diff --git a/contrib/notmuch-mutt/notmuch-mutt b/contrib/notmuch-mutt/notmuch-mutt
index bc97908e..00c5ef82 100755
--- a/contrib/notmuch-mutt/notmuch-mutt
+++ b/contrib/notmuch-mutt/notmuch-mutt
@@ -270,13 +270,23 @@ the following in your Mutt configuration (usually one of: F<~/.muttrc>,
 F</etc/Muttrc>, or a configuration snippet under F</etc/Muttrc.d/>):
 
     macro index <F8> \
-          "<enter-command>unset wait_key<enter><shell-escape>notmuch-mutt -r --prompt search<enter><change-folder-readonly>~/.cache/notmuch/mutt/results<enter>" \
+    "<enter-command>set my_old_pipe_decode=\$pipe_decode my_old_wait_key=\$wait_key nopipe_decode nowait_key<enter>\
+    <shell-escape>notmuch-mutt -r --prompt search<enter>\
+    <change-folder-readonly>`echo ${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/notmuch/mutt/results`<enter>\
+    <enter-command>set pipe_decode=\$my_old_pipe_decode wait_key=\$my_old_wait_key<enter>" \
           "notmuch: search mail"
+
     macro index <F9> \
-          "<enter-command>unset wait_key<enter><pipe-message>notmuch-mutt -r thread<enter><change-folder-readonly>~/.cache/notmuch/mutt/results<enter><enter-command>set wait_key<enter>" \
+    "<enter-command>set my_old_pipe_decode=\$pipe_decode my_old_wait_key=\$wait_key nopipe_decode nowait_key<enter>\
+    <pipe-message>notmuch-mutt -r thread<enter>\
+    <change-folder-readonly>`echo ${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/notmuch/mutt/results`<enter>\
+    <enter-command>set pipe_decode=\$my_old_pipe_decode wait_key=\$my_old_wait_key<enter>" \
           "notmuch: reconstruct thread"
+
     macro index <F6> \
-          "<enter-command>unset wait_key<enter><pipe-message>notmuch-mutt tag -- -inbox<enter>" \
+    "<enter-command>set my_old_pipe_decode=\$pipe_decode my_old_wait_key=\$wait_key nopipe_decode nowait_key<enter>\
+    <pipe-message>notmuch-mutt tag -- -inbox<enter>\
+    <enter-command>set pipe_decode=\$my_old_pipe_decode wait_key=\$my_old_wait_key<enter>" \
           "notmuch: remove message from inbox"
 
 The first macro (activated by <F8>) prompts the user for notmuch search terms
diff --git a/contrib/notmuch-mutt/notmuch-mutt.rc b/contrib/notmuch-mutt/notmuch-mutt.rc
index ddc4b480..6b299dc9 100644
--- a/contrib/notmuch-mutt/notmuch-mutt.rc
+++ b/contrib/notmuch-mutt/notmuch-mutt.rc
@@ -1,9 +1,19 @@
 macro index <F8> \
-      "<enter-command>unset wait_key<enter><shell-escape>notmuch-mutt -r --prompt search<enter><change-folder-readonly>`echo ${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/notmuch/mutt/results`<enter>" \
+"<enter-command>set my_old_pipe_decode=\$pipe_decode my_old_wait_key=\$wait_key nopipe_decode nowait_key<enter>\
+<shell-escape>notmuch-mutt -r --prompt search<enter>\
+<change-folder-readonly>`echo ${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/notmuch/mutt/results`<enter>\
+<enter-command>set pipe_decode=\$my_old_pipe_decode wait_key=\$my_old_wait_key<enter>" \
       "notmuch: search mail"
+
 macro index <F9> \
-      "<enter-command>unset wait_key<enter><pipe-message>notmuch-mutt -r thread<enter><change-folder-readonly>`echo ${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/notmuch/mutt/results`<enter><enter-command>set wait_key<enter>" \
+"<enter-command>set my_old_pipe_decode=\$pipe_decode my_old_wait_key=\$wait_key nopipe_decode nowait_key<enter>\
+<pipe-message>notmuch-mutt -r thread<enter>\
+<change-folder-readonly>`echo ${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/notmuch/mutt/results`<enter>\
+<enter-command>set pipe_decode=\$my_old_pipe_decode wait_key=\$my_old_wait_key<enter>" \
       "notmuch: reconstruct thread"
+
 macro index <F6> \
-      "<enter-command>unset wait_key<enter><pipe-message>notmuch-mutt tag -- -inbox<enter>" \
+"<enter-command>set my_old_pipe_decode=\$pipe_decode my_old_wait_key=\$wait_key nopipe_decode nowait_key<enter>\
+<pipe-message>notmuch-mutt tag -- -inbox<enter>\
+<enter-command>set pipe_decode=\$my_old_pipe_decode wait_key=\$my_old_wait_key<enter>" \
       "notmuch: remove message from inbox"