diff --git a/crates/anstyle-roff/src/lib.rs b/crates/anstyle-roff/src/lib.rs
index ea88cdf8..59e87bbf 100644
--- a/crates/anstyle-roff/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/anstyle-roff/src/lib.rs
@@ -38,11 +38,25 @@ mod control_requests {
 /// ```
 pub fn to_roff(styled_text: &str) -> Roff {
     let mut doc = Roff::new();
+    let mut previous_fg_color = None;
+    let mut previous_bg_color = None;
     for styled in styled_str::styled_stream(styled_text) {
-        set_color(
-            (&styled.style.get_fg_color(), &styled.style.get_bg_color()),
-            &mut doc,
-        );
+        if previous_fg_color != styled.style.get_fg_color() {
+            add_color_to_roff(
+                &mut doc,
+                control_requests::FOREGROUND,
+                &styled.style.get_fg_color(),
+            );
+            previous_fg_color = styled.style.get_fg_color();
+        }
+        if previous_bg_color != styled.style.get_bg_color() {
+            add_color_to_roff(
+                &mut doc,
+                control_requests::BACKGROUND,
+                &styled.style.get_bg_color(),
+            );
+            previous_bg_color = styled.style.get_bg_color();
+        }
         set_effects_and_text(&styled, &mut doc);
     }
     doc
@@ -93,13 +107,6 @@ fn is_bright(fg_color: &Color) -> bool {
     }
 }
 
-type ColorSet<'a> = (&'a Option<Color>, &'a Option<Color>);
-
-fn set_color(colors: ColorSet<'_>, doc: &mut Roff) {
-    add_color_to_roff(doc, control_requests::FOREGROUND, colors.0);
-    add_color_to_roff(doc, control_requests::BACKGROUND, colors.1);
-}
-
 fn add_color_to_roff(doc: &mut Roff, control_request: &str, color: &Option<Color>) {
     match color {
         Some(Color::Rgb(c)) => {
diff --git a/crates/anstyle-roff/tests/roffs/bold.roff b/crates/anstyle-roff/tests/roffs/bold.roff
index 7db69f45..448da3e8 100644
--- a/crates/anstyle-roff/tests/roffs/bold.roff
+++ b/crates/anstyle-roff/tests/roffs/bold.roff
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-.gcolor default
-.fcolor default
 \fBtest\fR
diff --git a/crates/anstyle-roff/tests/roffs/italic.roff b/crates/anstyle-roff/tests/roffs/italic.roff
index e6c05801..02815a7e 100644
--- a/crates/anstyle-roff/tests/roffs/italic.roff
+++ b/crates/anstyle-roff/tests/roffs/italic.roff
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-.gcolor default
-.fcolor default
 \fItest\fR