diff --git a/doc/nano.texi b/doc/nano.texi
index 462d3a361bdb102b8cf0b9147d2a0a123a2abda7..3099ca314003a88e4c34f173d7dbe5a84923c685 100644
--- a/doc/nano.texi
+++ b/doc/nano.texi
@@ -703,7 +703,8 @@ with @code{set backup} or @option{--backup} or @option{-B}.
 The uniquely numbered files are stored in the specified directory.
 
 @item set backwards
-Do backwards searches by default.
+Obsolete option.  Recognized but ignored.  @code{^Q} is available to
+start a backward search.
 
 @item set boldtext
 Use bold instead of reverse video for the title bar, status bar, key combos,
diff --git a/doc/nanorc.5 b/doc/nanorc.5
index 2e6c3a755096fb9cd29f2a7ce35c94b0bed7514b..30731cb401bf7c55be46c82de2f1ff88a016ffb0 100644
--- a/doc/nanorc.5
+++ b/doc/nanorc.5
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ with \fBset backup\fR or \fB\-\-backup\fR or \fB\-B\fR.
 The uniquely numbered files are stored in the specified \fIdirectory\fR.
 .TP
 .B set backwards
-Do backwards searches by default.
+Obsolete option.  Recognized but ignored.  \fB^Q\fR is available to
+start a backward search.
 .TP
 .B set boldtext
 Use bold instead of reverse video for the title bar, status bar, key combos,
diff --git a/doc/sample.nanorc.in b/doc/sample.nanorc.in
index 9b3355a83946a1802760610f3b1aa728a3deb1e8..5801759383efb8e46471d3ec4ea47cfd8d9f7d3f 100644
--- a/doc/sample.nanorc.in
+++ b/doc/sample.nanorc.in
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@
 ## The directory to put unique backup files in.
 # set backupdir ""
 
-## Do backwards searches by default.
-# set backwards
-
 ## Use bold text instead of reverse video text.
 # set boldtext
 
diff --git a/src/nano.c b/src/nano.c
index 86ce037cb238fdb16aaa1c68d0eb004919eb5473..b3888d9d4348a50289b4f8b61100985fc56146a0 100644
--- a/src/nano.c
+++ b/src/nano.c
@@ -2455,6 +2455,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     /* Initialize the search string. */
     last_search = mallocstrcpy(NULL, "");
+    UNSET(BACKWARDS_SEARCH);
 
     /* If tabsize wasn't specified, set its default value. */
     if (tabsize == -1)