diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 190a456e62bb3..afc94dbd4833f 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -421,9 +421,9 @@ This section lists changes that do not have deprecation warnings.
     and higher-dimensional arrays instead of linear indices as was previously the case.
     Use `LinearIndices(a)[findall(f, a)]` and similar constructs to compute linear indices.
 
-  * The `find*` functions which return scalars, i.e. `findnext`, `findprev`, `findfirst`,
+  * The `find*` functions, i.e. `findnext`, `findprev`, `findfirst`,
     and `findlast`, as well as `indexin`, now return `nothing` when no match is found rather
-    than 0 ([#25472], [#25662]).
+    than `0` or `0:-1` ([#25472], [#25662], [#26149])
 
   * The `Base.HasShape` iterator trait has gained a type parameter `N` indicating the
     number of dimensions, which must correspond to the length of the tuple returned by
@@ -1388,3 +1388,4 @@ Command-line option changes
 [#25998]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/25998
 [#26009]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/26009
 [#26071]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/26071
+[#26149]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/26149
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/base/deprecated.jl b/base/deprecated.jl
index 9f90cf11e1858..2703bf9e3b0be 100644
--- a/base/deprecated.jl
+++ b/base/deprecated.jl
@@ -711,10 +711,10 @@ end
 @deprecate charwidth textwidth
 
 @deprecate find(x::Number)            findall(!iszero, x)
-@deprecate findnext(A, v, i::Integer) findnext(equalto(v), A, i)
-@deprecate findfirst(A, v)            findfirst(equalto(v), A)
-@deprecate findprev(A, v, i::Integer) findprev(equalto(v), A, i)
-@deprecate findlast(A, v)             findlast(equalto(v), A)
+@deprecate findnext(A, v, i::Integer) coalesce(findnext(equalto(v), A, i), 0)
+@deprecate findfirst(A, v)            coalesce(findfirst(equalto(v), A), 0)
+@deprecate findprev(A, v, i::Integer) coalesce(findprev(equalto(v), A, i), 0)
+@deprecate findlast(A, v)             coalesce(findlast(equalto(v), A), 0)
 # to fix ambiguities introduced by deprecations
 findnext(pred::Function, A, i::Integer) = invoke(findnext, Tuple{Function, Any, Any}, pred, A, i)
 findprev(pred::Function, A, i::Integer) = invoke(findprev, Tuple{Function, Any, Any}, pred, A, i)
@@ -1182,52 +1182,50 @@ end
 @deprecate_binding HasOrder            Ordered
 @deprecate_binding ArithmeticOverflows ArithmeticWraps
 
-@deprecate search(str::Union{String,SubString}, re::Regex, idx::Integer) findnext(re, str, idx)
-@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, r::Regex, idx::Integer) findnext(r, s, idx)
-@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, r::Regex) findfirst(r, s)
-@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, c::Char, i::Integer) findnext(equalto(c), s, i)
-@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, c::Char) findfirst(equalto(c), s)
-@deprecate search(a::ByteArray, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}, i::Integer) findnext(equalto(b), a, i)
-@deprecate search(a::ByteArray, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}) findfirst(equalto(b), a)
-@deprecate search(a::String, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}, i::Integer) findnext(equalto(b), unsafe_wrap(Vector{UInt8}, a), i)
-@deprecate search(a::String, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}) findfirst(equalto(b), unsafe_wrap(Vector{UInt8}, a))
-@deprecate search(a::ByteArray, b::Char, i::Integer) findnext(equalto(UInt8(b)), a, i)
-@deprecate search(a::ByteArray, b::Char) findfirst(equalto(UInt8(b)), a)
-
-@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, c::Union{Tuple{Vararg{Char}},AbstractVector{Char},Set{Char}}, i::Integer) findnext(occursin(c), s, i)
-@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, c::Union{Tuple{Vararg{Char}},AbstractVector{Char},Set{Char}}) findfirst(occursin(c), s)
-@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString, i::Integer) findnext(t, s, i)
-@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString) findfirst(t, s)
-
-@deprecate search(buf::IOBuffer, delim::UInt8) findfirst(equalto(delim), buf)
-@deprecate search(buf::Base.GenericIOBuffer, delim::UInt8) findfirst(equalto(delim), buf)
-
-@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, c::Union{Tuple{Vararg{Char}},AbstractVector{Char},Set{Char}}, i::Integer) findprev(occursin(c), s, i)
-@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, c::Union{Tuple{Vararg{Char}},AbstractVector{Char},Set{Char}}) findlast(occursin(c), s)
-@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString, i::Integer) findprev(t, s, i)
-@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString) findlast(t, s)
-@deprecate rsearch(s::ByteArray, t::ByteArray, i::Integer) findprev(t, s, i)
-@deprecate rsearch(s::ByteArray, t::ByteArray) findlast(t, s)
-
-@deprecate rsearch(str::Union{String,SubString}, re::Regex, idx::Integer) findprev(re, str, idx)
-@deprecate rsearch(str::Union{String,SubString}, re::Regex) findlast(re, str)
-@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, r::Regex, idx::Integer) findprev(r, s, idx)
-@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, r::Regex) findlast(r, s)
-@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, c::Char, i::Integer) findprev(equalto(c), s, i)
-@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, c::Char) findlast(equalto(c), s)
-@deprecate rsearch(a::Union{String,ByteArray}, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}, i::Integer = lastindex(a)) findprev(equalto(b), a, i)
-@deprecate rsearch(a::String, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}, i::Integer = lastindex(a)) findprev(equalto(Char(b)), a, i)
-@deprecate rsearch(a::ByteArray, b::Char, i::Integer = lastindex(a)) findprev(equalto(UInt8(b)), a, i)
-
-@deprecate searchindex(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString) first(findfirst(t, s))
-@deprecate searchindex(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString, i::Integer) first(findnext(t, s, i))
-@deprecate rsearchindex(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString) first(findlast(t, s))
-@deprecate rsearchindex(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString, i::Integer) first(findprev(t, s, i))
-
-@deprecate searchindex(s::AbstractString, c::Char) findfirst(equalto(c), s)
-@deprecate searchindex(s::AbstractString, c::Char, i::Integer) findnext(equalto(c), s, i)
-@deprecate rsearchindex(s::AbstractString, c::Char) findlast(equalto(c), s)
-@deprecate rsearchindex(s::AbstractString, c::Char, i::Integer) findprev(equalto(c), s, i)
+@deprecate search(str::Union{String,SubString}, re::Regex, idx::Integer) coalesce(findnext(re, str, idx), 0:-1)
+@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, r::Regex, idx::Integer) coalesce(findnext(r, s, idx), 0:-1)
+@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, r::Regex) coalesce(findfirst(r, s), 0:-1)
+@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, c::Char, i::Integer) coalesce(findnext(equalto(c), s, i), 0)
+@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, c::Char) coalesce(findfirst(equalto(c), s), 0)
+@deprecate search(a::ByteArray, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}, i::Integer) coalesce(findnext(equalto(b), a, i), 0)
+@deprecate search(a::ByteArray, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}) coalesce(findfirst(equalto(b), a), 0)
+@deprecate search(a::String, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}, i::Integer) coalesce(findnext(equalto(b), unsafe_wrap(Vector{UInt8}, a), i), 0)
+@deprecate search(a::String, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}) coalesce(findfirst(equalto(b), unsafe_wrap(Vector{UInt8}, a)), 0)
+@deprecate search(a::ByteArray, b::Char, i::Integer) coalesce(findnext(equalto(UInt8(b)), a, i), 0)
+@deprecate search(a::ByteArray, b::Char) coalesce(findfirst(equalto(UInt8(b)), a), 0)
+
+@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, c::Union{Tuple{Vararg{Char}},AbstractVector{Char},Set{Char}}, i::Integer) coalesce(findnext(occursin(c), s, i), 0)
+@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, c::Union{Tuple{Vararg{Char}},AbstractVector{Char},Set{Char}}) coalesce(findfirst(occursin(c), s), 0)
+@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString, i::Integer) coalesce(findnext(t, s, i), 0:-1)
+@deprecate search(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString) coalesce(findfirst(t, s), 0:-1)
+
+@deprecate search(buf::IOBuffer, delim::UInt8) coalesce(findfirst(equalto(delim), buf), 0)
+@deprecate search(buf::Base.GenericIOBuffer, delim::UInt8) coalesce(findfirst(equalto(delim), buf), 0)
+
+@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, c::Union{Tuple{Vararg{Char}},AbstractVector{Char},Set{Char}}, i::Integer) coalesce(findprev(occursin(c), s, i), 0)
+@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, c::Union{Tuple{Vararg{Char}},AbstractVector{Char},Set{Char}}) coalesce(findlast(occursin(c), s), 0)
+@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString, i::Integer) coalesce(findprev(t, s, i), 0:-1)
+@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString) coalesce(findlast(t, s), 0:-1)
+
+@deprecate rsearch(str::Union{String,SubString}, re::Regex, idx::Integer) coalesce(findprev(re, str, idx), 0:-1)
+@deprecate rsearch(str::Union{String,SubString}, re::Regex) coalesce(findlast(re, str), 0:-1)
+@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, r::Regex, idx::Integer) coalesce(findprev(r, s, idx), 0:-1)
+@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, r::Regex) coalesce(findlast(r, s), 0:-1)
+@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, c::Char, i::Integer) coalesce(findprev(equalto(c), s, i), 0)
+@deprecate rsearch(s::AbstractString, c::Char) coalesce(findlast(equalto(c), s), 0)
+@deprecate rsearch(a::Union{String,ByteArray}, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}, i::Integer = lastindex(a)) coalesce(findprev(equalto(b), a, i), 0)
+@deprecate rsearch(a::String, b::Union{Int8,UInt8}, i::Integer = lastindex(a)) coalesce(findprev(equalto(Char(b)), a, i), 0)
+@deprecate rsearch(a::ByteArray, b::Char, i::Integer = lastindex(a)) coalesce(findprev(equalto(UInt8(b)), a, i), 0)
+
+@deprecate searchindex(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString) first(coalesce(findfirst(t, s), 0:-1))
+@deprecate searchindex(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString, i::Integer) first(coalesce(findnext(t, s, i), 0:-1))
+@deprecate rsearchindex(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString) first(coalesce(findlast(t, s), 0:-1))
+@deprecate rsearchindex(s::AbstractString, t::AbstractString, i::Integer) first(coalesce(findprev(t, s, i), 0:-1))
+
+@deprecate searchindex(s::AbstractString, c::Char) coalesce(findfirst(equalto(c), s), 0)
+@deprecate searchindex(s::AbstractString, c::Char, i::Integer) coalesce(findnext(equalto(c), s, i), 0)
+@deprecate rsearchindex(s::AbstractString, c::Char) coalesce(findlast(equalto(c), s), 0)
+@deprecate rsearchindex(s::AbstractString, c::Char, i::Integer) coalesce(findprev(equalto(c), s, i), 0)
 
 @deprecate ismatch(r::Regex, s::AbstractString) contains(s, r)
 
diff --git a/base/regex.jl b/base/regex.jl
index 6f75eee72e5f5..e2423529d3711 100644
--- a/base/regex.jl
+++ b/base/regex.jl
@@ -212,8 +212,11 @@ function findnext(re::Regex, str::Union{String,SubString}, idx::Integer)
     end
     opts = re.match_options
     compile(re)
-    PCRE.exec(re.regex, str, idx-1, opts, re.match_data) ?
-        ((Int(re.ovec[1])+1):prevind(str,Int(re.ovec[2])+1)) : (0:-1)
+    if PCRE.exec(re.regex, str, idx-1, opts, re.match_data)
+        (Int(re.ovec[1])+1):prevind(str,Int(re.ovec[2])+1)
+    else
+        nothing
+    end
 end
 findnext(r::Regex, s::AbstractString, idx::Integer) = throw(ArgumentError(
     "regex search is only available for the String type; use String(s) to convert"
diff --git a/base/strings/search.jl b/base/strings/search.jl
index 72e434d1f96f6..2b711d7c18882 100644
--- a/base/strings/search.jl
+++ b/base/strings/search.jl
@@ -217,8 +217,10 @@ function _search(s::Union{AbstractString,ByteArray},
     idx = _searchindex(s,t,i)
     if isempty(t)
         idx:idx-1
+    elseif idx > 0
+        idx:(idx + lastindex(t) - 1)
     else
-        idx:(idx > 0 ? idx + lastindex(t) - 1 : -1)
+        nothing
     end
 end
 
@@ -230,16 +232,16 @@ Find the next occurrence of `pattern` in `string` starting at position `start`.
 `pattern` can be either a string, or a regular expression, in which case `string`
 must be of type `String`.
 
-The return value is a range of indexes where the matching sequence is found, such that
+The return value is a range of indices where the matching sequence is found, such that
 `s[findnext(x, s, i)] == x`:
 
 `findnext("substring", string, i)` = `start:end` such that
-`string[start:end] == "substring"`, or `0:-1` if unmatched.
+`string[start:end] == "substring"`, or `nothing` if unmatched.
 
 # Examples
 ```jldoctest
-julia> findnext("z", "Hello to the world", 1)
-0:-1
+julia> findnext("z", "Hello to the world", 1) === nothing
+true
 
 julia> findnext("o", "Hello to the world", 6)
 8:8
@@ -392,8 +394,10 @@ function _rsearch(s::Union{AbstractString,ByteArray},
     idx = _rsearchindex(s,t,i)
     if isempty(t)
         idx:idx-1
+    elseif idx > 0
+        idx:(idx + lastindex(t) - 1)
     else
-        idx:(idx > 0 ? idx + lastindex(t) - 1 : -1)
+        nothing
     end
 end
 
@@ -405,16 +409,16 @@ Find the previous occurrence of `pattern` in `string` starting at position `star
 `pattern` can be either a string, or a regular expression, in which case `string`
 must be of type `String`.
 
-The return value is a range of indexes where the matching sequence is found, such that
+The return value is a range of indices where the matching sequence is found, such that
 `s[findprev(x, s, i)] == x`:
 
 `findprev("substring", string, i)` = `start:end` such that
-`string[start:end] == "substring"`, or `0:-1` if unmatched.
+`string[start:end] == "substring"`, or `nothing` if unmatched.
 
 # Examples
 ```jldoctest
-julia> findprev("z", "Hello to the world", 18)
-0:-1
+julia> findprev("z", "Hello to the world", 18) === nothing
+true
 
 julia> findprev("o", "Hello to the world", 18)
 15:15
diff --git a/stdlib/REPL/src/REPL.jl b/stdlib/REPL/src/REPL.jl
index 81b5f430f2da6..d1e05e66c37e3 100644
--- a/stdlib/REPL/src/REPL.jl
+++ b/stdlib/REPL/src/REPL.jl
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ function history_search(hist::REPLHistoryProvider, query_buffer::IOBuffer, respo
     # First the current response buffer
     if 1 <= searchstart <= lastindex(response_str)
         match = searchfunc2(searchdata, response_str, searchstart)
-        if match != 0:-1
+        if match !== nothing
             seek(response_buffer, first(match) - 1)
             return true
         end
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ function history_search(hist::REPLHistoryProvider, query_buffer::IOBuffer, respo
     for idx in idxs
         h = hist.history[idx]
         match = searchfunc1(searchdata, h)
-        if match != 0:-1 && h != response_str && haskey(hist.mode_mapping, hist.modes[idx])
+        if match !== nothing && h != response_str && haskey(hist.mode_mapping, hist.modes[idx])
             truncate(response_buffer, 0)
             write(response_buffer, h)
             seek(response_buffer, first(match) - 1)
diff --git a/stdlib/REPL/src/REPLCompletions.jl b/stdlib/REPL/src/REPLCompletions.jl
index b2247f30d6969..ec09bc8889f3f 100644
--- a/stdlib/REPL/src/REPLCompletions.jl
+++ b/stdlib/REPL/src/REPLCompletions.jl
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ function afterusing(string::String, startpos::Int)
     isempty(str) && return false
     rstr = reverse(str)
     r = findfirst(r"\s(gnisu|tropmi)\b", rstr)
-    isempty(r) && return false
+    r === nothing && return false
     fr = reverseind(str, last(r))
     return contains(str[fr:end], r"^\b(using|import)\s*((\w+[.])*\w+\s*,\s*)*$")
 end
diff --git a/stdlib/REPL/src/docview.jl b/stdlib/REPL/src/docview.jl
index 22edebcd79592..512a0e8f31689 100644
--- a/stdlib/REPL/src/docview.jl
+++ b/stdlib/REPL/src/docview.jl
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ doc_completions(name::Symbol) = doc_completions(string(name))
 # Searching and apropos
 
 # Docsearch simply returns true or false if an object contains the given needle
-docsearch(haystack::AbstractString, needle) = !isempty(findfirst(needle, haystack))
+docsearch(haystack::AbstractString, needle) = findfirst(needle, haystack) !== nothing
 docsearch(haystack::Symbol, needle) = docsearch(string(haystack), needle)
 docsearch(::Nothing, needle) = false
 function docsearch(haystack::Array, needle)
diff --git a/stdlib/REPL/test/repl.jl b/stdlib/REPL/test/repl.jl
index 01383edde1805..97d84762b43e7 100644
--- a/stdlib/REPL/test/repl.jl
+++ b/stdlib/REPL/test/repl.jl
@@ -213,10 +213,10 @@ fake_repl() do stdin_write, stdout_read, repl
     # Issue #10222
     # Test ignoring insert key in standard and prefix search modes
     write(stdin_write, "\e[2h\e[2h\n") # insert (VT100-style)
-    @test findfirst("[2h", readline(stdout_read)) == 0:-1
+    @test findfirst("[2h", readline(stdout_read)) === nothing
     readline(stdout_read)
     write(stdin_write, "\e[2~\e[2~\n") # insert (VT220-style)
-    @test findfirst("[2~", readline(stdout_read)) == 0:-1
+    @test findfirst("[2~", readline(stdout_read)) === nothing
     readline(stdout_read)
     write(stdin_write, "1+1\n") # populate history with a trivial input
     readline(stdout_read)
diff --git a/test/strings/search.jl b/test/strings/search.jl
index b494d72c83ee4..f3384228a9f46 100644
--- a/test/strings/search.jl
+++ b/test/strings/search.jl
@@ -115,83 +115,83 @@ for str in [u8str]
 end
 
 # string forward search with a single-char string
-@test findfirst("x", astr) == 0:-1
+@test findfirst("x", astr) == nothing
 @test findfirst("H", astr) == 1:1
-@test findnext("H", astr, 2) == 0:-1
+@test findnext("H", astr, 2) == nothing
 @test findfirst("l", astr) == 3:3
 @test findnext("l", astr, 4) == 4:4
 @test findnext("l", astr, 5) == 11:11
-@test findnext("l", astr, 12) == 0:-1
+@test findnext("l", astr, 12) == nothing
 @test findfirst("\n", astr) == 14:14
-@test findnext("\n", astr, 15) == 0:-1
+@test findnext("\n", astr, 15) == nothing
 
-@test findfirst("z", u8str) == 0:-1
-@test findfirst("∄", u8str) == 0:-1
+@test findfirst("z", u8str) == nothing
+@test findfirst("∄", u8str) == nothing
 @test findfirst("∀", u8str) == 1:1
-@test findnext("∀", u8str, 4) == 0:-1
+@test findnext("∀", u8str, 4) == nothing
 @test findfirst("∃", u8str) == 13:13
-@test findnext("∃", u8str, 16) == 0:-1
+@test findnext("∃", u8str, 16) == nothing
 @test findfirst("x", u8str) == 26:26
 @test findnext("x", u8str, 27) == 43:43
-@test findnext("x", u8str, 44) == 0:-1
+@test findnext("x", u8str, 44) == nothing
 @test findfirst("ε", u8str) == 5:5
 @test findnext("ε", u8str, 7) == 54:54
-@test findnext("ε", u8str, 56) == 0:-1
+@test findnext("ε", u8str, 56) == nothing
 
 # strifindprev  backward search with a single-char string
-@test findlast("x", astr) == 0:-1
+@test findlast("x", astr) == nothing
 @test findlast("H", astr) == 1:1
 @test findprev("H", astr, 2) == 1:1
-@test findprev("H", astr, 0) == 0:-1
+@test findprev("H", astr, 0) == nothing
 @test findlast("l", astr) == 11:11
 @test findprev("l", astr, 10) == 4:4
 @test findprev("l", astr, 4) == 4:4
 @test findprev("l", astr, 3) == 3:3
-@test findprev("l", astr, 2) == 0:-1
+@test findprev("l", astr, 2) == nothing
 @test findlast("\n", astr) == 14:14
-@test findprev("\n", astr, 13) == 0:-1
+@test findprev("\n", astr, 13) == nothing
 
-@test findlast("z", u8str) == 0:-1
-@test findlast("∄", u8str) == 0:-1
+@test findlast("z", u8str) == nothing
+@test findlast("∄", u8str) == nothing
 @test findlast("∀", u8str) == 1:1
-@test findprev("∀", u8str, 0) == 0:-1
+@test findprev("∀", u8str, 0) == nothing
 #TODO: setting the limit in the middle of a wide char
 #      makes findnext fail but findprev succeed.
 #      Should findprev fail as well?
-#@test findprev("∀", u8str, 2) == 0:-1 # gives 1:3
+#@test findprev("∀", u8str, 2) == nothing # gives 1:3
 @test findlast("∃", u8str) == 13:13
-@test findprev("∃", u8str, 12) == 0:-1
+@test findprev("∃", u8str, 12) == nothing
 @test findlast("x", u8str) == 43:43
 @test findprev("x", u8str, 42) == 26:26
-@test findprev("x", u8str, 25) == 0:-1
+@test findprev("x", u8str, 25) == nothing
 @test findlast("ε", u8str) == 54:54
 @test findprev("ε", u8str, 53) == 5:5
-@test findprev("ε", u8str, 4) == 0:-1
+@test findprev("ε", u8str, 4) == nothing
 
 # string forward search with a single-char regex
-@test findfirst(r"x", astr) == 0:-1
+@test findfirst(r"x", astr) == nothing
 @test findfirst(r"H", astr) == 1:1
-@test findnext(r"H", astr, 2) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r"H", astr, 2) == nothing
 @test findfirst(r"l", astr) == 3:3
 @test findnext(r"l", astr, 4) == 4:4
 @test findnext(r"l", astr, 5) == 11:11
-@test findnext(r"l", astr, 12) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r"l", astr, 12) == nothing
 @test findfirst(r"\n", astr) == 14:14
-@test findnext(r"\n", astr, 15) == 0:-1
-@test findfirst(r"z", u8str) == 0:-1
-@test findfirst(r"∄", u8str) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r"\n", astr, 15) == nothing
+@test findfirst(r"z", u8str) == nothing
+@test findfirst(r"∄", u8str) == nothing
 @test findfirst(r"∀", u8str) == 1:1
-@test findnext(r"∀", u8str, 4) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r"∀", u8str, 4) == nothing
 @test findfirst(r"∀", u8str) == findfirst(r"\u2200", u8str)
 @test findnext(r"∀", u8str, 4) == findnext(r"\u2200", u8str, 4)
 @test findfirst(r"∃", u8str) == 13:13
-@test findnext(r"∃", u8str, 16) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r"∃", u8str, 16) == nothing
 @test findfirst(r"x", u8str) == 26:26
 @test findnext(r"x", u8str, 27) == 43:43
-@test findnext(r"x", u8str, 44) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r"x", u8str, 44) == nothing
 @test findfirst(r"ε", u8str) == 5:5
 @test findnext(r"ε", u8str, 7) == 54:54
-@test findnext(r"ε", u8str, 56) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r"ε", u8str, 56) == nothing
 for i = 1:lastindex(astr)
     @test findnext(r"."s, astr, i) == i:i
 end
@@ -231,18 +231,18 @@ for i = 1:lastindex(u8str)
 end
 
 # string forward search with a two-char string literal
-@test findfirst("xx", "foo,bar,baz") == 0:-1
+@test findfirst("xx", "foo,bar,baz") == nothing
 @test findfirst("fo", "foo,bar,baz") == 1:2
-@test findnext("fo", "foo,bar,baz", 3) == 0:-1
+@test findnext("fo", "foo,bar,baz", 3) == nothing
 @test findfirst("oo", "foo,bar,baz") == 2:3
-@test findnext("oo", "foo,bar,baz", 4) == 0:-1
+@test findnext("oo", "foo,bar,baz", 4) == nothing
 @test findfirst("o,", "foo,bar,baz") == 3:4
-@test findnext("o,", "foo,bar,baz", 5) == 0:-1
+@test findnext("o,", "foo,bar,baz", 5) == nothing
 @test findfirst(",b", "foo,bar,baz") == 4:5
 @test findnext(",b", "foo,bar,baz", 6) == 8:9
-@test findnext(",b", "foo,bar,baz", 10) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(",b", "foo,bar,baz", 10) == nothing
 @test findfirst("az", "foo,bar,baz") == 10:11
-@test findnext("az", "foo,bar,baz", 12) == 0:-1
+@test findnext("az", "foo,bar,baz", 12) == nothing
 
 # issue #9365
 # string forward search with a two-char UTF-8 (2 byte) string literal
@@ -286,32 +286,32 @@ end
 @test findprev("\U1f596\U1f596", "\U1f596\U1f596", lastindex("\U1f596\U1f596\U1f596")) == 1:5
 
 # string backward search with a two-char string literal
-@test findlast("xx", "foo,bar,baz") == 0:-1
+@test findlast("xx", "foo,bar,baz") == nothing
 @test findlast("fo", "foo,bar,baz") == 1:2
-@test findprev("fo", "foo,bar,baz", 1) == 0:-1
+@test findprev("fo", "foo,bar,baz", 1) == nothing
 @test findlast("oo", "foo,bar,baz") == 2:3
-@test findprev("oo", "foo,bar,baz", 2) == 0:-1
+@test findprev("oo", "foo,bar,baz", 2) == nothing
 @test findlast("o,", "foo,bar,baz") == 3:4
-@test findprev("o,", "foo,bar,baz", 1) == 0:-1
+@test findprev("o,", "foo,bar,baz", 1) == nothing
 @test findlast(",b", "foo,bar,baz") == 8:9
 @test findprev(",b", "foo,bar,baz", 6) == 4:5
-@test findprev(",b", "foo,bar,baz", 3) == 0:-1
+@test findprev(",b", "foo,bar,baz", 3) == nothing
 @test findlast("az", "foo,bar,baz") == 10:11
-@test findprev("az", "foo,bar,baz", 10) == 0:-1
+@test findprev("az", "foo,bar,baz", 10) == nothing
 
 # string search with a two-char regex
-@test findfirst(r"xx", "foo,bar,baz") == 0:-1
+@test findfirst(r"xx", "foo,bar,baz") == nothing
 @test findfirst(r"fo", "foo,bar,baz") == 1:2
-@test findnext(r"fo", "foo,bar,baz", 3) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r"fo", "foo,bar,baz", 3) == nothing
 @test findfirst(r"oo", "foo,bar,baz") == 2:3
-@test findnext(r"oo", "foo,bar,baz", 4) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r"oo", "foo,bar,baz", 4) == nothing
 @test findfirst(r"o,", "foo,bar,baz") == 3:4
-@test findnext(r"o,", "foo,bar,baz", 5) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r"o,", "foo,bar,baz", 5) == nothing
 @test findfirst(r",b", "foo,bar,baz") == 4:5
 @test findnext(r",b", "foo,bar,baz", 6) == 8:9
-@test findnext(r",b", "foo,bar,baz", 10) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r",b", "foo,bar,baz", 10) == nothing
 @test findfirst(r"az", "foo,bar,baz") == 10:11
-@test findnext(r"az", "foo,bar,baz", 12) == 0:-1
+@test findnext(r"az", "foo,bar,baz", 12) == nothing
 
 # contains with a String and Char needle
 @test contains("foo", "o")
diff --git a/test/strings/types.jl b/test/strings/types.jl
index 1b12b7cf634c8..634e7d8eb973a 100644
--- a/test/strings/types.jl
+++ b/test/strings/types.jl
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ end
 # search and SubString (issue #5679)
 let str = "Hello, world!"
     u = SubString(str, 1, 5)
-    @test findlast("World", u) == 0:-1
+    @test findlast("World", u) == nothing
     @test findlast(equalto('z'), u) == nothing
     @test findlast("ll", u) == 3:4
 end