diff --git a/src/search.c b/src/search.c
index aa16d44..920c68c 100644
--- a/src/search.c
+++ b/src/search.c
@@ -2145,6 +2145,8 @@
     else if (initc != '#' && initc != NUL)
     {
 	find_mps_values(&initc, &findc, &backwards, TRUE);
+	if (dir)
+	    backwards = (dir == FORWARD) ? FALSE : TRUE;
 	if (findc == NUL)
 	    return NULL;
     }