diff --git a/man/man1/fzf.1 b/man/man1/fzf.1
index 09d7e893..fabe5d2b 100644
--- a/man/man1/fzf.1
+++ b/man/man1/fzf.1
@@ -438,10 +438,10 @@ Do not display scrollbar. A synonym for \fB--scrollbar=''\fB
 Input prompt (default: '> ')
 .TP
 .BI "--pointer=" "STR"
-Pointer to the current line (default: '>')
+Pointer to the current line (default: '▌' or '>' depending on \fB--no-unicode\fR)
 .TP
 .BI "--marker=" "STR"
-Multi-select marker (default: '>')
+Multi-select marker (default: '▏' or '>' depending on \fB--no-unicode\fR)
 .TP
 .BI "--header=" "STR"
 The given string will be printed as the sticky header. The lines are displayed
diff --git a/src/options.go b/src/options.go
index ded8a92d..efeb75a9 100644
--- a/src/options.go
+++ b/src/options.go
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ const Usage = `usage: fzf [options]
     --scrollbar[=C1[C2]]   Scrollbar character(s) (each for main and preview window)
     --no-scrollbar         Hide scrollbar
     --prompt=STR           Input prompt (default: '> ')
-    --pointer=STR          Pointer to the current line (default: '>')
-    --marker=STR           Multi-select marker (default: '>')
+    --pointer=STR          Pointer to the current line (default: '▌' or '>')
+    --marker=STR           Multi-select marker (default: '▏' or '>')
     --header=STR           String to print as header
     --header-lines=N       The first N lines of the input are treated as header
     --header-first         Print header before the prompt line
@@ -420,8 +420,8 @@ type Options struct {
 	Separator    *string
 	JumpLabels   string
 	Prompt       string
-	Pointer      string
-	Marker       string
+	Pointer      *string
+	Marker       *string
 	Query        string
 	Select1      bool
 	Exit0        bool
@@ -515,8 +515,8 @@ func defaultOptions() *Options {
 		Separator:    nil,
 		JumpLabels:   defaultJumpLabels,
 		Prompt:       "> ",
-		Pointer:      ">",
-		Marker:       ">",
+		Pointer:      nil,
+		Marker:       nil,
 		Query:        "",
 		Select1:      false,
 		Exit0:        false,
@@ -2153,13 +2153,15 @@ func parseOptions(opts *Options, allArgs []string) error {
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			opts.Pointer = firstLine(str)
+			str = firstLine(str)
+			opts.Pointer = &str
 		case "--marker":
 			str, err := nextString(allArgs, &i, "selected sign string required")
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			opts.Marker = firstLine(str)
+			str = firstLine(str)
+			opts.Marker = &str
 		case "--sync":
 			opts.Sync = true
 		case "--no-sync", "--async":
@@ -2395,9 +2397,11 @@ func parseOptions(opts *Options, allArgs []string) error {
 			} else if match, value := optString(arg, "--prompt="); match {
 				opts.Prompt = value
 			} else if match, value := optString(arg, "--pointer="); match {
-				opts.Pointer = firstLine(value)
+				str := firstLine(value)
+				opts.Pointer = &str
 			} else if match, value := optString(arg, "--marker="); match {
-				opts.Marker = firstLine(value)
+				str := firstLine(value)
+				opts.Marker = &str
 			} else if match, value := optString(arg, "-n", "--nth="); match {
 				if opts.Nth, err = splitNth(value); err != nil {
 					return err
@@ -2586,11 +2590,27 @@ func postProcessOptions(opts *Options) error {
 		opts.BorderShape = tui.BorderNone
 	}
 
-	if err := validateSign(opts.Pointer, "pointer"); err != nil {
+	if opts.Pointer == nil {
+		defaultPointer := "▌"
+		if !opts.Unicode {
+			defaultPointer = ">"
+		}
+		opts.Pointer = &defaultPointer
+	}
+
+	if opts.Marker == nil {
+		defaultMarker := "▏"
+		if !opts.Unicode {
+			defaultMarker = ">"
+		}
+		opts.Marker = &defaultMarker
+	}
+
+	if err := validateSign(*opts.Pointer, "pointer"); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := validateSign(opts.Marker, "marker"); err != nil {
+	if err := validateSign(*opts.Marker, "marker"); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/terminal.go b/src/terminal.go
index 530c9eb6..01960552 100644
--- a/src/terminal.go
+++ b/src/terminal.go
@@ -811,8 +811,8 @@ func NewTerminal(opts *Options, eventBox *util.EventBox, executor *util.Executor
 		lastAction:         actStart,
 		lastFocus:          minItem.Index()}
 	t.prompt, t.promptLen = t.parsePrompt(opts.Prompt)
-	t.pointer, t.pointerLen = t.processTabs([]rune(opts.Pointer), 0)
-	t.marker, t.markerLen = t.processTabs([]rune(opts.Marker), 0)
+	t.pointer, t.pointerLen = t.processTabs([]rune(*opts.Pointer), 0)
+	t.marker, t.markerLen = t.processTabs([]rune(*opts.Marker), 0)
 	// Pre-calculated empty pointer and marker signs
 	t.pointerEmpty = strings.Repeat(" ", t.pointerLen)
 	t.markerEmpty = strings.Repeat(" ", t.markerLen)
diff --git a/test/test_go.rb b/test/test_go.rb
index 5563c080..d70c0bcc 100755
--- a/test/test_go.rb
+++ b/test/test_go.rb
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 10
 FILE = File.expand_path(__FILE__)
 BASE = File.expand_path('..', __dir__)
 Dir.chdir(BASE)
-FZF = "FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS=--no-scrollbar FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND= #{BASE}/bin/fzf"
+FZF = "FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS=\"--no-scrollbar --pointer \\> --marker \\>\" FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND= #{BASE}/bin/fzf"
 
 def wait
   since = Time.now
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class Shell
     end
 
     def fish
-      "unset #{UNSETS.join(' ')}; FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS=--no-scrollbar fish_history= fish"
+      "unset #{UNSETS.join(' ')}; FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS=\"--no-scrollbar --pointer '>' --marker '>'\" fish_history= fish"
     end
   end
 end
@@ -3397,12 +3397,16 @@ module TestShell
   end
 
   def test_ctrl_r_multiline
+    # NOTE: Current bash implementation shows an extra new line if there's
+    # only enty in the history
+    tmux.send_keys ':', :Enter
     tmux.send_keys 'echo "foo', :Enter, 'bar"', :Enter
     tmux.until { |lines| assert_equal %w[foo bar], lines[-2..] }
     tmux.prepare
     tmux.send_keys 'C-r'
     tmux.until { |lines| assert_equal '>', lines[-1] }
     tmux.send_keys 'foo bar'
+    tmux.until { |lines| assert lines[-4]&.match?(/"foo/) } unless shell == :zsh
     tmux.until { |lines| assert lines[-3]&.match?(/bar"␊?/) }
     tmux.send_keys :Enter
     tmux.until { |lines| assert lines[-1]&.match?(/bar"␊?/) }
@@ -3742,7 +3746,7 @@ unset <%= UNSETS.join(' ') %>
 unset $(env | sed -n /^_fzf_orig/s/=.*//p)
 unset $(declare -F | sed -n "/_fzf/s/.*-f //p")
 
-export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS=--no-scrollbar
+export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS="--no-scrollbar --pointer '>' --marker '>'"
 
 # Setup fzf
 # ---------