diff --git a/share/functions/fish_prompt.fish b/share/functions/fish_prompt.fish
index f733131a1..001da4467 100644
--- a/share/functions/fish_prompt.fish
+++ b/share/functions/fish_prompt.fish
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
-# name: Classic + Vcs
+# name: Classic + Vcs (the default)
 # author: Lily Ballard
 
-set __fish_prompt_status_generation $status_generation
-
 function fish_prompt --description 'Write out the prompt'
     set -l last_pipestatus $pipestatus
     set -l last_status $status
@@ -25,7 +23,9 @@ function fish_prompt --description 'Write out the prompt'
     end
 
     # Write pipestatus
+    # If the status was carried over (e.g. after `set`), don't bold it.
     set -l bold_flag --bold
+    set -q __fish_prompt_status_generation; or set -g __fish_prompt_status_generation $status_generation
     if test $__fish_prompt_status_generation = $status_generation
         set bold_flag
     end
diff --git a/share/tools/web_config/sample_prompts/classic_vcs.fish b/share/tools/web_config/sample_prompts/classic_vcs.fish
index 6536e52a8..001da4467 100644
--- a/share/tools/web_config/sample_prompts/classic_vcs.fish
+++ b/share/tools/web_config/sample_prompts/classic_vcs.fish
@@ -23,7 +23,14 @@ function fish_prompt --description 'Write out the prompt'
     end
 
     # Write pipestatus
-    set -l prompt_status (__fish_print_pipestatus $last_status " [" "]" "|" (set_color $fish_color_status) (set_color --bold $fish_color_status) $last_pipestatus)
+    # If the status was carried over (e.g. after `set`), don't bold it.
+    set -l bold_flag --bold
+    set -q __fish_prompt_status_generation; or set -g __fish_prompt_status_generation $status_generation
+    if test $__fish_prompt_status_generation = $status_generation
+        set bold_flag
+    end
+    set __fish_prompt_status_generation $status_generation
+    set -l prompt_status (__fish_print_pipestatus $last_status " [" "]" "|" (set_color $fish_color_status) (set_color $bold_flag $fish_color_status) $last_pipestatus)
 
     echo -n -s (set_color $fish_color_user) "$USER" $normal @ (set_color $color_host) (prompt_hostname) $normal ' ' (set_color $color_cwd) (prompt_pwd) $normal (fish_vcs_prompt) $normal $prompt_status $suffix " "
 end