diff --git a/src/screen.c b/src/screen.c
index 3d931ab..fd69cf0 100644
--- a/src/screen.c
+++ b/src/screen.c
@@ -4462,16 +4462,7 @@
 	*attr = HL_ATTR(HLF_SNC);
 	fill = wp->w_fill_chars.stlnc;
     }
-    // Use fill when there is highlighting, and highlighting of current
-    // window differs, or the fillchars differ, or this is not the
-    // current window
-    if (*attr != 0 && ((HL_ATTR(HLF_S) != HL_ATTR(HLF_SNC)
-			|| wp != curwin || ONE_WINDOW)
-		    || (wp->w_fill_chars.stl != wp->w_fill_chars.stlnc)))
-	return fill;
-    if (wp == curwin)
-	return '^';
-    return '=';
+    return fill;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/testdir/dumps/Test_statusline_stl_1.dump b/src/testdir/dumps/Test_statusline_stl_1.dump
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab1133c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/testdir/dumps/Test_statusline_stl_1.dump
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+> +0&#ffffff0@74
+|~+0#4040ff13&| @73
+|~| @73
+|~| @73
+|~| @73
+|~| @73
+|~| @73
+|~| @73
+|~| @73
+|[+0#0000000&|N|o| |N|a|m|e|]| @47|0|,|0|-|1| @9|A|l@1
+| @74
+|~+0#4040ff13&| @73
+|~| @73
+|~| @73
+|~| @73
+|~| @73
+|~| @73
+|~| @73
+|[+0#0000000&|N|o| |N|a|m|e|]| @47|0|,|0|-|1| @9|A|l@1
+| @74
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_statusline.vim b/src/testdir/test_statusline.vim
index 1239e4e..22fd78c 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_statusline.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_statusline.vim
@@ -610,4 +610,25 @@
   call StopVimInTerminal(buf)
 endfunc
 
+func Test_statusline_highlight_group_cleared()
+  CheckScreendump
+
+  " the laststatus option is there to prevent
+  " the code-style test from complaining about
+  " trailing whitespace
+  let lines =<< trim END
+    set fillchars=stl:\ ,stlnc:\  laststatus=2
+    split
+    hi clear StatusLine
+    hi clear StatusLineNC
+  END
+  call writefile(lines, 'XTest_statusline_stl', 'D')
+
+  let buf = RunVimInTerminal('-S XTest_statusline_stl', {})
+
+  call VerifyScreenDump(buf, 'Test_statusline_stl_1', {})
+
+  call StopVimInTerminal(buf)
+endfunc
+
 " vim: shiftwidth=2 sts=2 expandtab
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index d4fe38f..1e45be1 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -705,6 +705,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    2095,
+/**/
     2094,
 /**/
     2093,