diff --git a/src/ex_docmd.c b/src/ex_docmd.c
index 84a72e1..539e39f 100644
--- a/src/ex_docmd.c
+++ b/src/ex_docmd.c
@@ -4521,13 +4521,14 @@
 		    if (lnum != MAXLNUM)
 			curwin->w_cursor.lnum = lnum;
 		    /*
-		     * Start a forward search at the end of the line.
+		     * Start a forward search at the end of the line (unless
+		     * before the first line).
 		     * Start a backward search at the start of the line.
 		     * This makes sure we never match in the current
 		     * line, and can match anywhere in the
 		     * next/previous line.
 		     */
-		    if (c == '/')
+		    if (c == '/' && curwin->w_cursor.lnum > 0)
 			curwin->w_cursor.col = MAXCOL;
 		    else
 			curwin->w_cursor.col = 0;
diff --git a/src/misc1.c b/src/misc1.c
index 4c691bb..2d635d6 100644
--- a/src/misc1.c
+++ b/src/misc1.c
@@ -2650,8 +2650,12 @@
     int
 gchar_pos(pos_T *pos)
 {
-    char_u	*ptr = ml_get_pos(pos);
+    char_u	*ptr;
 
+    /* When searching columns is sometimes put at the end of a line. */
+    if (pos->col == MAXCOL)
+	return NUL;
+    ptr = ml_get_pos(pos);
 #ifdef FEAT_MBYTE
     if (has_mbyte)
 	return (*mb_ptr2char)(ptr);
diff --git a/src/misc2.c b/src/misc2.c
index 87b79fa..fd432cd 100644
--- a/src/misc2.c
+++ b/src/misc2.c
@@ -348,24 +348,29 @@
     int
 inc(pos_T *lp)
 {
-    char_u  *p = ml_get_pos(lp);
+    char_u  *p;
 
-    if (*p != NUL)	/* still within line, move to next char (may be NUL) */
+    /* when searching position may be set to end of a line */
+    if (lp->col != MAXCOL)
     {
-#ifdef FEAT_MBYTE
-	if (has_mbyte)
+	p = ml_get_pos(lp);
+	if (*p != NUL)	/* still within line, move to next char (may be NUL) */
 	{
-	    int l = (*mb_ptr2len)(p);
+#ifdef FEAT_MBYTE
+	    if (has_mbyte)
+	    {
+		int l = (*mb_ptr2len)(p);
 
-	    lp->col += l;
-	    return ((p[l] != NUL) ? 0 : 2);
-	}
+		lp->col += l;
+		return ((p[l] != NUL) ? 0 : 2);
+	    }
 #endif
-	lp->col++;
+	    lp->col++;
 #ifdef FEAT_VIRTUALEDIT
-	lp->coladd = 0;
+	    lp->coladd = 0;
 #endif
-	return ((p[1] != NUL) ? 0 : 2);
+	    return ((p[1] != NUL) ? 0 : 2);
+	}
     }
     if (lp->lnum != curbuf->b_ml.ml_line_count)     /* there is a next line */
     {
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_search.vim b/src/testdir/test_search.vim
index cb65fbf..84edfbb 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_search.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_search.vim
@@ -729,3 +729,10 @@
   call search(getline("."))
   bwipe!
 endfunc
+
+func Test_search_sentence()
+  new
+  " this used to cause a crash
+  call assert_fails("/\\%'", 'E486')
+  call assert_fails("/", 'E486')
+endfunc
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 7b2f89a..11ff603 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -772,6 +772,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1416,
+/**/
     1415,
 /**/
     1414,