diff --git a/src/bfu/menu.c b/src/bfu/menu.c
index d0bb1497..0f114114 100644
--- a/src/bfu/menu.c
+++ b/src/bfu/menu.c
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ static int m_submenu_len = sizeof(m_submenu) - 1;
 static window_handler_T menu_handler;
 static window_handler_T mainmenu_handler;
 static void display_mainmenu(struct terminal *term, struct menu *menu);
+static void set_menu_selection(struct menu *menu, int pos);
 
 
 static inline int
@@ -266,7 +267,7 @@ count_menu_size(struct terminal *term, struct menu *menu)
 static void
 scroll_menu(struct menu *menu, int steps, int wrap)
 {
-	int height, scr_i, pos, start;
+	int pos, start;
 	int s = steps ? steps/abs(steps) : 1; /* Selectable item search direction. */
 
 	if (menu->size <= 0) {
@@ -314,6 +315,20 @@ no_item:
 select_item:
 	if (!mi_is_selectable(&menu->items[pos]))
 		goto no_item;
+	set_menu_selection(menu, pos);
+}
+
+/* Set menu->selected = pos, and adjust menu->first if needed.
+ * This neither redraws the menu nor runs the item's action.
+ * The caller must ensure that menu->items[pos] is selectable. */
+static void
+set_menu_selection(struct menu *menu, int pos)
+{
+	int height, scr_i;
+
+	assert(pos >= 0 && pos < menu->size);
+	assert(mi_is_selectable(&menu->items[pos]));
+	if_assert_failed return;
 
 	menu->selected = pos;
 
@@ -654,7 +669,8 @@ search_menu_item(struct menu_item *item, unsigned char *buffer,
 {
 	unsigned char *text, *match;
 
-	if (!mi_has_left_text(item)) return 0;
+	/* set_menu_selection asserts selectability. */
+	if (!mi_has_left_text(item) || !mi_is_selectable(item)) return 0;
 
 	text = mi_text_translate(item) ? _(item->text, term) : item->text;
 
@@ -716,7 +732,7 @@ menu_search_handler(struct input_line *line, int action_id)
 		struct menu_item *item = &menu->items[pos];
 
 		if (search_menu_item(item, buffer, term)) {
-			scroll_menu(menu, pos - menu->selected, 0);
+			set_menu_selection(menu, pos);
 			display_menu(term, menu);
 			return INPUT_LINE_PROCEED;
 		}