diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1f3b08e1..f8556c31 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ change the behavior of the debug logging:
 | `DEBUG_COLORS`| Whether or not to use colors in the debug output. |
 | `DEBUG_DEPTH` | Object inspection depth. |
 | `DEBUG_SHOW_HIDDEN` | Shows hidden properties on inspected objects. |
+| `DEBUG_TIMESTAMPS` | Turns off timestamps when DEBUG_COLORS is false. |
 
 
 __Note:__ The environment variables beginning with `DEBUG_` end up being
diff --git a/src/debug.js b/src/debug.js
index 77e6384a..19c2e225 100644
--- a/src/debug.js
+++ b/src/debug.js
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ function createDebug(namespace) {
   debug.namespace = namespace;
   debug.enabled = exports.enabled(namespace);
   debug.useColors = exports.useColors();
+  debug.printTimestamp = exports.printTimestamp ? exports.printTimestamp() : true;
   debug.color = selectColor(namespace);
   debug.destroy = destroy;
 
diff --git a/src/node.js b/src/node.js
index b85ec7e3..8f6a445f 100644
--- a/src/node.js
+++ b/src/node.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ exports.formatArgs = formatArgs;
 exports.save = save;
 exports.load = load;
 exports.useColors = useColors;
+exports.printTimestamp = printTimestamp;
 
 /**
  * Colors.
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ try {
 /**
  * Build up the default `inspectOpts` object from the environment variables.
  *
- *   $ DEBUG_COLORS=no DEBUG_DEPTH=10 DEBUG_SHOW_HIDDEN=enabled node script.js
+ *   $ DEBUG_COLORS=no DEBUG_DEPTH=10 DEBUG_SHOW_HIDDEN=enabled DEBUG_TIMESTAMPS=no node script.js
  */
 
 exports.inspectOpts = Object.keys(process.env).filter(function (key) {
@@ -76,6 +77,17 @@ function useColors() {
     : tty.isatty(process.stderr.fd);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Print timestamps when useColours() is false. This flag enables 
+ * timestamps to be turned off when useColours() is false. 
+ */
+
+function printTimestamp() {
+  return 'timestamps' in exports.inspectOpts
+    ? Boolean(exports.inspectOpts.timestamps)
+    : true;
+}
+
 /**
  * Map %o to `util.inspect()`, all on a single line.
  */
@@ -104,6 +116,7 @@ exports.formatters.O = function(v) {
 function formatArgs(args) {
   var name = this.namespace;
   var useColors = this.useColors;
+  var printTimestamp = this.printTimestamp;
 
   if (useColors) {
     var c = this.color;
@@ -112,9 +125,11 @@ function formatArgs(args) {
 
     args[0] = prefix + args[0].split('\n').join('\n' + prefix);
     args.push(colorCode + 'm+' + exports.humanize(this.diff) + '\u001b[0m');
-  } else {
+  } else if (printTimestamp) {
     args[0] = new Date().toISOString()
       + ' ' + name + ' ' + args[0];
+  } else {
+    args[0] = name + ' ' + args[0];
   }
 }