diff --git a/src/screen/dashboard/pull_request_diff_view.rs b/src/screen/dashboard/pull_request_diff_view.rs
index c485896..bf3f3e8 100644
--- a/src/screen/dashboard/pull_request_diff_view.rs
+++ b/src/screen/dashboard/pull_request_diff_view.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ pub(crate) struct PullRequestDiffView {
     diff_view_state_in_search_mode: Option<DiffViewState>,
     diff_view_content: Option<DiffViewContent>,
     diff_search_result: Option<DiffSearchResult>,
-    diff_search_result_cursor: Option<DiffSearchResultCursor>,
 
     current_file_path: Option<Arc<str>>,
 
@@ -36,6 +35,7 @@ pub(crate) struct PullRequestDiffView {
 struct DiffSearchHit {
     diff_line_i: DiffLineIndex,
     src_byte_range: std::ops::Range<usize>,
+    highlight_range: util::syntax_highlight::HighlightedRange,
 }
 
 struct DiffSearchResult {
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ impl PullRequestDiffView {
             diff_view_content: None,
             diff_view_state_in_search_mode: None,
             diff_search_result: None,
-            diff_search_result_cursor: None,
             current_file_path: None,
 
             focus_handle: cx.focus_handle(),
@@ -239,7 +238,8 @@ impl PullRequestDiffView {
                     .diff_line_index_for_line(util::diff::DiffSide::Old, line_idx);
                 Some(DiffSearchHit {
                     diff_line_i,
-                    src_byte_range: range,
+                    src_byte_range: range.clone(),
+                    highlight_range: (range, symbol_highlight_style(theme)),
                 })
             })
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
@@ -255,23 +255,18 @@ impl PullRequestDiffView {
                     .diff_line_index_for_line(util::diff::DiffSide::New, line_idx);
                 Some(DiffSearchHit {
                     diff_line_i,
-                    src_byte_range: range,
+                    src_byte_range: range.clone(),
+                    highlight_range: (range, symbol_highlight_style(theme)),
                 })
             })
             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
 
-        let old_side_highlights =
-            old_search_result
-                .iter()
-                .map(|hit| -> util::syntax_highlight::HighlightedRange {
-                    (hit.src_byte_range.clone(), symbol_highlight_style(theme))
-                });
-        let new_side_highlights =
-            new_search_result
-                .iter()
-                .map(|hit| -> util::syntax_highlight::HighlightedRange {
-                    (hit.src_byte_range.clone(), symbol_highlight_style(theme))
-                });
+        let old_side_highlights = old_search_result
+            .iter()
+            .map(|hit| -> &util::syntax_highlight::HighlightedRange { &hit.highlight_range });
+        let new_side_highlights = new_search_result
+            .iter()
+            .map(|hit| -> &util::syntax_highlight::HighlightedRange { &hit.highlight_range });
 
         if let Some(h) = self
             .diff_view_state
@@ -323,18 +318,38 @@ impl PullRequestDiffView {
             return;
         };
 
-        let (current_side, other_side) = match search_result.cursor.side {
-        | util::diff::DiffSide::Old => (&search_result.old_side, &search_result.new_side),
-        | util::diff::DiffSide::New => (&search_result.new_side, &search_result.old_side),
-        };
-
         let theme = app::current_theme(cx);
 
+        let (current_side, other_side) = match search_result.cursor.side {
+        | util::diff::DiffSide::Old => {
+            // clear current cursor highlight
+            // by replacing it with the normal styled highlighted range
+            if let Some(mut highlights) = diff_view_state.old_side_highlights_mut() {
+                highlights.replace_highlight_range(
+                    &search_result.old_side[search_result.cursor.index].highlight_range,
+                );
+            }
+            (&search_result.old_side, &search_result.new_side)
+        }
+        | util::diff::DiffSide::New => {
+            // clear current cursor highlight
+            // by replacing it with the normal styled highlighted range
+            if let Some(mut highlights) = diff_view_state.new_side_highlights_mut() {
+                highlights.replace_highlight_range(
+                    &search_result.new_side[search_result.cursor.index].highlight_range,
+                );
+            }
+            (&search_result.new_side, &search_result.old_side)
+        }
+        };
+
         let current_search_hit = &current_side[search_result.cursor.index];
+
         let highlight_range = match current_side.get(search_result.cursor.index + 1) {
         | Some(DiffSearchHit {
             diff_line_i,
             src_byte_range,
+            ..
         }) if *diff_line_i == current_search_hit.diff_line_i => {
             // go to next search result on same side & same line
             search_result.cursor.index += 1;
@@ -357,6 +372,7 @@ impl PullRequestDiffView {
             while let Some(DiffSearchHit {
                 diff_line_i,
                 src_byte_range,
+                ..
             }) = &other_side.get(i)
             {
                 if *diff_line_i == current_search_hit.diff_line_i
diff --git a/src/util/syntax_highlight.rs b/src/util/syntax_highlight.rs
index 2f8185a..468f251 100644
--- a/src/util/syntax_highlight.rs
+++ b/src/util/syntax_highlight.rs
@@ -122,9 +122,9 @@ impl HighlightedContent {
         &self.0[line].line_range
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn extended_with_highlights(
+    pub(crate) fn extended_with_highlights<'a>(
         mut self,
-        highlights: impl Iterator<Item = HighlightedRange>,
+        highlights: impl Iterator<Item = &'a HighlightedRange>,
     ) -> Self {
         let total_line_count = self.0.len();
         let mut current_line: usize = 0;
@@ -191,8 +191,6 @@ impl HighlightedContent {
     pub(crate) fn replace_highlight_range(&mut self, highlighted_range: &HighlightedRange) {
         let (range, _) = &highlighted_range;
 
-        println!("finding range to replace {:?}", range);
-
         let line = self
             .line_index_of_range(range)
             .map(|line_i| &mut self.0[line_i]);