diff --git a/bin/ksh/vi.c b/bin/ksh/vi.c
index 42e03b0e3f6..1e3c36834d3 100644
--- a/bin/ksh/vi.c
+++ b/bin/ksh/vi.c
@@ -297,6 +297,7 @@ vi_hook(int ch)
 				state = nextstate(ch);
 				if (state == VSEARCH) {
 					save_cbuf();
+					srchlen = 0;
 					es->cursor = 0;
 					es->linelen = 0;
 					if (ch == '/') {