diff --git a/lib/rdoc/ri/driver.rb b/lib/rdoc/ri/driver.rb

index 90fbc7c..f2a9bee 100644

--- a/lib/rdoc/ri/driver.rb

+++ b/lib/rdoc/ri/driver.rb

@@ -1031,10 +1031,16 @@ Options may also be set in the 'RI' environment variable.

   def setup_pager

     return if @use_stdout

-    pagers = [ENV['RI_PAGER'], ENV['PAGER'], 'pager', 'less', 'more']

+    pagers = [ENV['RI_PAGER'], ENV['PAGER'], 'pager', 'less -R', 'more']

     pagers.compact.uniq.each do |pager|

-      next unless File.exist? pager

+      command = pager.split(/\s+/).first

+      exist = File.exist? command

+      ENV['PATH'].split(File::PATH_SEPARATOR).each do |path|

+        exist = File.exist?(File.join(path, command))

+        break if exist

+      end unless command === /\//

+      next unless exist

       io = IO.popen pager, "w" rescue next