diff --git a/share/config_interactive.fish.in b/share/config_interactive.fish.in
index c15493753..83fee3c6b 100644
--- a/share/config_interactive.fish.in
+++ b/share/config_interactive.fish.in
@@ -161,6 +161,17 @@ set_default CDPATH . ~
 
 functions -e set_default
 
+#
+# This event handler makes sure the prompt is repainted when
+# fish_color_cwd changes value. Like all event handlers, it can't be
+# autoloaded.
+#
+
+function __fish_repaint --on-variable fish_color_cwd -d (N_ "Event handler, repaints the prompt when fish_color_cwd changes")
+	set -e __fish_prompt_cwd
+	commandline -f null
+end
+
 #
 # A few minor convenience functions
 #
diff --git a/share/functions/fish_prompt.fish b/share/functions/fish_prompt.fish
index 42666ff7e..bfded25ac 100644
--- a/share/functions/fish_prompt.fish
+++ b/share/functions/fish_prompt.fish
@@ -2,24 +2,21 @@
 # string has a newline before and after, so that fish will know how
 # long it is.
 
-# This event handler makes sure the prompt is repainted when fish_color_cwd changes value
-function __fish_repaint --on-variable fish_color_cwd -d (N_ "Event handler, repaints the prompt when fish_color_cwd changes")
-	commandline -f null
-end
-
 function fish_prompt -d (N_ "Write out the prompt")
 
 	# Just calculate these once, to save a few cycles when displaying the prompt
 	if not set -q __fish_prompt_hostname
 		set -g __fish_prompt_hostname (hostname|cut -d . -f 1)
 	end
-	
+
 	if not set -q __fish_prompt_normal
 		set -g __fish_prompt_normal (set_color normal)
 	end
-	
-	set -l prompt_color (set_color $fish_color_cwd)
 
-	printf '%s@%s %s%s%s> \n' $USER $__fish_prompt_hostname "$prompt_color" (prompt_pwd) "$__fish_prompt_normal"
+	if not set -q __fish_prompt_cwd
+		set -g __fish_prompt_cwd (set_color $fish_color_cwd)
+	end
+
+	printf '%s@%s %s%s%s> \n' $USER $__fish_prompt_hostname "$__fish_prompt_cwd" (prompt_pwd) "$__fish_prompt_normal"
 end