diff --git a/options-table.c b/options-table.c
index 6587634f6..e40553630 100644
--- a/options-table.c
+++ b/options-table.c
@@ -1388,7 +1388,9 @@ const struct options_table_entry options_table[] = {
 	  .type = OPTIONS_TABLE_STRING,
 	  .scope = OPTIONS_TABLE_WINDOW|OPTIONS_TABLE_PANE,
 	  .default_str = "#[align=right]"
-			 "#{?exit_status_present,#[bg=themeyellow](#{exit_status}),}",
+			 "#{?exit_status_present,#[bg=themeyellow]#[fg=themeblack]"
+			 "#{?exit_status_current,#[fg=themewhite],}(#{exit_status})"
+			 "#[bg=themeyellow]#[fg=themeblack],}",
 	  .text = "Format of OSC 133 exit status in copy mode."
 	},
 
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index c313e7747..e5034a385 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -5784,6 +5784,9 @@ The format is expanded with
 and
 .Ql exit_status_present ,
 which is set only when the OSC 133 end-of-output marker includes a status.
+The
+.Ql exit_status_current
+format is set when the cursor is on the command line.
 .Pp
 .It Ic copy\-mode\-position\-style Ar style
 Set the style of the position indicator in copy mode.
diff --git a/window-copy.c b/window-copy.c
index 9dee2d028..9a663e120 100644
--- a/window-copy.c
+++ b/window-copy.c
@@ -6046,6 +6046,7 @@ window_copy_write_line(struct window_mode_entry *wme,
 	else
 		content_sx = sx;
 	backing_y = hsize - data->oy + py;
+	current = (py == data->cy);
 
 	screen_write_cursormove(ctx, 0, py, 0);
 
@@ -6065,7 +6066,6 @@ window_copy_write_line(struct window_mode_entry *wme,
 		style_apply(&cur_ln_gc, oo,
 		    "copy-mode-current-line-number-style", ft);
 		cur_ln_gc.flags |= GRID_FLAG_NOPALETTE;
-		current = (py == data->cy);
 		absolute = backing_y + 1;
 		if (data->lines != NULL && backing_y < data->line_count)
 			absolute = data->lines[backing_y].source_line + 1;
@@ -6143,6 +6143,7 @@ window_copy_write_line(struct window_mode_entry *wme,
 	    status_line->exit_status_present) {
 		format_add(ft, "exit_status", "%hhu", status_line->exit_status);
 		format_add(ft, "exit_status_present", "1");
+		format_add(ft, "exit_status_current", "%d", current);
 		value = options_get_string(oo, "copy-mode-exit-status-format");
 		if (*value != '\0') {
 			exit_status = format_expand(ft, value);