diff --git a/src/core/reporters/TapReporter.js b/src/core/reporters/TapReporter.js
index 8ae7caf18..e4f3aa183 100644
--- a/src/core/reporters/TapReporter.js
+++ b/src/core/reporters/TapReporter.js
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ export default class TapReporter {
     if (!this.ended) {
       this.onRunStart();
       this.testCount = this.testCount + 1;
-      this.log(kleur.red(`not ok ${this.testCount} global failure`));
+      this.log(`not ok ${this.testCount} ${kleur.red('global failure')}`);
       this.logError(error);
     }
 
@@ -227,16 +227,16 @@ export default class TapReporter {
       this.log(`ok ${this.testCount} ${test.fullName.join(' > ')}`);
     } else if (test.status === 'skipped') {
       this.log(
-        kleur.yellow(`ok ${this.testCount} # SKIP ${test.fullName.join(' > ')}`)
+        `ok ${this.testCount} ${kleur.yellow(`# SKIP ${test.fullName.join(' > ')}`)}`
       );
     } else if (test.status === 'todo') {
       this.log(
-        kleur.cyan(`not ok ${this.testCount} # TODO ${test.fullName.join(' > ')}`)
+        `not ok ${this.testCount} ${kleur.cyan(`# TODO ${test.fullName.join(' > ')}`)}`
       );
       test.errors.forEach((error) => this.logAssertion(error, 'todo'));
     } else {
       this.log(
-        kleur.red(`not ok ${this.testCount} ${test.fullName.join(' > ')}`)
+        `not ok ${this.testCount} ${kleur.red(test.fullName.join(' > '))}`
       );
       test.errors.forEach((error) => this.logAssertion(error));
     }
@@ -247,9 +247,9 @@ export default class TapReporter {
 
     this.log(`1..${runEnd.testCounts.total}`);
     this.log(`# pass ${runEnd.testCounts.passed}`);
-    this.log(kleur.yellow(`# skip ${runEnd.testCounts.skipped}`));
-    this.log(kleur.cyan(`# todo ${runEnd.testCounts.todo}`));
-    this.log(kleur.red(`# fail ${runEnd.testCounts.failed}`));
+    this.log(`# ${kleur.yellow(`skip ${runEnd.testCounts.skipped}`)}`);
+    this.log(`# ${kleur.cyan(`todo ${runEnd.testCounts.todo}`)}`);
+    this.log(`# ${kleur.red(`fail ${runEnd.testCounts.failed}`)}`);
   }
 
   logAssertion (error, severity) {
diff --git a/test/main/TapReporter.js b/test/main/TapReporter.js
index 44ba65462..a598a7f4e 100644
--- a/test/main/TapReporter.js
+++ b/test/main/TapReporter.js
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ QUnit.module('TapReporter', function (hooks) {
   });
 
   QUnit.test('output ok for a skipped test', function (assert) {
-    var expected = kleur.yellow('ok 1 # SKIP name');
+    var expected = 'ok 1 ' + kleur.yellow('# SKIP name');
 
     emitter.emit('testEnd', {
       name: 'name',
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ QUnit.module('TapReporter', function (hooks) {
   });
 
   QUnit.test('output not ok for a todo test', function (assert) {
-    var expected = kleur.cyan('not ok 1 # TODO name');
+    var expected = 'not ok 1 ' + kleur.cyan('# TODO name');
 
     emitter.emit('testEnd', {
       name: 'name',
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ QUnit.module('TapReporter', function (hooks) {
   });
 
   QUnit.test('output not ok for a failing test', function (assert) {
-    var expected = kleur.red('not ok 1 name');
+    var expected = 'not ok 1 ' + kleur.red('name');
 
     emitter.emit('testEnd', {
       name: 'name',
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ QUnit.module('TapReporter', function (hooks) {
       assertions: []
     });
 
-    assert.strictEqual(buffer, kleur.red('not ok 1 name') + '\n'
+    assert.strictEqual(buffer, 'not ok 1 ' + kleur.red('name') + '\n'
 + '  ---\n'
 + '  message: first error\n'
 + '  severity: failed\n'
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ QUnit.module('TapReporter', function (hooks) {
     emitter.clear();
     emitter.emit('error', 'Boo');
 
-    assert.strictEqual(buffer, kleur.red('not ok 1 global failure') + '\n'
+    assert.strictEqual(buffer, 'not ok 1 ' + kleur.red('global failure') + '\n'
 + '  ---\n'
 + '  message: Boo\n'
 + '  severity: failed\n'
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ QUnit.module('TapReporter', function (hooks) {
     emitter.clear();
     emitter.emit('error', err);
 
-    assert.strictEqual(buffer, kleur.red('not ok 1 global failure') + '\n'
+    assert.strictEqual(buffer, 'not ok 1 ' + kleur.red('global failure') + '\n'
 + '  ---\n'
 + '  message: ReferenceError: Boo is not defined\n'
 + '  severity: failed\n'
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ QUnit.module('TapReporter', function (hooks) {
     });
 
     assert.strictEqual(buffer, '1..6\n'
-+ '# pass 3\n' + kleur.yellow('# skip 1') + '\n' + kleur.cyan('# todo 0') + '\n' + kleur.red('# fail 2') + '\n'
++ '# pass 3\n# ' + kleur.yellow('skip 1') + '\n# ' + kleur.cyan('todo 0') + '\n# ' + kleur.red('fail 2') + '\n'
     );
   });
 });