diff --git a/format.c b/format.c
index c3971497..6659c577 100644
--- a/format.c
+++ b/format.c
@@ -1366,6 +1366,8 @@ format_defaults_pane(struct format_tree *ft, struct window_pane *wp)
 	format_add(ft, "pane_in_mode", "%d", wp->screen != &wp->base);
 	format_add(ft, "pane_synchronized", "%d",
 	    !!options_get_number(wp->window->options, "synchronize-panes"));
+	format_add(ft, "pane_search_string", "%s",
+	    window_copy_search_string(wp));
 
 	format_add(ft, "pane_tty", "%s", wp->tty);
 	format_add(ft, "pane_pid", "%ld", (long) wp->pid);
diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index 077c2bf1..6a35529d 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ status_prompt_set(struct client *c, const char *msg, const char *input,
 {
 	struct format_tree	*ft;
 	time_t			 t;
-	char			*tmp;
+	char			*tmp, *cp;
 
 	ft = format_create(c, NULL, FORMAT_NONE, 0);
 	format_defaults(ft, c, NULL, NULL, NULL);
@@ -690,6 +690,12 @@ status_prompt_set(struct client *c, const char *msg, const char *input,
 		c->tty.flags |= (TTY_NOCURSOR|TTY_FREEZE);
 	c->flags |= CLIENT_STATUS;
 
+	if ((flags & PROMPT_INCREMENTAL) && *tmp != '\0') {
+		xasprintf(&cp, "=%s", tmp);
+		c->prompt_callbackfn(c->prompt_data, cp, 0);
+		free(cp);
+	}
+
 	free(tmp);
 	format_free(ft);
 }
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index cb069e5e..8436d810 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -3568,6 +3568,7 @@ The following variables are available, where appropriate:
 .It Li "pane_left" Ta "" Ta "Left of pane"
 .It Li "pane_pid" Ta "" Ta "PID of first process in pane"
 .It Li "pane_right" Ta "" Ta "Right of pane"
+.It Li "pane_search_string" Ta "" Ta "Last search string in copy mode"
 .It Li "pane_start_command" Ta "" Ta "Command pane started with"
 .It Li "pane_synchronized" Ta "" Ta "If pane is synchronized"
 .It Li "pane_tabs" Ta "" Ta "Pane tab positions"
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 417145f1..c19baf01 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -2175,6 +2175,7 @@ void		 window_copy_vadd(struct window_pane *, const char *, va_list);
 void		 window_copy_pageup(struct window_pane *, int);
 void		 window_copy_start_drag(struct client *, struct mouse_event *);
 int		 window_copy_scroll_position(struct window_pane *);
+const char	*window_copy_search_string(struct window_pane *);
 
 /* window-choose.c */
 extern const struct window_mode window_choose_mode;
diff --git a/window-copy.c b/window-copy.c
index 0896479a..7def63db 100644
--- a/window-copy.c
+++ b/window-copy.c
@@ -2480,3 +2480,16 @@ window_copy_drag_update(__unused struct client *c, struct mouse_event *m)
 	if (window_copy_update_selection(wp, 1))
 		window_copy_redraw_selection(wp, old_cy);
 }
+
+const char *
+window_copy_search_string(struct window_pane *wp)
+{
+	struct window_copy_mode_data	*data;
+
+	if (wp->mode != &window_copy_mode)
+		return ("");
+	data = wp->modedata;
+	if (data->searchtype == WINDOW_COPY_OFF || data->searchstr == NULL)
+		return ("");
+	return (data->searchstr);
+}