diff --git a/src/normal.c b/src/normal.c
index 5d0796f..3456b73 100644
--- a/src/normal.c
+++ b/src/normal.c
@@ -1984,7 +1984,7 @@
 		op_formatexpr(oap);	/* use expression */
 	    else
 #endif
-		if (*p_fp != NUL)
+		if (*p_fp != NUL || *curbuf->b_p_fp != NUL)
 		op_colon(oap);		/* use external command */
 	    else
 		op_format(oap, FALSE);	/* use internal function */
@@ -2197,10 +2197,12 @@
     }
     else if (oap->op_type == OP_FORMAT)
     {
-	if (*p_fp == NUL)
-	    stuffReadbuff((char_u *)"fmt");
-	else
+	if (*curbuf->b_p_fp != NUL)
+	    stuffReadbuff(curbuf->b_p_fp);
+	else if (*p_fp != NUL)
 	    stuffReadbuff(p_fp);
+	else
+	    stuffReadbuff((char_u *)"fmt");
 	stuffReadbuff((char_u *)"\n']");
     }
 
diff --git a/src/option.c b/src/option.c
index 920f163..6f9610d 100644
--- a/src/option.c
+++ b/src/option.c
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@
 #if defined(FEAT_BEVAL) && defined(FEAT_EVAL)
 # define PV_BEXPR	OPT_BOTH(OPT_BUF(BV_BEXPR))
 #endif
+#define PV_FP		OPT_BOTH(OPT_BUF(BV_FP))
 #ifdef FEAT_EVAL
 # define PV_FEX		OPT_BUF(BV_FEX)
 #endif
@@ -1258,7 +1259,7 @@
 			    {(char_u *)"^\\s*\\d\\+[\\]:.)}\\t ]\\s*",
 						 (char_u *)0L} SCRIPTID_INIT},
     {"formatprg",   "fp",   P_STRING|P_EXPAND|P_VI_DEF|P_SECURE,
-			    (char_u *)&p_fp, PV_NONE,
+			    (char_u *)&p_fp, PV_FP,
 			    {(char_u *)"", (char_u *)0L} SCRIPTID_INIT},
     {"fsync",       "fs",   P_BOOL|P_SECURE|P_VI_DEF,
 #ifdef HAVE_FSYNC
@@ -5481,6 +5482,7 @@
 #if defined(FEAT_CRYPT)
     check_string_option(&buf->b_p_cm);
 #endif
+    check_string_option(&buf->b_p_fp);
 #if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
     check_string_option(&buf->b_p_fex);
 #endif
@@ -10175,6 +10177,9 @@
 	    clear_string_option(&buf->b_p_tsr);
 	    break;
 #endif
+	case PV_FP:
+	    clear_string_option(&buf->b_p_fp);
+	    break;
 #ifdef FEAT_QUICKFIX
 	case PV_EFM:
 	    clear_string_option(&buf->b_p_efm);
@@ -10228,6 +10233,7 @@
     {
 	switch ((int)p->indir)
 	{
+	    case PV_FP:   return (char_u *)&(curbuf->b_p_fp);
 #ifdef FEAT_QUICKFIX
 	    case PV_EFM:  return (char_u *)&(curbuf->b_p_efm);
 	    case PV_GP:   return (char_u *)&(curbuf->b_p_gp);
@@ -10308,6 +10314,8 @@
 	case PV_TSR:	return *curbuf->b_p_tsr != NUL
 				    ? (char_u *)&(curbuf->b_p_tsr) : p->var;
 #endif
+	case PV_FP:	return *curbuf->b_p_fp != NUL
+				    ? (char_u *)&(curbuf->b_p_fp) : p->var;
 #ifdef FEAT_QUICKFIX
 	case PV_EFM:	return *curbuf->b_p_efm != NUL
 				    ? (char_u *)&(curbuf->b_p_efm) : p->var;
@@ -10873,6 +10881,7 @@
 	    buf->b_p_inde = vim_strsave(p_inde);
 	    buf->b_p_indk = vim_strsave(p_indk);
 #endif
+	    buf->b_p_fp = empty_option;
 #if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
 	    buf->b_p_fex = vim_strsave(p_fex);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/option.h b/src/option.h
index 13acabf..0ad2fef 100644
--- a/src/option.h
+++ b/src/option.h
@@ -1029,6 +1029,7 @@
     , BV_EP
     , BV_ET
     , BV_FENC
+    , BV_FP
 #ifdef FEAT_EVAL
     , BV_BEXPR
     , BV_FEX
diff --git a/src/structs.h b/src/structs.h
index 3fdfb5f..9c0e046 100644
--- a/src/structs.h
+++ b/src/structs.h
@@ -2097,6 +2097,7 @@
     long_u	b_p_inde_flags;	/* flags for 'indentexpr' */
     char_u	*b_p_indk;	/* 'indentkeys' */
 #endif
+    char_u	*b_p_fp;	/* 'formatprg' */
 #if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
     char_u	*b_p_fex;	/* 'formatexpr' */
     long_u	b_p_fex_flags;	/* flags for 'formatexpr' */
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_normal.vim b/src/testdir/test_normal.vim
index 29bd783..9817785 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_normal.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_normal.vim
@@ -224,21 +224,33 @@
   " only test on non windows platform
   if has('win32')
     return
-  else
-    " uses sed to number non-empty lines
-    call writefile(['#!/bin/sh', 'sed ''/./=''|sed ''/./{', 'N', 's/\n/    /', '}'''], 'Xsed_format.sh')
-    call system('chmod +x ./Xsed_format.sh')
   endif
-  call Setup_NewWindow()
-  %d
-  call setline(1, ['a', '', 'c', '', ' ', 'd', 'e'])
+
+  " uses sed to number non-empty lines
+  call writefile(['#!/bin/sh', 'sed ''/./=''|sed ''/./{', 'N', 's/\n/    /', '}'''], 'Xsed_format.sh')
+  call system('chmod +x ./Xsed_format.sh')
+  let text = ['a', '', 'c', '', ' ', 'd', 'e']
+  let expected = ['1    a', '', '3    c', '', '5     ', '6    d', '7    e']
+
+  10new
+  call setline(1, text)
   set formatprg=./Xsed_format.sh
   norm! gggqG
-  call assert_equal(['1    a', '', '3    c', '', '5     ', '6    d', '7    e'], getline(1, '$'))
+  call assert_equal(expected, getline(1, '$'))
+  bw!
+
+  10new
+  call setline(1, text)
+  set formatprg=donothing
+  setlocal formatprg=./Xsed_format.sh
+  norm! gggqG
+  call assert_equal(expected, getline(1, '$'))
+  bw!
+
   " clean up
   set formatprg=
+  setlocal formatprg=
   call delete('Xsed_format.sh')
-  bw!
 endfunc
 
 func! Test_normal07_internalfmt()
@@ -251,7 +263,7 @@
   norm! gggqG
   call assert_equal(['1    2    3', '4    5    6', '7    8    9', '10    11    '], getline(1, '$'))
   " clean up
-  set formatprg= tw=0
+  set tw=0
   bw!
 endfunc
 
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 1b64d58..dd5f700 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -765,6 +765,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    179,
+/**/
     178,
 /**/
     177,