diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_set_lscolors.fish b/share/functions/__fish_set_lscolors.fish
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..186741cac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_set_lscolors.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+function __fish_set_lscolors --description 'Set $LS_COLORS if possible'
+    if ! set -qx LS_COLORS && set -l cmd (command -s {g,}dircolors)[1]
+        set -l colorfile
+        for file in ~/.dir_colors ~/.dircolors /etc/DIR_COLORS
+            if test -f $file
+                set colorfile $file
+                break
+            end
+        end
+        # Here we rely on the legacy behavior of `dircolors -c` producing output
+        # suitable for csh in order to extract just the data we're interested in.
+        set -gx LS_COLORS ($cmd -c $colorfile | string split ' ')[3]
+        # The value should always be quoted but be conservative and check first.
+        if string match -qr '^([\'"]).*\1$' -- $LS_COLORS
+            set LS_COLORS (string match -r '^.(.*).$' $LS_COLORS)[2]
+        end
+    end
+end
diff --git a/share/functions/ls.fish b/share/functions/ls.fish
index 368c67c69..194b5f865 100644
--- a/share/functions/ls.fish
+++ b/share/functions/ls.fish
@@ -9,30 +9,13 @@
 
 for opt in --color=auto -G --color -F
     if command ls $opt / >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
-
         function ls --description "List contents of directory" -V opt
+            __fish_set_lscolors
             isatty stdout
             and set -a opt -F
             command ls $opt $argv
         end
 
-        if [ $opt = --color=auto ] && ! set -qx LS_COLORS && set -l cmd (command -s {g,}dircolors)[1]
-            set -l colorfile
-            for file in ~/.dir_colors ~/.dircolors /etc/DIR_COLORS
-                if test -f $file
-                    set colorfile $file
-                    break
-                end
-            end
-            # Here we rely on the legacy behavior of `dircolors -c` producing output
-            # suitable for csh in order to extract just the data we're interested in.
-            set -gx LS_COLORS ($cmd -c $colorfile | string split ' ')[3]
-            # The value should always be quoted but be conservative and check first.
-            if string match -qr '^([\'"]).*\1$' -- $LS_COLORS
-                set LS_COLORS (string match -r '^.(.*).$' $LS_COLORS)[2]
-            end
-        end
-
         break
     end
 end