diff --git a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/command.py b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/command.py
index 681e20ac5..61b9fb43a 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/command.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/command.py
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 
 """The commandline in the statusbar."""
 
+import functools
+
 from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSignal, pyqtSlot, Qt, QSize
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QSizePolicy
 
@@ -69,6 +71,14 @@ class Command(misc.MinimalLineEditMixin, misc.CommandLineEdit):
         self.textChanged.connect(self.updateGeometry)
         self.textChanged.connect(self._incremental_search)
 
+        dispatcher = objreg.get('command-dispatcher',
+                                scope='window', window=self._win_id)
+        search_fn = dispatcher.search
+        self.search_prefixes = {
+            '/': search_fn,
+            '?': functools.partial(search_fn, reverse=True)
+        }
+
     def prefix(self):
         """Get the currently entered command prefix."""
         text = self.text()
@@ -162,17 +172,17 @@ class Command(misc.MinimalLineEditMixin, misc.CommandLineEdit):
         Args:
             rapid: Run the command without closing or clearing the command bar.
         """
-        prefixes = {
-            ':': '',
-            '/': 'search -- ',
-            '?': 'search -r -- ',
-        }
         text = self.text()
         self.history.append(text)
         if not rapid:
             modeman.leave(self._win_id, usertypes.KeyMode.command,
                           'cmd accept')
-        self.got_cmd[str].emit(prefixes[text[0]] + text[1:])
+
+        prefix = text[0]
+        if prefix in self.search_prefixes:
+            self.search_prefixes[prefix](text[1:])
+        else:
+            self.got_cmd[str].emit(text[1:])
 
     @cmdutils.register(instance='status-command', scope='window')
     def edit_command(self, run=False):
@@ -258,10 +268,5 @@ class Command(misc.MinimalLineEditMixin, misc.CommandLineEdit):
         if not config.val.search.incremental:
             return
 
-        search_prefixes = {
-            '/': 'search -- ',
-            '?': 'search -r -- ',
-        }
-
-        if self.prefix() in ['/', '?']:
-            self.got_cmd[str].emit(search_prefixes[text[0]] + text[1:])
+        if self.prefix() in self.search_prefixes:
+            self.search_prefixes[self.prefix()](text[1:])
diff --git a/tests/end2end/data/search.html b/tests/end2end/data/search.html
index 003751cfd..1064a7d01 100644
--- a/tests/end2end/data/search.html
+++ b/tests/end2end/data/search.html
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
             BAZ<br/>
             space travel<br/>
             /slash<br/>
+            -r reversed<br/>
+            ;; semicolons<br/>
             <a class="toselect" href="hello.txt">follow me!</a><br/>
         </p>
     </body>
diff --git a/tests/end2end/features/search.feature b/tests/end2end/features/search.feature
index 1374b4e10..568831c0d 100644
--- a/tests/end2end/features/search.feature
+++ b/tests/end2end/features/search.feature
@@ -40,11 +40,26 @@ Feature: Searching on a page
         Then "space " should be found
 
     Scenario: Searching with / and slash in search term (issue 507)
-        When I run :set-cmd-text -s //slash
+        When I run :set-cmd-text //slash
         And I run :command-accept
         And I wait for "search found /slash" in the log
         Then "/slash" should be found
 
+    Scenario: Searching with arguments at start of search term
+        When I run :set-cmd-text /-r reversed
+        And I run :command-accept
+        And I wait for "search found -r reversed" in the log
+        Then "-r reversed" should be found
+
+    Scenario: Searching with semicolons in search term
+        When I run :set-cmd-text /;
+        And I run :fake-key -g ;
+        And I run :fake-key -g <space>
+        And I run :fake-key -g semi
+        And I run :command-accept
+        And I wait for "search found ;; semi" in the log
+        Then ";; semi" should be found
+
     # This doesn't work because this is QtWebKit behavior.
     @xfail_norun
     Scenario: Searching text with umlauts