diff --git a/lib/ansible/callbacks.py b/lib/ansible/callbacks.py
index 9b36df04f02..7d7c7da5820 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/callbacks.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/callbacks.py
@@ -48,12 +48,10 @@ def load_callback_plugins():
     callback_plugins = [x for x in utils.plugins.callback_loader.all()]
 
 def get_cowsay_info():
-    if constants.ANSIBLE_NOCOWS is not None:
+    if constants.ANSIBLE_NOCOWS:
         return (None, None)
     cowsay = None
-    if os.getenv("ANSIBLE_NOCOWS") is not None:
-        cowsay = None
-    elif os.path.exists("/usr/bin/cowsay"):
+    if os.path.exists("/usr/bin/cowsay"):
         cowsay = "/usr/bin/cowsay"
     elif os.path.exists("/usr/games/cowsay"):
         cowsay = "/usr/games/cowsay"
diff --git a/lib/ansible/color.py b/lib/ansible/color.py
index 0266ea57ade..304967993ca 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/color.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/color.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import sys
 import constants
 
 ANSIBLE_COLOR=True
-if constants.ANSIBLE_NOCOLOR is not None:
+if constants.ANSIBLE_NOCOLOR:
     ANSIBLE_COLOR=False
 elif not hasattr(sys.stdout, 'isatty') or not sys.stdout.isatty():
     ANSIBLE_COLOR=False
diff --git a/lib/ansible/constants.py b/lib/ansible/constants.py
index 3b93de14c1d..dc788b71e89 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/constants.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/constants.py
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ import ConfigParser
 
 # copied from utils, avoid circular reference fun :)
 def mk_boolean(value):
+    if value is None:
+        return False
     val = str(value)
     if val.lower() in [ "true", "t", "y", "1", "yes" ]:
         return True
@@ -125,8 +127,8 @@ DEFAULT_VARS_PLUGIN_PATH       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'vars_plugins',       '
 DEFAULT_FILTER_PLUGIN_PATH     = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'filter_plugins',     'ANSIBLE_FILTER_PLUGINS', '/usr/share/ansible_plugins/filter_plugins')
 DEFAULT_LOG_PATH               = shell_expand_path(get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'log_path',           'ANSIBLE_LOG_PATH', ''))
 
-ANSIBLE_NOCOLOR                = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'nocolor', 'ANSIBLE_NOCOLOR', None)
-ANSIBLE_NOCOWS                 = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'nocows', 'ANSIBLE_NOCOWS', None)
+ANSIBLE_NOCOLOR                = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'nocolor', 'ANSIBLE_NOCOLOR', None, boolean=True)
+ANSIBLE_NOCOWS                 = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'nocows', 'ANSIBLE_NOCOWS', None, boolean=True)
 ANSIBLE_SSH_ARGS               = get_config(p, 'ssh_connection', 'ssh_args', 'ANSIBLE_SSH_ARGS', None)
 PARAMIKO_RECORD_HOST_KEYS      = get_config(p, 'paramiko_connection', 'record_host_keys', 'ANSIBLE_PARAMIKO_RECORD_HOST_KEYS', True, boolean=True)
 ZEROMQ_PORT                    = int(get_config(p, 'fireball_connection', 'zeromq_port', 'ANSIBLE_ZEROMQ_PORT', 5099))