diff --git a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
index 17283a9..033251f 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
@@ -879,6 +879,12 @@
 syn match	vimCommentTitle	'"\s*\%([sS]:\|\h\w*#\)\=\u\w*\(\s\+\u\w*\)*:'hs=s+1	contained contains=vimCommentTitleLeader,vimTodo,@vimCommentGroup
 syn match	vim9CommentTitle	'#\s*\%([sS]:\|\h\w*#\)\=\u\w*\(\s\+\u\w*\)*:'hs=s+1	contained contains=vim9CommentTitleLeader,vimTodo,@vimCommentGroup
 
+" allowed anywhere in the file
+if !s:vim9script
+  syn match	vimShebangError	"^\s*\zs#!.*" display
+endif
+syn match	vimShebang	"\%^#!.*" display
+
 syn match	vimContinue		"^\s*\zs\\"
 syn match         vimContinueComment	'^\s*\zs["#]\\ .*'
 syn cluster	vimContinue contains=vimContinue,vimContinueComment
@@ -1105,6 +1111,7 @@
   hi def link vimHiCtermError	vimError
   hi def link vimHiKeyError	vimError
   hi def link vimMapModErr	vimError
+  hi def link vimShebangError	vimError
   hi def link vimSubstFlagErr	vimError
   hi def link vimSynCaseError	vimError
   hi def link vimSynFoldMethodError	vimError
@@ -1243,6 +1250,7 @@
  hi def link vimSetSep	Statement
  hi def link vimSetString	vimString
  hi def link vim9Vim9Script	vimCommand
+ hi def link vimShebang	PreProc
  hi def link vimSleep	vimCommand
  hi def link vimSleepArg	Constant
  hi def link vimSleepBang	vimBang