diff --git a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/command.py b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/command.py
index 61b9fb43a..c0e3e095d 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/command.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/statusbar/command.py
@@ -71,13 +71,25 @@ 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)
+        self._command_dispatcher = objreg.get(
+            'command-dispatcher', scope='window', window=self._win_id)
+
+    def _handle_search(self):
+        """Check if the currently entered text is a search, and if so, run it.
+
+        Return:
+            True if a search was executed, False otherwise.
+        """
+        search_prefixes = {
+            '/': self._command_dispatcher.search,
+            '?': functools.partial(
+                self._command_dispatcher.search, reverse=True)
         }
+        if self.prefix() in search_prefixes:
+            search_fn = search_prefixes[self.prefix()]
+            search_fn(self.text()[1:])
+            return True
+        return False
 
     def prefix(self):
         """Get the currently entered command prefix."""
@@ -178,10 +190,8 @@ class Command(misc.MinimalLineEditMixin, misc.CommandLineEdit):
             modeman.leave(self._win_id, usertypes.KeyMode.command,
                           'cmd accept')
 
-        prefix = text[0]
-        if prefix in self.search_prefixes:
-            self.search_prefixes[prefix](text[1:])
-        else:
+        was_search = self._handle_search()
+        if not was_search:
             self.got_cmd[str].emit(text[1:])
 
     @cmdutils.register(instance='status-command', scope='window')
@@ -268,5 +278,4 @@ class Command(misc.MinimalLineEditMixin, misc.CommandLineEdit):
         if not config.val.search.incremental:
             return
 
-        if self.prefix() in self.search_prefixes:
-            self.search_prefixes[self.prefix()](text[1:])
+        self._handle_search()