diff --git a/src/buffer_utils.cc b/src/buffer_utils.cc
index 9f5892c2e..f05db7774 100644
--- a/src/buffer_utils.cc
+++ b/src/buffer_utils.cc
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 #include "event_manager.hh"
 
+#include <sys/select.h>
+
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
@@ -27,30 +29,41 @@ Buffer* create_fifo_buffer(String name, int fd, bool scroll)
     Buffer* buffer = new Buffer(std::move(name), Buffer::Flags::Fifo | Buffer::Flags::NoUndo);
 
     auto watcher = new FDWatcher(fd, [buffer, scroll](FDWatcher& watcher) {
-        constexpr size_t buffer_size = 1024 * 16;
+        constexpr size_t buffer_size = 2048;
         char data[buffer_size];
-        ssize_t count = read(watcher.fd(), data, buffer_size);
-        auto pos = buffer->end()-1;
-
-        bool prevent_scrolling = pos == buffer->begin() and not scroll;
-        if (prevent_scrolling)
-            ++pos;
-
-        buffer->insert(pos, count > 0 ? String(data, data+count)
-                                      : "*** kak: fifo closed ***\n");
-
-        if (prevent_scrolling)
+        const int fifo = watcher.fd();
+        timeval tv{ 0, 0 };
+        fd_set  rfds;
+        ssize_t count = 0;
+        do
         {
-            buffer->erase(buffer->begin(), buffer->begin()+1);
-            buffer->insert(buffer->end(), "\n");
+            count = read(fifo, data, buffer_size);
+            auto pos = buffer->end()-1;
+
+            bool prevent_scrolling = pos == buffer->begin() and not scroll;
+            if (prevent_scrolling)
+                ++pos;
+
+            buffer->insert(pos, count > 0 ? String(data, data+count)
+                                          : "*** kak: fifo closed ***\n");
+
+            if (prevent_scrolling)
+            {
+                buffer->erase(buffer->begin(), buffer->begin()+1);
+                buffer->insert(buffer->end(), "\n");
+            }
+
+            FD_ZERO(&rfds);
+            FD_SET(fifo, &rfds);
         }
+        while (count > 0 and select(fifo+1, &rfds, nullptr, nullptr, &tv) == 1);
 
         if (count <= 0)
         {
             kak_assert(buffer->flags() & Buffer::Flags::Fifo);
             buffer->flags() &= ~Buffer::Flags::Fifo;
             buffer->flags() &= ~Buffer::Flags::NoUndo;
-            close(watcher.fd());
+            close(fifo);
             delete &watcher;
         }
     });
diff --git a/src/color_registry.cc b/src/color_registry.cc
index 4867234d2..afe14e5cb 100644
--- a/src/color_registry.cc
+++ b/src/color_registry.cc
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ ColorRegistry::ColorRegistry()
         { "StatusCursor", { Colors::Black, Colors::Cyan } },
         { "Prompt", { Colors::Yellow, Colors::Default } },
         { "MatchingChar", { Colors::Default, Colors::Magenta } },
+        { "Search", { Colors::Default, Colors::Magenta } },
       }
 {}
 
diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index 4629c3d13..159c56568 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ const CommandDesc force_delbuf_cmd = {
     single_optional_name_param,
     CommandFlags::None,
     buffer_completer,
-    delete_buffer<false>
+    delete_buffer<true>
 };
 
 const CommandDesc namebuf_cmd = {
diff --git a/src/coord.hh b/src/coord.hh
index daa8bee07..f60be779b 100644
--- a/src/coord.hh
+++ b/src/coord.hh
@@ -12,14 +12,17 @@ struct LineAndColumn
     LineType   line;
     ColumnType column;
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr LineAndColumn(LineType line = 0, ColumnType column = 0)
         : line(line), column(column) {}
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr EffectiveType operator+(EffectiveType other) const
     {
         return EffectiveType(line + other.line, column + other.column);
     }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     EffectiveType& operator+=(EffectiveType other)
     {
         line   += other.line;
@@ -27,11 +30,13 @@ struct LineAndColumn
         return *static_cast<EffectiveType*>(this);
     }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr EffectiveType operator-(EffectiveType other) const
     {
         return EffectiveType(line - other.line, column - other.column);
     }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     EffectiveType& operator-=(EffectiveType other)
     {
         line   -= other.line;
@@ -39,35 +44,41 @@ struct LineAndColumn
         return *static_cast<EffectiveType*>(this);
     }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator< (EffectiveType other) const
     {
         return (line != other.line) ? line < other.line
                                     : column < other.column;
     }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator<= (EffectiveType other) const
     {
         return (line != other.line) ? line < other.line
                                     : column <= other.column;
     }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator> (EffectiveType other) const
     {
         return (line != other.line) ? line > other.line
                                     : column > other.column;
     }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator>= (EffectiveType other) const
     {
         return (line != other.line) ? line > other.line
                                     : column >= other.column;
     }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator== (EffectiveType other) const
     {
         return line == other.line and column == other.column;
     }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator!= (EffectiveType other) const
     {
         return line != other.line or column != other.column;
@@ -76,12 +87,14 @@ struct LineAndColumn
 
 struct ByteCoord : LineAndColumn<ByteCoord, LineCount, ByteCount>
 {
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr ByteCoord(LineCount line = 0, ByteCount column = 0)
         : LineAndColumn(line, column) {}
 };
 
 struct CharCoord : LineAndColumn<CharCoord, LineCount, CharCount>
 {
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr CharCoord(LineCount line = 0, CharCount column = 0)
         : LineAndColumn(line, column) {}
 };
diff --git a/src/display_buffer.hh b/src/display_buffer.hh
index 50b1c92a4..db70d8401 100644
--- a/src/display_buffer.hh
+++ b/src/display_buffer.hh
@@ -37,18 +37,25 @@ public:
         : m_type(Text), m_text(std::move(str)), colors(colors), attribute(attribute)
      { check_invariant(); }
 
-    String content() const
+    StringView content() const
     {
         switch (m_type)
         {
             case BufferRange:
-               return m_buffer->string(m_begin, m_end);
+            {
+                auto& line = (*m_buffer)[m_begin.line];
+                if (m_begin.line == m_end.line)
+                    return line.substr(m_begin.column, m_end.column - m_begin.column);
+                else if (m_begin.line+1 == m_end.line and m_end.column == 0)
+                    return line.substr(m_begin.column);
+                break;
+            }
             case Text:
             case ReplacedBufferRange:
-               return m_text;
+                return m_text;
         }
         kak_assert(false);
-        return 0;
+        return {};
     }
 
     CharCount length() const
diff --git a/src/highlighters.cc b/src/highlighters.cc
index f3f2af607..87c2bf9c7 100644
--- a/src/highlighters.cc
+++ b/src/highlighters.cc
@@ -195,8 +195,8 @@ public:
 private:
     struct Cache
     {
-        BufferRange m_range;
-        size_t      m_timestamp = 0;
+        std::pair<LineCount, LineCount> m_range;
+        size_t m_timestamp = 0;
         std::vector<std::vector<std::pair<ByteCoord, ByteCoord>>> m_matches;
     };
     BufferSideCache<Cache> m_cache;
@@ -208,18 +208,21 @@ private:
     {
         Cache& cache = m_cache.get(buffer);
 
+        LineCount first_line = range.first.line;
+        LineCount last_line = std::min(buffer.line_count()-1, range.second.line);
+
         if (buffer.timestamp() == cache.m_timestamp and
-            range.first >= cache.m_range.first and
-            range.second <= cache.m_range.second)
+            first_line >= cache.m_range.first and
+            last_line <= cache.m_range.second)
            return cache;
 
-        cache.m_range.first  = buffer.clamp({range.first.line - 10, 0});
-        cache.m_range.second = buffer.next(buffer.clamp({range.second.line + 10, INT_MAX}));
+        cache.m_range.first  = std::max(0_line, first_line - 10);
+        cache.m_range.second = std::min(buffer.line_count()-1, last_line+10);
         cache.m_timestamp = buffer.timestamp();
 
         cache.m_matches.clear();
         RegexIterator re_it{buffer.iterator_at(cache.m_range.first),
-                            buffer.iterator_at(cache.m_range.second), m_regex};
+                            buffer.iterator_at(cache.m_range.second+1), m_regex};
         RegexIterator re_end;
         for (; re_it != re_end; ++re_it)
         {
@@ -266,12 +269,14 @@ HighlighterAndId colorize_regex_factory(HighlighterParameters params)
     }
 }
 
-template<typename RegexGetter>
+template<typename RegexGetter, typename ColorGetter>
 class DynamicRegexHighlighter
 {
 public:
-    DynamicRegexHighlighter(const ColorSpec& colors, RegexGetter getter)
-        : m_regex_getter(getter), m_colors(colors), m_colorizer(Regex(), m_colors) {}
+    DynamicRegexHighlighter(RegexGetter regex_getter, ColorGetter color_getter)
+        : m_regex_getter(std::move(regex_getter)),
+          m_color_getter(std::move(color_getter)),
+          m_colorizer(Regex(), ColorSpec{}) {}
 
     void operator()(const Context& context, HighlightFlags flags, DisplayBuffer& display_buffer)
     {
@@ -279,40 +284,56 @@ public:
             return;
 
         Regex regex = m_regex_getter(context);
-        if (regex != m_last_regex)
+        ColorSpec color = m_color_getter(context);
+        if (regex != m_last_regex or color != m_last_color)
         {
             m_last_regex = regex;
+            m_last_color = color;
             if (not m_last_regex.empty())
-                m_colorizer = RegexColorizer{m_last_regex, m_colors};
+                m_colorizer = RegexColorizer{m_last_regex, color};
         }
-        if (not m_last_regex.empty())
+        if (not m_last_regex.empty() and not m_last_color.empty())
             m_colorizer(context, flags, display_buffer);
     }
 
 private:
     Regex          m_last_regex;
-    ColorSpec      m_colors;
-    RegexColorizer m_colorizer;
     RegexGetter    m_regex_getter;
+
+    ColorSpec      m_last_color;
+    ColorGetter    m_color_getter;
+
+    RegexColorizer m_colorizer;
 };
 
+template<typename RegexGetter, typename ColorGetter>
+DynamicRegexHighlighter<RegexGetter, ColorGetter>
+make_dynamic_regex_highlighter(RegexGetter regex_getter, ColorGetter color_getter)
+{
+    return DynamicRegexHighlighter<RegexGetter, ColorGetter>(
+        std::move(regex_getter), std::move(color_getter));
+}
+
+
 HighlighterAndId highlight_search_factory(HighlighterParameters params)
 {
-    if (params.size() != 1)
+    if (params.size() != 0)
         throw runtime_error("wrong parameter count");
-    try
-    {
-        ColorSpec colors { { 0, &get_color(params[0]) } };
+        auto get_color = [](const Context& context){
+            return ColorSpec{ { 0, &Kakoune::get_color("Search") } };
+        };
         auto get_regex = [](const Context&){
             auto s = RegisterManager::instance()['/'].values(Context{});
-            return s.empty() ? Regex{} : Regex{s[0].begin(), s[0].end()};
+            try
+            {
+                return s.empty() ? Regex{} : Regex{s[0].begin(), s[0].end()};
+            }
+            catch (boost::regex_error& err)
+            {
+                return Regex{};
+            }
         };
-        return {"hlsearch", DynamicRegexHighlighter<decltype(get_regex)>{colors, get_regex}};
-    }
-    catch (boost::regex_error& err)
-    {
-        throw runtime_error(String("regex error: ") + err.what());
-    }
+        return {"hlsearch", make_dynamic_regex_highlighter(get_regex, get_color)};
 }
 
 HighlighterAndId highlight_regex_option_factory(HighlighterParameters params)
@@ -320,13 +341,19 @@ HighlighterAndId highlight_regex_option_factory(HighlighterParameters params)
     if (params.size() != 2)
         throw runtime_error("wrong parameter count");
 
-    ColorSpec colors { { 0, &get_color(params[1]) } };
+    const ColorPair& color = get_color(params[1]);
+    auto get_color = [&](const Context&){
+        return ColorSpec{ { 0, &color } };
+    };
+
     String option_name = params[0];
     // verify option type now
     GlobalOptions::instance()[option_name].get<Regex>();
 
-    auto get_regex = [option_name](const Context& context){ return context.options()[option_name].get<Regex>(); };
-    return {"hloption_" + option_name, DynamicRegexHighlighter<decltype(get_regex)>{colors, get_regex}};
+    auto get_regex = [option_name](const Context& context){
+        return context.options()[option_name].get<Regex>();
+    };
+    return {"hloption_" + option_name, make_dynamic_regex_highlighter(get_regex, get_color)};
 }
 
 void expand_tabulations(const Context& context, HighlightFlags flags, DisplayBuffer& display_buffer)
@@ -470,7 +497,7 @@ void show_matching_char(const Context& context, HighlightFlags flags, DisplayBuf
                         return false;
                     return true;
                 });
-                if (it != end)
+                if (it != end or (*end == pair.first and level == 1))
                     highlight_range(display_buffer, it.coord(), (it+1).coord(), false,
                                     [&](DisplayAtom& atom) { atom.colors = colors; });
                 break;
diff --git a/src/ncurses.cc b/src/ncurses.cc
index a4a84fb5d..f48ef7ee2 100644
--- a/src/ncurses.cc
+++ b/src/ncurses.cc
@@ -241,8 +241,10 @@ void NCursesUI::draw_line(const DisplayLine& line, CharCount col_index) const
 
         set_color(stdscr, atom.colors);
 
-        String atom_content = atom.content();
-        StringView content = atom_content;
+        StringView content = atom.content();
+        if (content.empty())
+            continue;
+
         if (content[content.length()-1] == '\n' and
             content.char_length() - 1 < m_dimensions.column - col_index)
         {
diff --git a/src/units.hh b/src/units.hh
index 430971e85..69ecffdb5 100644
--- a/src/units.hh
+++ b/src/units.hh
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ template<typename RealType, typename ValueType = int>
 class StronglyTypedNumber
 {
 public:
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     explicit constexpr StronglyTypedNumber(ValueType value)
         : m_value(value)
     {
@@ -17,72 +18,96 @@ public:
                      "RealType is not derived from StronglyTypedNumber");
     }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr RealType operator+(RealType other) const
     { return RealType(m_value + other.m_value); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr RealType operator-(RealType other) const
     { return RealType(m_value - other.m_value); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr RealType operator*(RealType other) const
     { return RealType(m_value * other.m_value); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr RealType operator/(RealType other) const
     { return RealType(m_value / other.m_value); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     RealType& operator+=(RealType other)
     { m_value += other.m_value; return static_cast<RealType&>(*this); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     RealType& operator-=(RealType other)
     { m_value -= other.m_value; return static_cast<RealType&>(*this); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     RealType& operator*=(RealType other)
     { m_value *= other.m_value; return static_cast<RealType&>(*this); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     RealType& operator/=(RealType other)
     { m_value /= other.m_value; return static_cast<RealType&>(*this); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     RealType& operator++()
     { ++m_value; return static_cast<RealType&>(*this); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     RealType& operator--()
     { --m_value; return static_cast<RealType&>(*this); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     RealType operator++(int)
     { RealType backup(static_cast<RealType&>(*this)); ++m_value; return backup; }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     RealType operator--(int)
     { RealType backup(static_cast<RealType&>(*this)); --m_value; return backup; }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr RealType operator-() const { return RealType(-m_value); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr RealType operator%(RealType other) const
     { return RealType(m_value % other.m_value); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     RealType& operator%=(RealType other)
     { m_value %= other.m_value; return static_cast<RealType&>(*this); }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator==(RealType other) const
     { return m_value == other.m_value; }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator!=(RealType other) const
     { return m_value != other.m_value; }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator<(RealType other) const
     { return m_value < other.m_value; }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator<=(RealType other) const
     { return m_value <= other.m_value; }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator>(RealType other) const
     { return m_value > other.m_value; }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator>=(RealType other) const
     { return m_value >= other.m_value; }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr bool operator!() const
     { return !m_value; }
 
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     explicit constexpr operator ValueType() const { return m_value; }
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     explicit constexpr operator bool() const { return m_value; }
 private:
     ValueType m_value;
@@ -90,9 +115,11 @@ private:
 
 struct LineCount : public StronglyTypedNumber<LineCount, int>
 {
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr LineCount(int value = 0) : StronglyTypedNumber<LineCount>(value) {}
 };
 
+[[gnu::always_inline]]
 inline constexpr LineCount operator"" _line(unsigned long long int value)
 {
     return LineCount(value);
@@ -100,9 +127,11 @@ inline constexpr LineCount operator"" _line(unsigned long long int value)
 
 struct ByteCount : public StronglyTypedNumber<ByteCount, int>
 {
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr ByteCount(int value = 0) : StronglyTypedNumber<ByteCount>(value) {}
 };
 
+[[gnu::always_inline]]
 inline constexpr ByteCount operator"" _byte(unsigned long long int value)
 {
     return ByteCount(value);
@@ -110,9 +139,11 @@ inline constexpr ByteCount operator"" _byte(unsigned long long int value)
 
 struct CharCount : public StronglyTypedNumber<CharCount, int>
 {
+    [[gnu::always_inline]]
     constexpr CharCount(int value = 0) : StronglyTypedNumber<CharCount>(value) {}
 };
 
+[[gnu::always_inline]]
 inline constexpr CharCount operator"" _char(unsigned long long int value)
 {
     return CharCount(value);