diff --git a/src/help.c b/src/help.c
index b497f548..0b6b235e 100644
--- a/src/help.c
+++ b/src/help.c
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ void show_help(void)
 		didfind = 0;
 
 #ifndef NANO_TINY
-		openfile->mark = NULL;
+		spotlighted = FALSE;
 		hide_cursor = FALSE;
 
 		if (bracketed_paste || kbinput == BRACKETED_PASTE_MARKER) {
diff --git a/src/nano.c b/src/nano.c
index 6c5eda5e..1df6736c 100644
--- a/src/nano.c
+++ b/src/nano.c
@@ -2540,6 +2540,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		} else
 			edit_refresh();
 
+#ifndef NANO_TINY
+		/* Let the next keystroke cancel the highlighting of a search match. */
+		refresh_needed = spotlighted;
+		spotlighted = FALSE;
+#endif
 		errno = 0;
 		focusing = TRUE;
 
diff --git a/src/search.c b/src/search.c
index 0238cc85..bb81cf21 100644
--- a/src/search.c
+++ b/src/search.c
@@ -324,12 +324,12 @@ int findnextstr(const char *needle, bool whole_word_only, int modus,
 
 #ifndef NANO_TINY
 	if (modus == JUSTFIND && ISSET(MARK_MATCH) && (!openfile->mark || openfile->softmark)) {
-		openfile->mark = line;
-		openfile->mark_x = found_x + found_len;
-		openfile->softmark = TRUE;
+		spotlighted = TRUE;
+		light_from_col = xplustabs();
+		light_to_col = wideness(line->data, found_x + found_len);
 		if (!ISSET(SHOW_CURSOR))
 			hide_cursor = TRUE;
-		shift_held = TRUE;
+		refresh_needed = TRUE;
 	}
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/winio.c b/src/winio.c
index ff5e5a3a..16b0405d 100644
--- a/src/winio.c
+++ b/src/winio.c
@@ -2854,7 +2854,7 @@ int update_line(linestruct *line, size_t index)
 		wattroff(edit, hilite_attribute);
 	}
 
-	if (spotlighted && line == openfile->current && !inhelp)
+	if (spotlighted && line == openfile->current)
 		spotlight(light_from_col, light_to_col);
 
 	return 1;
@@ -2915,7 +2915,7 @@ int update_softwrapped_line(linestruct *line)
 		from_col = to_col;
 	}
 
-	if (spotlighted && line == openfile->current && !inhelp)
+	if (spotlighted && line == openfile->current)
 		spotlight_softwrapped(light_from_col, light_to_col);
 
 	return (row - starting_row);