diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index 8cb91e7..e8a1b0a 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -696,6 +696,70 @@
     return (int)retval;
 }
 
+    static int
+eval_expr_typval(typval_T *expr, typval_T *argv, int argc, typval_T *rettv)
+{
+    char_u	*s;
+    int		dummy;
+    char_u	buf[NUMBUFLEN];
+
+    if (expr->v_type == VAR_FUNC)
+    {
+	s = expr->vval.v_string;
+	if (s == NULL || *s == NUL)
+	    return FAIL;
+	if (call_func(s, (int)STRLEN(s), rettv, argc, argv, NULL,
+				     0L, 0L, &dummy, TRUE, NULL, NULL) == FAIL)
+	    return FAIL;
+    }
+    else if (expr->v_type == VAR_PARTIAL)
+    {
+	partial_T   *partial = expr->vval.v_partial;
+
+	s = partial_name(partial);
+	if (s == NULL || *s == NUL)
+	    return FAIL;
+	if (call_func(s, (int)STRLEN(s), rettv, argc, argv, NULL,
+				  0L, 0L, &dummy, TRUE, partial, NULL) == FAIL)
+	    return FAIL;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+	s = get_tv_string_buf_chk(expr, buf);
+	if (s == NULL)
+	    return FAIL;
+	s = skipwhite(s);
+	if (eval1(&s, rettv, TRUE) == FAIL)
+	    return FAIL;
+	if (*s != NUL)  /* check for trailing chars after expr */
+	{
+	    EMSG2(_(e_invexpr2), s);
+	    return FAIL;
+	}
+    }
+    return OK;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Like eval_to_bool() but using a typval_T instead of a string.
+ * Works for string, funcref and partial.
+ */
+    int
+eval_expr_to_bool(typval_T *expr, int *error)
+{
+    typval_T	rettv;
+    int		res;
+
+    if (eval_expr_typval(expr, NULL, 0, &rettv) == FAIL)
+    {
+	*error = TRUE;
+	return FALSE;
+    }
+    res = (get_tv_number_chk(&rettv, error) != 0);
+    clear_tv(&rettv);
+    return res;
+}
+
 /*
  * Top level evaluation function, returning a string.  If "skip" is TRUE,
  * only parsing to "nextcmd" is done, without reporting errors.  Return
@@ -9971,44 +10035,13 @@
 {
     typval_T	rettv;
     typval_T	argv[3];
-    char_u	buf[NUMBUFLEN];
-    char_u	*s;
     int		retval = FAIL;
-    int		dummy;
 
     copy_tv(tv, &vimvars[VV_VAL].vv_tv);
     argv[0] = vimvars[VV_KEY].vv_tv;
     argv[1] = vimvars[VV_VAL].vv_tv;
-    if (expr->v_type == VAR_FUNC)
-    {
-	s = expr->vval.v_string;
-	if (call_func(s, (int)STRLEN(s), &rettv, 2, argv, NULL,
-				     0L, 0L, &dummy, TRUE, NULL, NULL) == FAIL)
-	    goto theend;
-    }
-    else if (expr->v_type == VAR_PARTIAL)
-    {
-	partial_T   *partial = expr->vval.v_partial;
-
-	s = partial_name(partial);
-	if (call_func(s, (int)STRLEN(s), &rettv, 2, argv, NULL,
-				  0L, 0L, &dummy, TRUE, partial, NULL) == FAIL)
-	    goto theend;
-    }
-    else
-    {
-	s = get_tv_string_buf_chk(expr, buf);
-	if (s == NULL)
-	    goto theend;
-	s = skipwhite(s);
-	if (eval1(&s, &rettv, TRUE) == FAIL)
-	    goto theend;
-	if (*s != NUL)  /* check for trailing chars after expr */
-	{
-	    EMSG2(_(e_invexpr2), s);
-	    goto theend;
-	}
-    }
+    if (eval_expr_typval(expr, argv, 2, &rettv) == FAIL)
+	goto theend;
     if (map)
     {
 	/* map(): replace the list item value */
diff --git a/src/evalfunc.c b/src/evalfunc.c
index 2f294ca..25536af 100644
--- a/src/evalfunc.c
+++ b/src/evalfunc.c
@@ -9531,13 +9531,12 @@
 searchpair_cmn(typval_T *argvars, pos_T *match_pos)
 {
     char_u	*spat, *mpat, *epat;
-    char_u	*skip;
+    typval_T	*skip;
     int		save_p_ws = p_ws;
     int		dir;
     int		flags = 0;
     char_u	nbuf1[NUMBUFLEN];
     char_u	nbuf2[NUMBUFLEN];
-    char_u	nbuf3[NUMBUFLEN];
     int		retval = 0;		/* default: FAIL */
     long	lnum_stop = 0;
     long	time_limit = 0;
@@ -9571,10 +9570,16 @@
     /* Optional fifth argument: skip expression */
     if (argvars[3].v_type == VAR_UNKNOWN
 	    || argvars[4].v_type == VAR_UNKNOWN)
-	skip = (char_u *)"";
+	skip = NULL;
     else
     {
-	skip = get_tv_string_buf_chk(&argvars[4], nbuf3);
+	skip = &argvars[4];
+	if (skip->v_type != VAR_FUNC && skip->v_type != VAR_PARTIAL
+	    && skip->v_type != VAR_STRING)
+	{
+	    /* Type error */
+	    goto theend;
+	}
 	if (argvars[5].v_type != VAR_UNKNOWN)
 	{
 	    lnum_stop = (long)get_tv_number_chk(&argvars[5], NULL);
@@ -9590,8 +9595,6 @@
 #endif
 	}
     }
-    if (skip == NULL)
-	goto theend;	    /* type error */
 
     retval = do_searchpair(spat, mpat, epat, dir, skip, flags,
 					    match_pos, lnum_stop, time_limit);
@@ -9645,7 +9648,7 @@
     char_u	*mpat,	    /* middle pattern */
     char_u	*epat,	    /* end pattern */
     int		dir,	    /* BACKWARD or FORWARD */
-    char_u	*skip,	    /* skip expression */
+    typval_T	*skip,	    /* skip expression */
     int		flags,	    /* SP_SETPCMARK and other SP_ values */
     pos_T	*match_pos,
     linenr_T	lnum_stop,  /* stop at this line if not zero */
@@ -9662,6 +9665,7 @@
     int		n;
     int		r;
     int		nest = 1;
+    int		use_skip = FALSE;
     int		err;
     int		options = SEARCH_KEEP;
     proftime_T	tm;
@@ -9690,6 +9694,14 @@
     if (flags & SP_START)
 	options |= SEARCH_START;
 
+    if (skip != NULL)
+    {
+	/* Empty string means to not use the skip expression. */
+	if (skip->v_type == VAR_STRING || skip->v_type == VAR_FUNC)
+	    use_skip = skip->vval.v_string != NULL
+						&& *skip->vval.v_string != NUL;
+    }
+
     save_cursor = curwin->w_cursor;
     pos = curwin->w_cursor;
     CLEAR_POS(&firstpos);
@@ -9721,11 +9733,12 @@
 	options &= ~SEARCH_START;
 
 	/* If the skip pattern matches, ignore this match. */
-	if (*skip != NUL)
+	if (use_skip)
 	{
 	    save_pos = curwin->w_cursor;
 	    curwin->w_cursor = pos;
-	    r = eval_to_bool(skip, &err, NULL, FALSE);
+	    err = FALSE;
+	    r = eval_expr_to_bool(skip, &err);
 	    curwin->w_cursor = save_pos;
 	    if (err)
 	    {
diff --git a/src/proto/eval.pro b/src/proto/eval.pro
index 5fc6260..34e87a1 100644
--- a/src/proto/eval.pro
+++ b/src/proto/eval.pro
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 void eval_diff(char_u *origfile, char_u *newfile, char_u *outfile);
 void eval_patch(char_u *origfile, char_u *difffile, char_u *outfile);
 int eval_to_bool(char_u *arg, int *error, char_u **nextcmd, int skip);
+int eval_expr_to_bool(typval_T *expr, int *error);
 char_u *eval_to_string_skip(char_u *arg, char_u **nextcmd, int skip);
 int skip_expr(char_u **pp);
 char_u *eval_to_string(char_u *arg, char_u **nextcmd, int convert);
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@
 int set_ref_in_ht(hashtab_T *ht, int copyID, list_stack_T **list_stack);
 int set_ref_in_list(list_T *l, int copyID, ht_stack_T **ht_stack);
 int set_ref_in_item(typval_T *tv, int copyID, ht_stack_T **ht_stack, list_stack_T **list_stack);
-char_u *echo_string_core(typval_T *tv, char_u **tofree, char_u *numbuf, int copyID, int echo_style, int restore_copyID, int dict_val);
+char_u *echo_string_core(typval_T *tv, char_u **tofree, char_u *numbuf, int copyID, int echo_style, int restore_copyID, int composite_val);
 char_u *echo_string(typval_T *tv, char_u **tofree, char_u *numbuf, int copyID);
 char_u *tv2string(typval_T *tv, char_u **tofree, char_u *numbuf, int copyID);
 char_u *string_quote(char_u *str, int function);
diff --git a/src/proto/evalfunc.pro b/src/proto/evalfunc.pro
index 174afb6..279c824 100644
--- a/src/proto/evalfunc.pro
+++ b/src/proto/evalfunc.pro
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 void execute_redir_str(char_u *value, int value_len);
 void mzscheme_call_vim(char_u *name, typval_T *args, typval_T *rettv);
 float_T vim_round(float_T f);
-long do_searchpair(char_u *spat, char_u *mpat, char_u *epat, int dir, char_u *skip, int flags, pos_T *match_pos, linenr_T lnum_stop, long time_limit);
+long do_searchpair(char_u *spat, char_u *mpat, char_u *epat, int dir, typval_T *skip, int flags, pos_T *match_pos, linenr_T lnum_stop, long time_limit);
 char_u *get_callback(typval_T *arg, partial_T **pp);
 void free_callback(char_u *callback, partial_T *partial);
 /* vim: set ft=c : */
diff --git a/src/search.c b/src/search.c
index e56cb1b..25c2e6e 100644
--- a/src/search.c
+++ b/src/search.c
@@ -4015,7 +4015,7 @@
     {
 	if (do_searchpair((char_u *)"<[^ \t>/!]\\+\\%(\\_s\\_[^>]\\{-}[^/]>\\|$\\|\\_s\\=>\\)",
 		    (char_u *)"",
-		    (char_u *)"</[^>]*>", BACKWARD, (char_u *)"", 0,
+		    (char_u *)"</[^>]*>", BACKWARD, NULL, 0,
 						  NULL, (linenr_T)0, 0L) <= 0)
 	{
 	    curwin->w_cursor = old_pos;
@@ -4049,7 +4049,7 @@
     sprintf((char *)spat, "<%.*s\\>\\%%(\\s\\_[^>]\\{-}[^/]>\\|>\\)\\c", len, p);
     sprintf((char *)epat, "</%.*s>\\c", len, p);
 
-    r = do_searchpair(spat, (char_u *)"", epat, FORWARD, (char_u *)"",
+    r = do_searchpair(spat, (char_u *)"", epat, FORWARD, NULL,
 						    0, NULL, (linenr_T)0, 0L);
 
     vim_free(spat);
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_search.vim b/src/testdir/test_search.vim
index eb78110..b863fcb 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_search.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_search.vim
@@ -296,6 +296,25 @@
   q!
 endfunc
 
+func Test_searchpair_skip()
+    func Zero()
+	return 0
+    endfunc
+    func Partial(x)
+	return a:x
+    endfunc
+    new
+    call setline(1, ['{', 'foo', 'foo', 'foo', '}'])
+    3 | call assert_equal(1, searchpair('{', '', '}', 'bWn', ''))
+    3 | call assert_equal(1, searchpair('{', '', '}', 'bWn', '0'))
+    3 | call assert_equal(1, searchpair('{', '', '}', 'bWn', {-> 0}))
+    3 | call assert_equal(1, searchpair('{', '', '}', 'bWn', function('Zero')))
+    3 | call assert_equal(1, searchpair('{', '', '}', 'bWn', function('Partial', [0])))
+    " invalid argument
+    3 | call assert_equal(0, searchpair('{', '', '}', 'bWn', 0))
+    bw!
+endfunc
+
 func Test_searchc()
   " These commands used to cause memory overflow in searchc().
   new
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 7d4ba56..bb1e8b2 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -762,6 +762,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1239,
+/**/
     1238,
 /**/
     1237,