diff --git a/doc_src/doc.hdr b/doc_src/doc.hdr
index 1ed335046..0a0b2d361 100644
--- a/doc_src/doc.hdr
+++ b/doc_src/doc.hdr
@@ -925,11 +925,15 @@ fish_color_substitution, \c fish_color_redirection, \c fish_color_end,
 \c fish_color_error, \c fish_color_param, \c fish_color_comment, \c
 fish_color_match, \c fish_color_search_match, \c fish_color_cwd, \c
 fish_pager_color_prefix, \c fish_pager_color_completion, \c
-fish_pager_color_description and \c fish_pager_color_progress. Valid
-values are \c black, \c red, \c green, \c brown, \c yellow, \c blue,
-\c magenta, \c purple, \c cyan, \c white or \c normal. Setting one of
-the above variables to normal will mean that the text color will be
-set to the default foreground color for the terminal.
+fish_pager_color_description and \c
+fish_pager_color_progress. Usually, the value of these variables will
+be one of \c black, \c red, \c green, \c brown, \c yellow, \c blue, \c
+magenta, \c purple, \c cyan, \c white or \c normal, but they can be an
+array containing any color options for the set_color command.
+
+Issuing <code>set fish_color_error black --background=red
+--bold</code> will make all commandline errors be written in a black,
+bold font, with a red background.
 
 \subsection prompt Programmable prompt
 
diff --git a/init/completions/set.fish b/init/completions/set.fish
index 6ad9a19c8..e2f14ae3d 100644
--- a/init/completions/set.fish
+++ b/init/completions/set.fish
@@ -58,20 +58,25 @@ end
 # Completions
 #
 
-complete -c set -s e -l erase -d (_ "Erase variable")
-complete -c set -s x -l export -d (_ "Export variable to subprocess")
-complete -c set -s u -l unexport -d (_ "Do not export variable to subprocess")
-complete -c set -s g -l global -d (_ "Make variable scope global")
-complete -c set -s l -l local -d (_ "Make variable scope local")
-complete -c set -s U -l universal -d (_ "Make variable scope universal, i.e. share variable with all the users fish processes on this computer")
-complete -c set -s q -l query -d (_ "Test if variable is defined")
-complete -c set -s h -l help -d (_ "Display help and exit")
+# Regular switches, set only accepts these before the variable name,
+# so we need to test using __fish_is_first_token
 
-# Complete using preexisting variables
+complete -c set -n '__fish_is_first_token' -s e -l erase -d (_ "Erase variable")
+complete -c set -n '__fish_is_first_token' -s x -l export -d (_ "Export variable to subprocess")
+complete -c set -n '__fish_is_first_token' -s u -l unexport -d (_ "Do not export variable to subprocess")
+complete -c set -n '__fish_is_first_token' -s g -l global -d (_ "Make variable scope global")
+complete -c set -n '__fish_is_first_token' -s l -l local -d (_ "Make variable scope local")
+complete -c set -n '__fish_is_first_token' -s U -l universal -d (_ "Make variable scope universal, i.e. share variable with all the users fish processes on this computer")
+complete -c set -n '__fish_is_first_token' -s q -l query -d (_ "Test if variable is defined")
+complete -c set -n '__fish_is_first_token' -s h -l help -d (_ "Display help and exit")
+
+# Complete using preexisting variable names
 complete -c set -n '__fish_is_first_token' -x -a "(set|sed -e 's/ /\tVariable: /')"
 
 # Color completions
 complete -c set -n '__fish_set_is_color' -x -a '(set_color --print-colors)' -d (_ Color)
+complete -c set -n '__fish_set_is_color' -s b -l background -x -a '(set_color --print-colors)' -d (_ "Change background color")
+complete -c set -n '__fish_set_is_color' -s o -l bold -d (_ 'Make font bold')
 
 # Locale completions
 complete -c set -n '__fish_is_first_token' -x -a '$__fish_locale_vars' -d 'Locale variable'