diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index fd5a0e3d..2dfad519 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -689,10 +689,13 @@ status_prompt_set(struct client *c, struct cmd_find_state *fs,
 
 	server_client_clear_overlay(c);
 
-	if (fs != NULL)
+	if (fs != NULL) {
 		ft = format_create_from_state(NULL, c, fs);
-	else
+		cmd_find_copy_state(&c->prompt_state, fs);
+	} else {
 		ft = format_create_defaults(NULL, c, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+		cmd_find_clear_state(&c->prompt_state, 0);
+	}
 
 	if (input == NULL)
 		input = "";
@@ -701,7 +704,6 @@ status_prompt_set(struct client *c, struct cmd_find_state *fs,
 	status_prompt_clear(c);
 	status_push_screen(c);
 
-	c->prompt_formats = ft;
 	c->prompt_string = xstrdup (msg);
 
 	if (flags & PROMPT_NOFORMAT)
@@ -737,6 +739,7 @@ status_prompt_set(struct client *c, struct cmd_find_state *fs,
 
 	if ((flags & PROMPT_SINGLE) && (flags & PROMPT_ACCEPT))
 		cmdq_append(c, cmdq_get_callback(status_prompt_accept, c));
+	format_free(ft);
 }
 
 /* Remove status line prompt. */
@@ -752,9 +755,6 @@ status_prompt_clear(struct client *c)
 	free(c->prompt_last);
 	c->prompt_last = NULL;
 
-	format_free(c->prompt_formats);
-	c->prompt_formats = NULL;
-
 	free(c->prompt_string);
 	c->prompt_string = NULL;
 
@@ -774,13 +774,19 @@ status_prompt_clear(struct client *c)
 void
 status_prompt_update(struct client *c, const char *msg, const char *input)
 {
-	char	*tmp;
+	struct format_tree	*ft;
+	char			*tmp;
+
+	if (cmd_find_valid_state(&c->prompt_state))
+ 		ft = format_create_from_state(NULL, c, &c->prompt_state);
+	else
+ 		ft = format_create_defaults(NULL, c, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
 	free(c->prompt_string);
 	c->prompt_string = xstrdup(msg);
 
 	free(c->prompt_buffer);
-	tmp = format_expand_time(c->prompt_formats, input);
+	tmp = format_expand_time(ft, input);
 	c->prompt_buffer = utf8_fromcstr(tmp);
 	c->prompt_index = utf8_strlen(c->prompt_buffer);
 	free(tmp);
@@ -788,6 +794,7 @@ status_prompt_update(struct client *c, const char *msg, const char *input)
 	memset(c->prompt_hindex, 0, sizeof c->prompt_hindex);
 
 	c->flags |= CLIENT_REDRAWSTATUS;
+	format_free(ft);
 }
 
 /* Redraw character. Return 1 if can continue redrawing, 0 otherwise. */
@@ -846,11 +853,13 @@ status_prompt_redraw(struct client *c)
 	struct status_line	*sl = &c->status;
 	struct screen_write_ctx	 ctx;
 	struct session		*s = c->session;
+	struct options		*oo = s->options;
 	struct screen		 old_screen;
 	u_int			 i, lines, offset, left, start, width, n;
 	u_int			 pcursor, pwidth, promptline;
 	u_int			 ax, aw;
 	struct grid_cell	 gc;
+	struct format_tree	*ft;
 	const char		*msgfmt;
 	char			*expanded, *prompt, *tmp;
 
@@ -863,12 +872,17 @@ status_prompt_redraw(struct client *c)
 		lines = 1;
 	screen_init(sl->active, c->tty.sx, lines, 0);
 
+	if (cmd_find_valid_state(&c->prompt_state))
+ 		ft = format_create_from_state(NULL, c, &c->prompt_state);
+	else
+ 		ft = format_create_defaults(NULL, c, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+
 	n = options_get_number(s->options, "prompt-cursor-colour");
 	sl->active->default_ccolour = n;
 	if (c->prompt_mode == PROMPT_COMMAND)
-		n = options_get_number(s->options, "prompt-command-cursor-style");
+		n = options_get_number(oo, "prompt-command-cursor-style");
 	else
-		n = options_get_number(s->options, "prompt-cursor-style");
+		n = options_get_number(oo, "prompt-cursor-style");
 	screen_set_cursor_style(n, &sl->active->default_cstyle,
 	    &sl->active->default_mode);
 
@@ -877,28 +891,29 @@ status_prompt_redraw(struct client *c)
 		promptline = lines - 1;
 
 	if (c->prompt_mode == PROMPT_COMMAND)
-		style_apply(&gc, s->options, "message-command-style", NULL);
+		style_apply(&gc, oo, "message-command-style", NULL);
 	else
-		style_apply(&gc, s->options, "message-style", NULL);
+		style_apply(&gc, oo, "message-style", NULL);
 
 	status_prompt_area(c, &ax, &aw);
 
 	tmp = utf8_tocstr(c->prompt_buffer);
-	format_add(c->prompt_formats, "prompt-input", "%s", tmp);
-	prompt = format_expand_time(c->prompt_formats, c->prompt_string);
+	format_add(ft, "prompt-input", "%s", tmp);
+	prompt = format_expand_time(ft, c->prompt_string);
 	free(tmp);
 
 	/*
 	 * Set #{message} to the prompt string and expand message-format.
 	 * format_draw handles fill, alignment, and decorations in one call.
 	 */
-	format_add(c->prompt_formats, "message", "%s", prompt);
-	format_add(c->prompt_formats, "command_prompt", "%d",
+	format_add(ft, "message", "%s", prompt);
+	format_add(ft, "command_prompt", "%d",
 	    c->prompt_mode == PROMPT_COMMAND);
-	msgfmt = options_get_string(s->options, "message-format");
-	expanded = format_expand_time(c->prompt_formats, msgfmt);
+	msgfmt = options_get_string(oo, "message-format");
+	expanded = format_expand_time(ft, msgfmt);
+	free(prompt);
 
-	start = format_width(prompt);
+	start = format_width(expanded);
 	if (start > aw)
 		start = aw;
 
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 6fd51150..ffd8eb0f 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -2094,8 +2094,8 @@ struct client {
 	struct event		 message_timer;
 
 	char			*prompt_string;
-	struct format_tree	*prompt_formats;
 	struct utf8_data	*prompt_buffer;
+	struct cmd_find_state	 prompt_state;
 	char			*prompt_last;
 	size_t			 prompt_index;
 	prompt_input_cb		 prompt_inputcb;