diff --git a/pkg/highlight/highlighter.go b/pkg/highlight/highlighter.go
index 808af5ed9b..377d375ac8 100644
--- a/pkg/highlight/highlighter.go
+++ b/pkg/highlight/highlighter.go
@@ -454,7 +454,8 @@ func (h *Highlighter) HighlightString(input string) []LineMatch {
 	return lineMatches
 }
 
-// Highlight sets the state and matches for each line from startline to endline
+// Highlight sets the state and matches for each line beginning with the startline
+// until it detects an unchanged state from the endline downwards.
 // It sets all other matches in the buffer to nil to conserve memory
 func (h *Highlighter) Highlight(input LineStates, startline, endline int) {
 	var curState *region
@@ -466,7 +467,9 @@ func (h *Highlighter) Highlight(input LineStates, startline, endline int) {
 		input.Unlock()
 	}
 
-	for i := startline; i <= endline; i++ {
+	for i := startline; ; i++ {
+		var lastState *region
+
 		input.Lock()
 		if i >= input.LinesNum() {
 			input.Unlock()
@@ -479,9 +482,17 @@ func (h *Highlighter) Highlight(input LineStates, startline, endline int) {
 		match, newState := h.highlight(highlights, 0, i, line, curState)
 		curState = newState
 
+		if i >= endline {
+			lastState = input.State(i)
+		}
+
 		input.SetState(i, curState)
 		input.SetMatch(i, match)
 		input.Unlock()
+
+		if i >= endline && curState == lastState {
+			break
+		}
 	}
 }