diff --git a/docs/spmenu.conf b/docs/spmenu.conf
index 8e9cace..dd3e4f5 100644
--- a/docs/spmenu.conf
+++ b/docs/spmenu.conf
@@ -245,7 +245,6 @@ spmenu = {
 
   /* Pango markup options */
   pango = ( { item                = 1; // Interpret Pango markup for items (0/1)
-              highlight           = 1; // Intepret Pango markup for highlighting (0/1)
               prompt              = 1; // Interpret Pango markup for the prompt (0/1)
               input               = 1; // Interpret Pango markup for the input (0/1)
               leftarrow           = 0; // Interpret Pango markup for the left arrow (0/1)
diff --git a/libs/conf/config.c b/libs/conf/config.c
index e19243e..202cf4c 100644
--- a/libs/conf/config.c
+++ b/libs/conf/config.c
@@ -798,7 +798,6 @@ void conf_init(void) {
 
             // look up
             config_setting_lookup_int(conf, "item", &pango_item); // spmenu.pango.input
-            config_setting_lookup_int(conf, "highlight", &pango_highlight); // spmenu.pango.highlight
             config_setting_lookup_int(conf, "prompt", &pango_prompt); // spmenu.pango.rarrow
             config_setting_lookup_int(conf, "input", &pango_input); // spmenu.pango.input
             config_setting_lookup_int(conf, "leftarrow", &pango_leftarrow); // spmenu.pango.leftarrow
diff --git a/libs/draw.c b/libs/draw.c
index 98ca8e5..e2a5787 100644
--- a/libs/draw.c
+++ b/libs/draw.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ void drawhighlights(struct item *item, int x, int y, int w, int p, const char *i
                     x + indent + (p),
                     y,
                     MIN(w - indent - sp.lrpad, TEXTW(highlight) - sp.lrpad),
-                    sp.bh, 0, highlight, 0, pango_highlight ? True : False,
+                    sp.bh, 0, highlight, 0, False,
                     item == sel ? col_hlselfg : col_hlnormfg,
                     item == sel ? col_hlselbg : col_hlnormbg,
                     item == sel ? alpha_hlselfg : alpha_hlnormfg,
diff --git a/libs/options.h b/libs/options.h
index 38c7cea..8863dbb 100644
--- a/libs/options.h
+++ b/libs/options.h
@@ -247,7 +247,6 @@ static int alpha_capsbg                = 200; /* Alpha for the caps lock indicat
 
 /* Pango options */
 static int pango_item                  = 1; /* Enable support for pango markup for the items */
-static int pango_highlight             = 1; /* Enable support for pango markup for the highlighting */
 static int pango_prompt                = 1; /* Enable support for pango markup for the prompt */
 static int pango_caps                  = 1; /* Enable support for pango markup for the caps lock indicator */
 static int pango_input                 = 1; /* Enable support for pango markup for user input */
diff --git a/libs/theme/theme.c b/libs/theme/theme.c
index 2e922cc..cbc4942 100644
--- a/libs/theme/theme.c
+++ b/libs/theme/theme.c
@@ -460,7 +460,6 @@ void theme_load(void) {
 
             // look up
             config_setting_lookup_int(conf, "item", &pango_item); // theme.pango.input
-            config_setting_lookup_int(conf, "highlight", &pango_highlight); // theme.pango.highlight
             config_setting_lookup_int(conf, "prompt", &pango_prompt); // theme.pango.rarrow
             config_setting_lookup_int(conf, "input", &pango_input); // theme.pango.input
             config_setting_lookup_int(conf, "leftarrow", &pango_leftarrow); // theme.pango.leftarrow