diff --git a/.config/kak/autoload/search-highlight.kak b/.config/kak/autoload/search-highlight.kak
index e6b684cb..1515c4a0 100644
--- a/.config/kak/autoload/search-highlight.kak
+++ b/.config/kak/autoload/search-highlight.kak
@@ -7,12 +7,21 @@ provide-module search-highlight %—
     declare-option -docstring %{
         Face definition for search highlighting. See :doc faces.
     } str search_highlight_face rgb:D87C4A+i
+    declare-option -docstring %{
+        Whether escaping the search prompt should clear the highlighting.
+    } bool search_highlight_prompt_escape false
+    declare-option -docstring %{
+        Whether the highlighting should always be cleared when returning to
+        normal mode. Takes priority over search_highlight_prompt_escape.
+    } bool search_highlight_auto_clear false
     ## end
 
     # track current highlighting status
     declare-option -hidden str search_highlight_status 'search-highlight-off'
     def -hidden -override search-highlight-on nop
     def -hidden -override search-highlight-off fail
+    def -hidden -override true nop 
+    def -hidden -override false fail 
 
     declare-option -hidden bool search_highlight_quit false
 
@@ -35,9 +44,13 @@ provide-module search-highlight %—
             try %{
                 %opt{search_highlight_status}
             } catch %{
-                # if the user escapes search, we should immediately clear the highlight
-                # in normal mode so we set the flag before escaping
-                # map window prompt <esc> '<a-;>: set-option window search_highlight_quit true<ret><esc>'
+                try %{
+                    # if the user escapes search, we should immediately clear the highlight
+                    # in normal mode so we set the flag before escaping
+                    # but only if the option is set
+                    %opt{search_highlight_prompt_escape}
+                    map window prompt <esc> '<a-;>: set-option window search_highlight_quit true<ret><esc>'
+                }
                 # if not already enabled, add the highlighter
                 add-highlighter window/search-highlight dynregex '%reg{/}' %exp{0:%opt{search_highlight_face}}
                 # update status tracker
@@ -45,15 +58,21 @@ provide-module search-highlight %—
 
                 # register hook to clear highlighter after leaving search
                 hook -once -group search-highlight window NormalIdle .* %{
-                    # check if user escaped search
+                    # check if auto clear is set
                     try %{
-                        %opt{search_highlight_quit}
-                        # if so, clear immediately
+                        %opt{search_highlight_auto_clear}
                         search-highlight-clear
                     } catch %{
-                        # otherwise, we clear on escape
-                        hook -once -group search-highlight window NormalKey <esc> %{
+                        # check if user escaped search
+                        try %{
+                            %opt{search_highlight_quit}
+                            # if so, clear immediately
                             search-highlight-clear
+                        } catch %{
+                            # otherwise, we clear on escape
+                            hook -once -group search-highlight window NormalKey <esc> %{
+                                search-highlight-clear
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                     # clear the prompt mapping so it doesn't conflict with