diff --git a/lib/completion.zsh b/lib/completion.zsh
index ebaab0856..2c5695487 100644
--- a/lib/completion.zsh
+++ b/lib/completion.zsh
@@ -58,9 +58,12 @@ zstyle ':completion:*:*:*:users' ignored-patterns \
 # ... unless we really want to.
 zstyle '*' single-ignored show
 
-if [[ $COMPLETION_WAITING_DOTS = true ]]; then
+if [[ ${COMPLETION_WAITING_DOTS:-false} != false ]]; then
   expand-or-complete-with-dots() {
-    print -Pn "%F{red}…%f"
+    # use $COMPLETION_WAITING_DOTS either as toggle or as the sequence to show
+    [[ $COMPLETION_WAITING_DOTS = true ]] && COMPLETION_WAITING_DOTS="%F{red}…%f"
+    # turn off line wrapping and print prompt-expanded "dot" sequence
+    printf '\e[?7l%s\e[?7h' "${(%)COMPLETION_WAITING_DOTS}"
     zle expand-or-complete
     zle redisplay
   }
diff --git a/templates/zshrc.zsh-template b/templates/zshrc.zsh-template
index 65d5ea65b..4a998c2fc 100644
--- a/templates/zshrc.zsh-template
+++ b/templates/zshrc.zsh-template
@@ -45,8 +45,9 @@ ZSH_THEME="robbyrussell"
 # ENABLE_CORRECTION="true"
 
 # Uncomment the following line to display red dots whilst waiting for completion.
-# Caution: this setting can cause issues with multiline prompts (zsh 5.7.1 and newer seem to work)
-# See https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/issues/5765
+# You can also set it to another string to have that shown instead of the default red dots.
+# e.g. COMPLETION_WAITING_DOTS="%F{yellow}waiting...%f"
+# Caution: this setting can cause issues with multiline prompts in zsh < 5.7.1 (see #5765)
 # COMPLETION_WAITING_DOTS="true"
 
 # Uncomment the following line if you want to disable marking untracked files