diff --git a/README.adoc b/README.adoc
index 98fa737..84f847e 100644
--- a/README.adoc
+++ b/README.adoc
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ Running tests in tests/test_core.sh
 	Running test_fake_transmits_params_to_fake_code ... SUCCESS
 	Running test_fake_transmits_params_to_fake_code_as_array ... SUCCESS
 	Running test_should_pretty_format_even_when_LANG_is_unset ... SUCCESS
+	Running test_should_pretty_format_even_with_pipefail_set ... SUCCESS
 Overall result: SUCCESS
 ```
 
@@ -315,7 +316,8 @@ ok - test_fake_exports_faked_in_subshells
 ok - test_fake_transmits_params_to_fake_code
 ok - test_fake_transmits_params_to_fake_code_as_array
 ok - test_should_pretty_format_even_when_LANG_is_unset
-1..30
+ok - test_should_pretty_format_even_with_pipefail_set
+1..31
 ```
 
 == How to write tests
diff --git a/bash_unit b/bash_unit
index 9318a02..e24f406 100755
--- a/bash_unit
+++ b/bash_unit
@@ -357,8 +357,8 @@ pretty_format() {
     if $term_utf8
     then
       echo -en " $pretty_symbol "
-    else
-      [[ -n "$alt_symbol" ]] && echo -en " $alt_symbol "
+    elif [[ -n "$alt_symbol" ]]; then
+      echo -en " $alt_symbol "
     fi
   ) | color "$color"
 }
diff --git a/tests/test_core.sh b/tests/test_core.sh
index c5fcede..02bd596 100644
--- a/tests/test_core.sh
+++ b/tests/test_core.sh
@@ -225,6 +225,15 @@ test_should_pretty_format_even_when_LANG_is_unset() {
   assert "echo foo | pretty_format GREEN I"
 }
 
+test_should_pretty_format_even_with_pipefail_set() {
+  # pretty_success must not fail when alt_symbol is empty with pipefail set.
+  (
+    set -o pipefail
+    unset LANG
+    assert "echo foo | pretty_success"
+  )
+}
+
 if [[ "${STICK_TO_CWD:-}" != true ]]
 then
   # do not test for cwd if STICK_TO_CWD is true