diff --git a/test/shaping/hb-diff b/test/shaping/hb-diff
index d6bc2d258..c2ee5300d 100755
--- a/test/shaping/hb-diff
+++ b/test/shaping/hb-diff
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@
 from hb_test_tools import *
 import sys, os
 
+colors, sys.argv = Colors.Auto (sys.argv)
+
 if len (sys.argv) != 3:
 	print "usage: %s [--color] file1 file2" % sys.argv[0]
 	sys.exit (1)
 
-colors = Colors.Auto (sys.argv)
+files = (FileHelpers.open_file_or_stdin (f) for f in sys.argv[1:3])
 
-f1, f2 = (open_file_or_stdin (f) for f in sys.argv[1:3])
-
-FancyDiffer.diff_files (f1, f2, colors=colors)
+FancyDiffer.diff_files (*files, colors=colors)
diff --git a/test/shaping/hb_test_tools.py b/test/shaping/hb_test_tools.py
index 471502f25..f303256fd 100644
--- a/test/shaping/hb_test_tools.py
+++ b/test/shaping/hb_test_tools.py
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ class Colors:
 		if "--color" in argv or os.isatty (out.fileno ()):
 			if "--color" in sys.argv[1:]:
 				argv.remove ("--color")
-			return Colors.ANSI
+			return Colors.ANSI, argv
 		else:
-			return Colors.Null
+			return Colors.Null, argv
 
 	@staticmethod
 	def Default (argv = []):