diff --git a/src/screen.c b/src/screen.c
index cab5731..a4eef32 100644
--- a/src/screen.c
+++ b/src/screen.c
@@ -7892,6 +7892,13 @@
     long	nmatched;
     int		save_called_emsg = called_emsg;
 
+    // for :{range}s/pat only highlight inside the range
+    if (lnum < search_first_line || lnum > search_last_line)
+    {
+	shl->lnum = 0;
+	return;
+    }
+
     if (shl->lnum != 0)
     {
 	/* Check for three situations: