diff --git a/src/search.c b/src/search.c
index 57434ec..66ae647 100644
--- a/src/search.c
+++ b/src/search.c
@@ -2707,10 +2707,11 @@
 }
 
 /*
- * findsent(dir, count) - Find the start of the next sentence in direction
- * "dir" Sentences are supposed to end in ".", "!" or "?" followed by white
- * space or a line break. Also stop at an empty line.
- * Return OK if the next sentence was found.
+ * Find the start of the next sentence, searching in the direction specified
+ * by the "dir" argument.  The cursor is positioned on the start of the next
+ * sentence when found.  If the next sentence is found, return OK.  Return FAIL
+ * otherwise.  See ":h sentence" for the precise definition of a "sentence"
+ * text object.
  */
     int
 findsent(int dir, long count)
@@ -2758,26 +2759,25 @@
 	else if (dir == BACKWARD)
 	    decl(&pos);
 
-	/* go back to the previous non-blank char */
+	// go back to the previous non-white non-punctuation character
 	found_dot = FALSE;
-	while ((c = gchar_pos(&pos)) == ' ' || c == '\t' ||
-	     (dir == BACKWARD && vim_strchr((char_u *)".!?)]\"'", c) != NULL))
+	while (c = gchar_pos(&pos), VIM_ISWHITE(c)
+				|| vim_strchr((char_u *)".!?)]\"'", c) != NULL)
 	{
-	    if (vim_strchr((char_u *)".!?", c) != NULL)
-	    {
-		/* Only skip over a '.', '!' and '?' once. */
-		if (found_dot)
-		    break;
-		found_dot = TRUE;
-	    }
-	    if (decl(&pos) == -1)
+	    tpos = pos;
+	    if (decl(&tpos) == -1 || (LINEEMPTY(tpos.lnum) && dir == FORWARD))
 		break;
-	    /* when going forward: Stop in front of empty line */
-	    if (LINEEMPTY(pos.lnum) && dir == FORWARD)
-	    {
-		incl(&pos);
-		goto found;
-	    }
+
+	    if (found_dot)
+		break;
+	    if (vim_strchr((char_u *) ".!?", c) != NULL)
+		found_dot = TRUE;
+
+	    if (vim_strchr((char_u *) ")]\"'", c) != NULL
+		&& vim_strchr((char_u *) ".!?)]\"'", gchar_pos(&tpos)) == NULL)
+		break;
+
+	    decl(&pos);
 	}
 
 	/* remember the line where the search started */