diff --git a/src/output.rs b/src/output.rs
index 8833df4a0..740e5ba84 100644
--- a/src/output.rs
+++ b/src/output.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // Generic output functions.
-use crate::color::RgbColor;
+use crate::color::{self, RgbColor};
 use crate::common::{self, wcs2string_appending};
 use crate::curses::{self, tparm1, Term};
 use crate::env::EnvVar;
@@ -493,6 +493,14 @@ pub fn best_color(candidates: &[RgbColor], support: ColorSupport) -> RgbColor {
 ///       In particular, the argument parsing still isn't fully capable.
 #[allow(clippy::collapsible_else_if)]
 pub fn parse_color(var: &EnvVar, is_background: bool) -> RgbColor {
+    let mut result = parse_color_maybe_none(var, is_background);
+    if result.is_none() {
+        result.typ = color::Type::Normal;
+    }
+    result
+}
+
+pub fn parse_color_maybe_none(var: &EnvVar, is_background: bool) -> RgbColor {
     let mut is_bold = false;
     let mut is_underline = false;
     let mut is_italics = false;
@@ -551,9 +559,6 @@ pub fn parse_color(var: &EnvVar, is_background: bool) -> RgbColor {
     }
 
     let mut result = best_color(&candidates, get_color_support());
-    if result.is_none() {
-        result = RgbColor::NORMAL;
-    }
     result.set_bold(is_bold);
     result.set_underline(is_underline);
     result.set_italics(is_italics);
diff --git a/src/reader.rs b/src/reader.rs
index ea8e4356c..324c9e71f 100644
--- a/src/reader.rs
+++ b/src/reader.rs
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@
 use crate::nix::isatty;
 use crate::operation_context::{get_bg_context, OperationContext};
 use crate::output::parse_color;
+use crate::output::parse_color_maybe_none;
 use crate::output::Outputter;
 use crate::pager::{PageRendering, Pager, SelectionMotion};
 use crate::panic::AT_EXIT;
@@ -1499,8 +1500,15 @@ fn paint_layout(&mut self, reason: &wstr, is_final_rendering: bool) {
                 range.end = colors.len();
             }
 
+            let explicit_foreground = self
+                .vars()
+                .get_unless_empty(L!("fish_color_search_match"))
+                .is_some_and(|var| !parse_color_maybe_none(&var, false).is_none());
+
             for color in &mut colors[range] {
-                color.foreground = HighlightRole::search_match;
+                if explicit_foreground {
+                    color.foreground = HighlightRole::search_match;
+                }
                 color.background = HighlightRole::search_match;
             }
         }