diff --git a/src/normal.c b/src/normal.c
index 8302ffb..99ced41 100644
--- a/src/normal.c
+++ b/src/normal.c
@@ -4240,6 +4240,52 @@
 }
 
 /*
+ * Return TRUE if line[offset] is not inside a C-style comment or string, FALSE
+ * otherwise.
+ */
+    static int
+is_ident(char_u *line, int offset)
+{
+    int	i;
+    int	incomment = FALSE;
+    int	instring = 0;
+    int	prev = 0;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < offset && line[i] != NUL; i++)
+    {
+	if (instring != 0)
+	{
+	    if (prev != '\\' && line[i] == instring)
+		instring = 0;
+	}
+	else if ((line[i] == '"' || line[i] == '\'') && !incomment)
+	{
+	    instring = line[i];
+	}
+	else
+	{
+	    if (incomment)
+	    {
+		if (prev == '*' && line[i] == '/')
+		    incomment = FALSE;
+	    }
+	    else if (prev == '/' && line[i] == '*')
+	    {
+		incomment = TRUE;
+	    }
+	    else if (prev == '/' && line[i] == '/')
+	    {
+		return FALSE;
+	    }
+	}
+
+	prev = line[i];
+    }
+
+    return incomment == FALSE && instring == 0;
+}
+
+/*
  * Search for variable declaration of "ptr[len]".
  * When "locally" is TRUE in the current function ("gd"), otherwise in the
  * current file ("gD").
@@ -4264,6 +4310,7 @@
     int		retval = OK;
     int		incll;
     int		searchflags = flags_arg;
+    int		valid;
 
     if ((pat = alloc(len + 7)) == NULL)
 	return FAIL;
@@ -4301,6 +4348,7 @@
     clearpos(&found_pos);
     for (;;)
     {
+	valid = FALSE;
 	t = searchit(curwin, curbuf, &curwin->w_cursor, FORWARD,
 			    pat, 1L, searchflags, RE_LAST, (linenr_T)0, NULL);
 	if (curwin->w_cursor.lnum >= old_pos.lnum)
@@ -4337,9 +4385,20 @@
 	    continue;
 	}
 #endif
-	if (!locally)	/* global search: use first match found */
+	valid = is_ident(ml_get_curline(), curwin->w_cursor.col);
+
+	/* If the current position is not a valid identifier and a previous
+	 * match is present, favor that one instead. */
+	if (!valid && found_pos.lnum != 0)
+	{
+	    curwin->w_cursor = found_pos;
 	    break;
-	if (curwin->w_cursor.lnum >= par_pos.lnum)
+	}
+
+	/* Global search: use first valid match found */
+	if (valid && !locally)
+	    break;
+	if (valid && curwin->w_cursor.lnum >= par_pos.lnum)
 	{
 	    /* If we previously found a valid position, use it. */
 	    if (found_pos.lnum != 0)
@@ -4347,11 +4406,20 @@
 	    break;
 	}
 
-	/* For finding a local variable and the match is before the "{" search
-	 * to find a later match.  For K&R style function declarations this
-	 * skips the function header without types.  Remove SEARCH_START from
-	 * flags to avoid getting stuck at one position. */
-	found_pos = curwin->w_cursor;
+	/* For finding a local variable and the match is before the "{" or
+	 * inside a comment, continue searching.  For K&R style function
+	 * declarations this skips the function header without types. */
+	if (!valid)
+	{
+	    /* Braces needed due to macro expansion of clearpos. */
+	    clearpos(&found_pos);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+	    found_pos = curwin->w_cursor;
+	}
+	/* Remove SEARCH_START from flags to avoid getting stuck at one
+	 * position. */
 	searchflags &= ~SEARCH_START;
     }