diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c b/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
index e06a4571..3240fd10 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
@@ -175,7 +175,6 @@ static void sig_message_public(SERVER_REC *server, const char *msg,
 	int for_me, print_channel, level;
 	char *nickmode, *color, *freemsg = NULL;
 	HILIGHT_REC *hilight;
-	int match_beg = 0, match_end = 0;
 
 	/* NOTE: this may return NULL if some channel is just closed with
 	   /WINDOW CLOSE and server still sends the few last messages */
@@ -188,8 +187,8 @@ static void sig_message_public(SERVER_REC *server, const char *msg,
 		nick_match_msg(chanrec, msg, server->nick) :
 		nick_match_msg_everywhere(chanrec, msg, server->nick);
 	hilight = for_me ? NULL :
-		hilight_match(server, target, nick, address, MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC, msg, &match_beg, &match_end);
-	color = (hilight == NULL || !hilight->nick) ? NULL : hilight_get_color(hilight);
+		hilight_match_nick(server, target, nick, address, MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC, msg);
+	color = (hilight == NULL) ? NULL : hilight_get_color(hilight);
 
 	print_channel = chanrec == NULL ||
 		!window_item_is_active((WI_ITEM_REC *) chanrec);
@@ -217,9 +216,8 @@ static void sig_message_public(SERVER_REC *server, const char *msg,
 
 	TEXT_DEST_REC dest;
 	format_create_dest(&dest, server, target, level, NULL);
-	dest.hilight = hilight;
-	dest.match_beg = match_beg;
-	dest.match_end = match_end;
+	dest.address = address;
+	dest.nick = nick;
 	if (color != NULL) {
 		/* highlighted nick */
 		hilight_update_text_dest(&dest,hilight);
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/formats.c b/src/fe-common/core/formats.c
index b95b3966..ccf48394 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/formats.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/formats.c
@@ -416,8 +416,6 @@ void format_create_dest_tag(TEXT_DEST_REC *dest, void *server,
 	dest->server_tag = server != NULL ? SERVER(server)->tag : server_tag;
 	dest->target = target;
 	dest->level = level;
-	dest->match_beg = 0;
-	dest->match_end = 0;
 	dest->window = window != NULL ? window :
 		window_find_closest(server, target, level);
 }
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/formats.h b/src/fe-common/core/formats.h
index a4b26852..8efd204c 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/formats.h
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/formats.h
@@ -52,11 +52,10 @@ typedef struct _TEXT_DEST_REC {
 	SERVER_REC *server;
         const char *server_tag; /* if server is non-NULL, must be server->tag */
 	const char *target;
+	const char *nick;
+	const char *address;
 	int level;
 
-	HILIGHT_REC *hilight;
-	int match_beg;
-	int match_end;
 	int hilight_priority;
 	char *hilight_color;
         int flags;
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
index 2c0075ec..b746f636 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
@@ -325,9 +325,10 @@ static void sig_print_text(TEXT_DEST_REC *dest, const char *text,
 	if (dest->level & MSGLEVEL_NOHILIGHT)
 		return;
 
-	hilight_start = dest->match_beg;
-	hilight_end = dest->match_end;
-	hilight = dest->hilight;
+	hilight_start = hilight_end = 0;
+	hilight = hilight_match(dest->server, dest->target, dest->nick,
+				dest->address, dest->level, stripped,
+				&hilight_start, &hilight_end);
 
 	if (hilight == NULL)
 		return;