diff --git a/docs/example.Xresources b/docs/example.Xresources
index bc8698a..65ad9c9 100644
--- a/docs/example.Xresources
+++ b/docs/example.Xresources
@@ -56,3 +56,4 @@ spmenu.class:              spmenu
 spmenu.leftarrow:          <
 spmenu.rightarrow:         >
 spmenu.hidematchcount:     0
+spmenu.hidehighlight:      0
diff --git a/options.h b/options.h
index 22a7219..7330cf3 100644
--- a/options.h
+++ b/options.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ static char *prompt                    = NULL; /* Default prompt, set to NULL (n
 
 /* Hide options */
 static int hidematchcount              = 0; /* Hide match count (0/1) */
+static int hidehighlight               = 0; /* Hide highlight (0/1) */
 
 /* Color options
  *
diff --git a/spmenu.c b/spmenu.c
index 1d91238..eb1fe41 100644
--- a/spmenu.c
+++ b/spmenu.c
@@ -346,9 +346,9 @@ drawitem(struct item *item, int x, int y, int w)
 				drw_text(drw, x, y, rw + lp, bh, lp, buffer, 0, True);
                 #endif
 
-                drawhighlights(item, x, y, rw + lp);
 				x += rw + lp;
                 ib = 1;
+                lp = 0; /* no padding */
 
 				char *ep = item->text + rd + 1;
 
@@ -388,19 +388,15 @@ drawitem(struct item *item, int x, int y, int w)
 
 	buffer[wr] = '\0';
 
-    /* width needs to be decreased now because we've already drawn some text
-     * if we haven't drawn text, this does nothing at all. */
-    w -= rw;
-
     /* draw any text that doesn't use sgr sequences */
     #if USERTL
     apply_fribidi(buffer);
-	int r = drw_text(drw, x, y, w, bh, lp, fribidi_text, 0, True);
+	int r = drw_text(drw, x, y, w - rw, bh, lp, fribidi_text, 0, True);
     #else
-	int r = drw_text(drw, x, y, w, bh, lp, buffer, 0, True);
+	int r = drw_text(drw, x, y, w - rw, bh, lp, buffer, 0, True);
     #endif
 
-    if (!ib) drawhighlights(item, x, y, w);
+    if (!hidehighlight && !ib) drawhighlights(item, x, y, w - rw);
     return r;
 }
 
diff --git a/xresources.h b/xresources.h
index 2796b25..d506a35 100644
--- a/xresources.h
+++ b/xresources.h
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ ResourcePref resources[] = {
 	{ "columns",        INTEGER, &columns },
 	{ "maxhist",        INTEGER, &maxhist },
     { "hidematchcount", INTEGER, &hidematchcount },
+    { "hidehighlight",  INTEGER, &hidehighlight },
 	{ "histnodup",      INTEGER, &histnodup },
     { "casesensitive",  INTEGER, &casesensitive },
 };