diff --git a/src/evalfunc.c b/src/evalfunc.c
index b7d7643..39706cd 100644
--- a/src/evalfunc.c
+++ b/src/evalfunc.c
@@ -8543,6 +8543,9 @@
 	    if (!do_skip)
 		break;
 	}
+
+	// clear the start flag to avoid getting stuck here
+	options &= ~SEARCH_START;
     }
 
     if (subpatnum != FAIL)
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_syntax.vim b/src/testdir/test_syntax.vim
index 589470b..93e56d7 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_syntax.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_syntax.vim
@@ -838,8 +838,9 @@
   1
   call search('VIM', 'w', '', 0, 'synIDattr(synID(line("."), col("."), 1), "name") =~? "comment"')
   call assert_equal('Another Text for VIM', getline('.'))
+
   1
-  call search('VIM', 'w', '', 0, 'synIDattr(synID(line("."), col("."), 1), "name") !~? "string"')
+  call search('VIM', 'cw', '', 0, 'synIDattr(synID(line("."), col("."), 1), "name") !~? "string"')
   call assert_equal(' let a = "VIM"', getline('.'))
 
   " Skip argument using Lambda.
@@ -848,26 +849,27 @@
   call assert_equal('Another Text for VIM', getline('.'))
 
   1
-  call search('VIM', 'w', '', 0, { -> synIDattr(synID(line("."), col("."), 1), "name") !~? "string"})
+  call search('VIM', 'cw', '', 0, { -> synIDattr(synID(line("."), col("."), 1), "name") !~? "string"})
   call assert_equal(' let a = "VIM"', getline('.'))
 
   " Skip argument using funcref.
   func InComment()
     return synIDattr(synID(line("."), col("."), 1), "name") =~? "comment"
   endfunc
-  func InString()
+  func NotInString()
     return synIDattr(synID(line("."), col("."), 1), "name") !~? "string"
   endfunc
+
   1
   call search('VIM', 'w', '', 0, function('InComment'))
   call assert_equal('Another Text for VIM', getline('.'))
 
   1
-  call search('VIM', 'w', '', 0, function('InString'))
+  call search('VIM', 'cw', '', 0, function('NotInString'))
   call assert_equal(' let a = "VIM"', getline('.'))
 
   delfunc InComment
-  delfunc InString
+  delfunc NotInString
   bwipe!
 endfunc
 
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index bb3f166..647daa2 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -735,6 +735,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    5152,
+/**/
     5151,
 /**/
     5150,