diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 81b94c5b4..318ddcb35 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ Completions
 Deprecations and removed features
 ---------------------------------
 - fish no longer attempts to modify the terminal size via `TIOCSWINSZ`.
+- The `fish_color_match` variable is no longer used. (Previously this controlled the color of matching quotes and parens when using `read`).
 
 For distributors and developers
 -------------------------------
diff --git a/src/fish_indent.cpp b/src/fish_indent.cpp
index 51583c3f2..e142a5ee8 100644
--- a/src/fish_indent.cpp
+++ b/src/fish_indent.cpp
@@ -627,7 +627,6 @@ static const char *highlight_role_to_string(highlight_role_t role) {
         TEST_ROLE(statement_terminator)
         TEST_ROLE(param)
         TEST_ROLE(comment)
-        TEST_ROLE(match)
         TEST_ROLE(search_match)
         TEST_ROLE(operat)
         TEST_ROLE(escape)
@@ -736,9 +735,6 @@ static const wchar_t *html_class_name_for_color(highlight_spec_t spec) {
         case highlight_role_t::comment: {
             return P(comment);
         }
-        case highlight_role_t::match: {
-            return P(match);
-        }
         case highlight_role_t::search_match: {
             return P(search_match);
         }
diff --git a/src/highlight.cpp b/src/highlight.cpp
index 890a2cb7a..658b64b4b 100644
--- a/src/highlight.cpp
+++ b/src/highlight.cpp
@@ -53,8 +53,6 @@ static const wchar_t *get_highlight_var_name(highlight_role_t role) {
             return L"fish_color_param";
         case highlight_role_t::comment:
             return L"fish_color_comment";
-        case highlight_role_t::match:
-            return L"fish_color_match";
         case highlight_role_t::search_match:
             return L"fish_color_search_match";
         case highlight_role_t::operat:
@@ -115,8 +113,6 @@ static highlight_role_t get_fallback(highlight_role_t role) {
             return highlight_role_t::normal;
         case highlight_role_t::comment:
             return highlight_role_t::normal;
-        case highlight_role_t::match:
-            return highlight_role_t::normal;
         case highlight_role_t::search_match:
             return highlight_role_t::normal;
         case highlight_role_t::operat:
@@ -1359,8 +1355,8 @@ static void highlight_universal_internal(const wcstring &buffstr,
                                 pos1 = lst.back();
                                 pos2 = str - buff;
                                 if (pos1 == pos || pos2 == pos) {
-                                    color.at(pos1).background = highlight_role_t::match;
-                                    color.at(pos2).background = highlight_role_t::match;
+                                    color.at(pos1).background = highlight_role_t::normal;
+                                    color.at(pos2).background = highlight_role_t::normal;
                                     match_found = true;
                                 }
                                 prev_q = *str == L'\"' ? L'\'' : L'\"';
@@ -1397,8 +1393,8 @@ static void highlight_universal_internal(const wcstring &buffstr,
                 if (test_char == dec_char) level--;
                 if (level == 0) {
                     long pos2 = i;
-                    color.at(pos).background = highlight_role_t::match;
-                    color.at(pos2).background = highlight_role_t::match;
+                    color.at(pos).background = highlight_role_t::normal;
+                    color.at(pos2).background = highlight_role_t::normal;
                     match_found = true;
                     break;
                 }
diff --git a/src/highlight.h b/src/highlight.h
index 556098084..7a20d3a88 100644
--- a/src/highlight.h
+++ b/src/highlight.h
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ enum class highlight_role_t : uint8_t {
     statement_terminator,  // process separator
     param,                 // command parameter (argument)
     comment,               // comment
-    match,                 // matching parenthesis, etc.
     search_match,          // search match
     operat,                // operator
     escape,                // escape sequences