diff --git a/src/proto.h b/src/proto.h
index 2d269992..1e15d053 100644
--- a/src/proto.h
+++ b/src/proto.h
@@ -677,8 +677,8 @@ void spotlight(bool active, const char *word);
 void xon_complaint(void);
 void xoff_complaint(void);
 void do_suspend_void(void);
-void enable_nodelay(void);
-void disable_nodelay(void);
+void disable_waiting(void);
+void enable_waiting(void);
 #ifndef DISABLE_EXTRA
 void do_credits(void);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/search.c b/src/search.c
index 1452a1af..152045e0 100644
--- a/src/search.c
+++ b/src/search.c
@@ -234,8 +234,10 @@ int findnextstr(const char *needle, bool whole_word_only, bool have_region,
     size_t found_x;
 	/* The x coordinate of a found occurrence. */
     time_t lastkbcheck = time(NULL);
+	/* The time we last looked at the keyboard. */
 
-    enable_nodelay();
+    /* Set non-blocking input so that we can just peek for a Cancel. */
+    disable_waiting();
 
     if (begin == NULL)
 	came_full_circle = FALSE;
@@ -252,7 +254,7 @@ int findnextstr(const char *needle, bool whole_word_only, bool have_region,
 	    while (input) {
 		if (func_from_key(&input) == do_cancel) {
 		    statusbar(_("Cancelled"));
-		    disable_nodelay();
+		    enable_waiting();
 		    return -2;
 		}
 		input = parse_kbinput(NULL);
@@ -303,7 +305,7 @@ int findnextstr(const char *needle, bool whole_word_only, bool have_region,
 	/* If we're back at the beginning, then there is no needle. */
 	if (came_full_circle) {
 	    not_found_msg(needle);
-	    disable_nodelay();
+	    enable_waiting();
 	    return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -317,7 +319,7 @@ int findnextstr(const char *needle, bool whole_word_only, bool have_region,
 	 * but stop when spell-checking or replacing in a region. */
 	if (line == NULL) {
 	    if (whole_word_only || have_region) {
-		disable_nodelay();
+		enable_waiting();
 		return 0;
 	    }
 
@@ -343,16 +345,15 @@ int findnextstr(const char *needle, bool whole_word_only, bool have_region,
 
     found_x = found - line->data;
 
+    enable_waiting();
+
     /* Ensure that the found occurrence is not beyond the starting x. */
     if (came_full_circle && ((!ISSET(BACKWARDS_SEARCH) && found_x > begin_x) ||
 			(ISSET(BACKWARDS_SEARCH) && found_x < begin_x))) {
 	not_found_msg(needle);
-	disable_nodelay();
 	return 0;
     }
 
-    disable_nodelay();
-
     /* Set the current position to point at what we found. */
     openfile->current = line;
     openfile->current_x = found_x;
diff --git a/src/winio.c b/src/winio.c
index ded81ad6..0d776da1 100644
--- a/src/winio.c
+++ b/src/winio.c
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ static size_t key_buffer_len = 0;
 	/* The length of the keystroke buffer. */
 static bool solitary = FALSE;
 	/* Whether an Esc arrived by itself -- not as leader of a sequence. */
-static nodelay_mode = FALSE;
-	/* Whether we will check for a Cancel now and then during a search. */
+static waiting_mode = TRUE;
+	/* Whether getting a character will wait for a key to be pressed. */
 static int statusblank = 0;
 	/* The number of keystrokes left before we blank the statusbar. */
 #ifdef USING_OLD_NCURSES
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ void get_key_buffer(WINDOW *win)
     }
 #endif
 
-    if (input == ERR && nodelay_mode)
+    if (input == ERR && !waiting_mode)
 	return;
 
     while (input == ERR) {
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ void get_key_buffer(WINDOW *win)
     }
 
     /* Restore waiting mode if it was on. */
-    if (!nodelay_mode)
+    if (waiting_mode)
 	nodelay(win, FALSE);
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ int parse_kbinput(WINDOW *win)
     /* Read in a character. */
     kbinput = get_input(win, 1);
 
-    if (kbinput == NULL && nodelay_mode)
+    if (kbinput == NULL && !waiting_mode)
 	return 0;
 
     while (kbinput == NULL)
@@ -3228,15 +3228,15 @@ void do_cursorpos_void(void)
     do_cursorpos(TRUE);
 }
 
-void enable_nodelay(void)
+void disable_waiting(void)
 {
-    nodelay_mode = TRUE;
+    waiting_mode = FALSE;
     nodelay(edit, TRUE);
 }
 
-void disable_nodelay(void)
+void enable_waiting(void)
 {
-    nodelay_mode = FALSE;
+    waiting_mode = TRUE;
     nodelay(edit, FALSE);
 }