diff --git a/share/functions/history.fish b/share/functions/history.fish
index ffe6e2885..92462c511 100644
--- a/share/functions/history.fish
+++ b/share/functions/history.fish
@@ -90,7 +90,11 @@ function history --description "display or manipulate interactive command histor
                 not set -qx LV # ask the pager lv not to strip colors
                 and set -fx LV -c
 
-                builtin history search --color=always $search_mode $show_time $max_count $_flag_case_sensitive $_flag_reverse $_flag_null -- $argv | $pager
+                if not set -q color_opt[1]
+                    set color_opt --color=always
+                end
+
+                builtin history search $color_opt $search_mode $show_time $max_count $_flag_case_sensitive $_flag_reverse $_flag_null -- $argv | $pager
             else
                 builtin history search $color_opt $search_mode $show_time $max_count $_flag_case_sensitive $_flag_reverse $_flag_null -- $argv
             end