w-', boards34, errors[2], col.CYAN))
 
         # Sixth commit
         self.assertEqual(next(lines).text, '06: %s' % commits[5][1])
@@ -329,12 +338,12 @@ class TestBuild(unittest.TestCase):
         expect = [expect[0]] + expect[2:]
         expect = '\n'.join(expect)
         line = next(lines)
-        self.assertEqual(line.text, add_line_prefix('-', boards4, expect))
-        self.assertEqual(line.colour, col.GREEN)
+        self.assertEqual(line.text,
+                         add_line_prefix('-', boards4, expect, col.GREEN))
 
         line = next(lines)
-        self.assertEqual(line.text, add_line_prefix('w-', boards4, errors[0]))
-        self.assertEqual(line.colour, col.CYAN)
+        self.assertEqual(line.text,
+                         add_line_prefix('w-', boards4, errors[0], col.CYAN))
 
         # Seventh commit
         self.assertEqual(next(lines).text, '07: %s' % commits[6][1])
@@ -345,15 +354,15 @@ class TestBuild(unittest.TestCase):
         expect = expect_str[3:8] + [expect_str[-1]]
         expect = '\n'.join(expect)
         line = next(lines)
-        self.assertEqual(line.text, add_line_prefix('+', boards4, expect))
-        self.assertEqual(line.colour, col.RED)
+        self.assertEqual(line.text,
+                         add_line_prefix('+', boards4, expect, col.RED))
 
         # Now the warnings lines
         expect = [expect_str[0]] + expect_str[10:12] + [expect_str[9]]
         expect = '\n'.join(expect)
         line = next(lines)
-        self.assertEqual(line.text, add_line_prefix('w+', boards4, expect))
-        self.assertEqual(line.colour, col.YELLOW)
+        self.assertEqual(line.text,
+                         add_line_prefix('w+', boards4, expect, col.YELLOW))
 
     def testOutput(self):
         """Test basic builder operation and output
