diff --git a/src/builtins/read.rs b/src/builtins/read.rs
index 45d4d507d..e7355b88e 100644
--- a/src/builtins/read.rs
+++ b/src/builtins/read.rs
@@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ fn read_interactive(
     shell: bool,
     silent: bool,
     prompt: &wstr,
+    prompt_str_is_empty: bool,
     right_prompt: &wstr,
     commandline: &Option<WString>,
     inputfd: RawFd,
@@ -265,6 +266,7 @@ fn read_interactive(
         expand_abbrev_ok: false,
 
         exit_on_interrupt: true,
+        read_prompt_str_is_empty: prompt_str_is_empty,
         in_silent_mode: silent,
 
         left_prompt_cmd: prompt.to_owned(),
@@ -644,6 +646,7 @@ pub fn read(parser: &Parser, streams: &mut IoStreams, argv: &mut [&wstr]) -> Bui
                 opts.shell,
                 opts.silent,
                 opts.prompt.as_ref().unwrap(),
+                opts.prompt_str.as_ref().is_some_and(|ps| ps.is_empty()),
                 &opts.right_prompt,
                 &opts.commandline,
                 streams.stdin_fd(),
diff --git a/src/reader/reader.rs b/src/reader/reader.rs
index 61aa5e0d7..59692991b 100644
--- a/src/reader/reader.rs
+++ b/src/reader/reader.rs
@@ -479,6 +479,8 @@ pub struct ReaderConfig {
     /// Whether to exit on interrupt (^C).
     pub exit_on_interrupt: bool,
 
+    pub read_prompt_str_is_empty: bool,
+
     /// If set, do not show what is typed.
     pub in_silent_mode: bool,
 
@@ -2372,16 +2374,17 @@ fn readline(
 
         self.history_search.reset();
 
-        // HACK: Don't abandon line for the first prompt, because
-        // if we're started with the terminal it might not have settled,
-        // so the width is quite likely to be in flight.
+        // HACK: Use a simple \r for the first prompt, because if we're started with the terminal
+        // it might not have settled, so the width is quite likely to be in flight.
         //
         // This means that `printf %s foo; fish` will overwrite the `foo`,
         // but that's a smaller problem than having the omitted newline char
         // appear constantly.
-        let trusted_width = (!self.first_prompt).then_some(termsize_last().width());
+        if !self.first_prompt || !self.conf.read_prompt_str_is_empty {
+            let trusted_width = (!self.first_prompt).then_some(termsize_last().width());
+            self.screen.reset_abandoning_line(trusted_width);
+        }
         self.first_prompt = false;
-        self.screen.reset_abandoning_line(trusted_width);
 
         if !self.conf.event.is_empty() {
             event::fire_generic(self.parser, self.conf.event.to_owned(), vec![]);