diff --git a/src/regexp.c b/src/regexp.c
index fe28dc6..d36ac49 100644
--- a/src/regexp.c
+++ b/src/regexp.c
@@ -3739,7 +3739,7 @@
  * Uses curbuf for line count and 'iskeyword'.
  * if "line_lbr" is TRUE  consider a "\n" in "line" to be a line break.
  *
- * Return TRUE if there is a match, FALSE if not.
+ * Returns 0 for failure, number of lines contained in the match otherwise.
  */
     static int
 bt_regexec_nl(rmp, line, col, line_lbr)
@@ -3759,7 +3759,8 @@
     ireg_icombine = FALSE;
 #endif
     ireg_maxcol = 0;
-    return (bt_regexec_both(line, col, NULL) != 0);
+
+    return bt_regexec_both(line, col, NULL);
 }
 
 static long bt_regexec_multi __ARGS((regmmatch_T *rmp, win_T *win, buf_T *buf, linenr_T lnum, colnr_T col, proftime_T *tm));
@@ -3781,8 +3782,6 @@
     colnr_T	col;		/* column to start looking for match */
     proftime_T	*tm;		/* timeout limit or NULL */
 {
-    long	r;
-
     reg_match = NULL;
     reg_mmatch = rmp;
     reg_buf = buf;
@@ -3796,14 +3795,13 @@
 #endif
     ireg_maxcol = rmp->rmm_maxcol;
 
-    r = bt_regexec_both(NULL, col, tm);
-
-    return r;
+    return bt_regexec_both(NULL, col, tm);
 }
 
 /*
  * Match a regexp against a string ("line" points to the string) or multiple
  * lines ("line" is NULL, use reg_getline()).
+ * Returns 0 for failure, number of lines contained in the match otherwise.
  */
     static long
 bt_regexec_both(line, col, tm)
@@ -3811,9 +3809,9 @@
     colnr_T	col;		/* column to start looking for match */
     proftime_T	*tm UNUSED;	/* timeout limit or NULL */
 {
-    bt_regprog_T	*prog;
-    char_u	*s;
-    long	retval = 0L;
+    bt_regprog_T    *prog;
+    char_u	    *s;
+    long	    retval = 0L;
 
     /* Create "regstack" and "backpos" if they are not allocated yet.
      * We allocate *_INITIAL amount of bytes first and then set the grow size
@@ -8201,11 +8199,12 @@
 
 	p_re = save_p_re;
     }
-    return result;
+    return result > 0;
 }
 
 /*
  * Note: "*prog" may be freed and changed.
+ * Return TRUE if there is a match, FALSE if not.
  */
     int
 vim_regexec_prog(prog, ignore_case, line, col)
@@ -8226,6 +8225,7 @@
 
 /*
  * Note: "rmp->regprog" may be freed and changed.
+ * Return TRUE if there is a match, FALSE if not.
  */
     int
 vim_regexec(rmp, line, col)
@@ -8241,6 +8241,7 @@
 /*
  * Like vim_regexec(), but consider a "\n" in "line" to be a line break.
  * Note: "rmp->regprog" may be freed and changed.
+ * Return TRUE if there is a match, FALSE if not.
  */
     int
 vim_regexec_nl(rmp, line, col)
@@ -8297,5 +8298,5 @@
 	p_re = save_p_re;
     }
 
-    return result;
+    return result <= 0 ? 0 : result;
 }