diff --git a/pkg/highlight/highlighter.go b/pkg/highlight/highlighter.go
index a13a72610d..d7b90628a7 100644
--- a/pkg/highlight/highlighter.go
+++ b/pkg/highlight/highlighter.go
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func (h *Highlighter) highlightRegion(highlights LineMatch, start int, canMatchE
 		if !statesOnly {
 			highlights[start+firstLoc[0]] = firstRegion.limitGroup
 		}
-		h.highlightEmptyRegion(highlights, start+firstLoc[1], canMatchEnd, lineNum, sliceStart(line, firstLoc[1]), statesOnly)
+		h.highlightRegion(highlights, start, false, lineNum, sliceEnd(line, firstLoc[0]), curRegion, statesOnly)
 		h.highlightRegion(highlights, start+firstLoc[1], canMatchEnd, lineNum, sliceStart(line, firstLoc[1]), firstRegion, statesOnly)
 		return highlights
 	}