diff --git a/lib/cli/Streams.php b/lib/cli/Streams.php
index 3d91d0a..71b454f 100755
--- a/lib/cli/Streams.php
+++ b/lib/cli/Streams.php
@@ -41,9 +41,11 @@ public static function render( $msg ) {
 
 		// If the first argument is not an array just pass to sprintf
 		if( !is_array( $args[1] ) ) {
-			// Colorize the message first so sprintf doesn't bitch at us
+			// Normalize color tokens before sprintf: colorize or strip them so no raw %tokens reach sprintf
 			if ( Colors::shouldColorize() ) {
 				$args[0] = Colors::colorize( $args[0] );
+			} else {
+				$args[0] = Colors::decolorize( $args[0] );
 			}
 
 			// Escape percent characters for sprintf
diff --git a/tests/Test_Cli.php b/tests/Test_Cli.php
index d5101a2..bd4476d 100644
--- a/tests/Test_Cli.php
+++ b/tests/Test_Cli.php
@@ -553,4 +553,20 @@ function test_safe_strlen() {
 			mb_detect_order( $mb_detect_order );
 		}
 	}
+
+	function test_render_with_color_tokens_and_sprintf_args_colors_disabled() {
+		Colors::disable( true );
+
+		// Color tokens in format string must not cause "sprintf(): Too few arguments".
+		$result = \cli\render( '[%C%k%s%N] Starting!', '2024-01-01 12:00:00' );
+		$this->assertSame( '[2024-01-01 12:00:00] Starting!', $result );
+	}
+
+	function test_render_with_color_tokens_and_sprintf_args_colors_enabled() {
+		Colors::enable( true );
+
+		$result = \cli\render( '[%C%k%s%N] Starting!', '2024-01-01 12:00:00' );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( '2024-01-01 12:00:00', $result );
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( 'Starting!', $result );
+	}
 }