diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ac8beafab..e52f77699 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -32,6 +32,15 @@ custom widgets have been created (i.e., after all `zle -N` calls and after
 running `compinit`).  Widgets created later will work, but will not update the
 syntax highlighting.
 
+### Why does syntax highlighting not work while searching history?
+
+In `zsh` versions before 5.3 is not possible for `zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh`
+to know if an incremental search is currently active and that matched parts of the
+buffer should be underlined (or otherwise highlighted). Therefore, it is not possible
+for `zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh` to apply syntax highlighting and to underline the
+matched part of the search. While searching the history, the latter is more important,
+so syntax highlighting is disabled in this case.
+
 ### How are new releases announced?
 
 There is currently no "push" announcements channel.  However, the following
diff --git a/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh b/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh
index bd87d76c1..4e544e9e0 100644
--- a/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh
+++ b/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh
@@ -58,6 +58,14 @@ _zsh_highlight()
   # Store the previous command return code to restore it whatever happens.
   local ret=$?
 
+  # Remove all highlighting in isearch, so that only the underlining done by zsh itself remains.
+  # For details see FAQ entry 'Why does syntax highlighting not work while searching history?'
+  # and http://www.zsh.org/mla/users/2016/msg00415.html.
+  if [[ $WIDGET == zle-isearch-update ]]; then
+    region_highlight=()
+    return $ret
+  fi
+
   setopt localoptions warncreateglobal
   setopt localoptions noksharrays
   local REPLY # don't leak $REPLY into global scope
@@ -243,6 +251,10 @@ _zsh_highlight_bind_widgets()
   # E.g. remove cursor imprint, don't highlight partial paths, ...
   widgets_to_bind+=(zle-line-finish)
 
+  # Always wrap special zle-isearch-update widget to be notified of updates in isearch.
+  # This is needed because we need to disable highlighting in that case.
+  widgets_to_bind+=(zle-isearch-update)
+
   local cur_widget
   for cur_widget in $widgets_to_bind; do
     case $widgets[$cur_widget] in