diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
index 1ba14031..881a3be7 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
@@ -141,11 +141,57 @@ static void sig_print_text(WINDOW_REC *window, SERVER_REC *server, const char *c
 	}
 }
 
+/* color name -> mirc color number */
+static int mirc_color_name(const char *name)
+{
+	static const char *names[] = {
+		"bla dbla", /* black */
+		"blu dblu", /* blue */
+		"gree dgree", /* green */
+		"r dr br lr", /* red .. um.. only one of them. */
+		"br dbr dy", /* brown / dark yello */
+		"m p dm dp", /* magenta / purple */
+		"o", /* orange */
+		"y by", /* yellow */
+		"bg lg", /* bright green */
+		"c dc", /* cyan */
+		"bc lc", /* bright cyan */
+		"bb lb", /* bright blue */
+		"bm bp lm lp", /* bright magenta/purple */
+		"dgray dgrey", /* dark grey */
+		"grey gray", /* grey */
+		"w", /* white */
+		NULL
+	};
+
+	const char *p, *pname;
+	int n, ok;
+
+	for (n = 0; names[n] != NULL; n++) {
+		pname = name; ok = TRUE;
+		for (p = names[n]; ; p++) {
+			if (*p == ' ' || *p == '\0') {
+                                if (ok) return n+1;
+				if (*p == '\0') break;
+
+				ok = TRUE;
+				pname = name;
+			} else if (toupper((int) *p) == toupper((int) *pname))
+				pname++;
+			else
+				ok = FALSE;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return -1;
+}
+
 char *hilight_match(const char *channel, const char *nickmask, int level, const char *str)
 {
 	GSList *tmp;
 	const char *color;
-	int len, best_match;
+	char number[MAX_INT_STRLEN];
+	int len, best_match, colornum;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail(str != NULL, NULL);
 
@@ -155,6 +201,9 @@ char *hilight_match(const char *channel, const char *nickmask, int level, const
 
 		if ((level & (rec->level > 0 ? rec->level : DEFAULT_HILIGHT_CHECK_LEVEL)) == 0)
                         continue;
+		if ((rec->nick && nickmask == NULL) ||
+		    (!rec->nick && nickmask != NULL))
+                        continue;
 		if (rec->channels != NULL && (channel == NULL || strarray_find(rec->channels, channel) == -1))
 			continue;
 		if (rec->nickmask) {
@@ -182,13 +231,21 @@ char *hilight_match(const char *channel, const char *nickmask, int level, const
 		return NULL;
 
 	if (color == NULL) color = settings_get_str("hilight_color");
+	if (isalpha((int) *color)) {
+		/* color was specified with it's name - try to convert it */
+		colornum = mirc_color_name(color);
+		if (colornum <= 0) colornum = 16;
+
+		ltoa(number, colornum);
+		color = number;
+	}
 	return g_strconcat(isdigit(*color) ? "\003" : "", color, NULL);
 }
 
 static void sig_print_text_stripped(WINDOW_REC *window, SERVER_REC *server, const char *channel, gpointer plevel, const char *str)
 {
 	char *newstr, *color;
-	int level;
+	int level, oldlevel;
 
 	g_return_if_fail(str != NULL);
 
@@ -196,7 +253,17 @@ static void sig_print_text_stripped(WINDOW_REC *window, SERVER_REC *server, cons
 	if (level & (MSGLEVEL_NOHILIGHT|MSGLEVEL_HILIGHT)) return;
 
 	color = hilight_match(channel, NULL, level, str);
-        if (color == NULL) return;
+	if (color == NULL) return;
+
+	if (*color == 3) {
+		/* colorify */
+                window->last_color = atoi(color+1);
+	}
+
+	oldlevel = window->new_data;
+	window->new_data = NEWDATA_HILIGHT;
+	signal_emit("window hilight", 2, window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
+	signal_emit("window activity", 2, window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
 
 	hilight_next = FALSE;
 
@@ -208,6 +275,8 @@ static void sig_print_text_stripped(WINDOW_REC *window, SERVER_REC *server, cons
 	g_free(newstr);
 
 	hilight_next = TRUE;
+
+	g_free_not_null(color);
 }
 
 static void read_hilight_config(void)
@@ -241,7 +310,8 @@ static void read_hilight_config(void)
 		rec->color = color == NULL || *color == '\0' ? NULL :
 			g_strdup(color);
 		rec->level = config_node_get_int(node, "level", 0);
-		rec->nickmask = config_node_get_bool(node, "nickmask", FALSE);
+		rec->nick = config_node_get_bool(node, "nick", TRUE);
+		rec->nickmask = config_node_get_bool(node, "mask", FALSE);
 		rec->fullword = config_node_get_bool(node, "fullword", FALSE);
 		rec->regexp = config_node_get_bool(node, "regexp", FALSE);
 
@@ -286,7 +356,7 @@ static void cmd_hilight_show(void)
 
 static void cmd_hilight(const char *data)
 {
-	/* /HILIGHT [-nick] [-mask | -regexp | -word] [-color <color>] [-level <level>] [-channels <channels>] <text> */
+	/* /HILIGHT [-nick | -nonick] [-mask | -regexp | -word] [-color <color>] [-level <level>] [-channels <channels>] <text> */
         GHashTable *optlist;
 	HILIGHT_REC *rec;
 	char *colorarg, *levelarg, *chanarg, *text;
@@ -328,7 +398,9 @@ static void cmd_hilight(const char *data)
 	}
 
 	hilights = g_slist_append(hilights, rec);
-	rec->nick = g_hash_table_lookup(optlist, "nick") != NULL;
+	rec->nick = settings_get_bool("hilight_only_nick") ?
+		g_hash_table_lookup(optlist, "nonick") == NULL :
+		g_hash_table_lookup(optlist, "nick") != NULL;
 	rec->nickmask = g_hash_table_lookup(optlist, "mask") != NULL;
 	rec->fullword = g_hash_table_lookup(optlist, "word") != NULL;
 	rec->regexp = g_hash_table_lookup(optlist, "regexp") != NULL;
@@ -373,6 +445,7 @@ void hilight_text_init(void)
 
 	read_hilight_config();
 	settings_add_str("misc", "hilight_color", "8");
+	settings_add_bool("misc", "hilight_only_nick", TRUE);
 
 	signal_add_first("print text", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_print_text);
 	signal_add_first("print text stripped", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_print_text_stripped);
@@ -380,7 +453,7 @@ void hilight_text_init(void)
 	command_bind("hilight", NULL, (SIGNAL_FUNC) cmd_hilight);
 	command_bind("dehilight", NULL, (SIGNAL_FUNC) cmd_dehilight);
 
-	command_set_options("hilight", "-color -level -channels nick mask word regexp");
+	command_set_options("hilight", "-color -level -channels nick nonick mask word regexp");
 }
 
 void hilight_text_deinit(void)
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/window-activity.c b/src/fe-common/core/window-activity.c
index 459e3a1a..1f18b12f 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/window-activity.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/window-activity.c
@@ -39,15 +39,16 @@ static void sig_hilight_text(WINDOW_REC *window, SERVER_REC *server, const char
 		return;
 
 	new_data = (level & MSGLEVEL_HILIGHT) ?
-		NEWDATA_MSG_FORYOU : NEWDATA_TEXT;
+		NEWDATA_HILIGHT : NEWDATA_TEXT;
 
-	if (new_data < NEWDATA_MSG_FORYOU &&
+	if (new_data < NEWDATA_HILIGHT &&
 	    channel != NULL && find_substr(noact_channels, channel))
 		return;
 
 	oldlevel = window->new_data;
 	if (window->new_data < new_data) {
 		window->new_data = new_data;
+		window->last_color = 0;
 		signal_emit("window hilight", 1, window);
 	}
 
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ static void sig_dehilight(WINDOW_REC *window, WI_ITEM_REC *item)
 
 	if (item != NULL && item->new_data != 0) {
 		item->new_data = 0;
+		item->last_color = 0;
 		signal_emit("window item hilight", 1, item);
 	}
 }
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ static void sig_dehilight_window(WINDOW_REC *window)
 	if (window->new_data != 0) {
 		oldlevel = window->new_data;
 		window->new_data = 0;
+		window->last_color = 0;
 		signal_emit("window hilight", 2, window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
 	}
 	signal_emit("window activity", 2, window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
@@ -89,21 +92,25 @@ static void sig_hilight_window_item(WI_ITEM_REC *item)
 {
 	WINDOW_REC *window;
 	GSList *tmp;
-	int level, oldlevel;
+	int level, oldlevel, color;
 
-	if (item->new_data < NEWDATA_MSG_FORYOU &&
+	if (item->new_data < NEWDATA_HILIGHT &&
 	    find_substr(noact_channels, item->name))
 		return;
 
-	window = window_item_window(item); level = 0;
+	window = window_item_window(item); level = 0; color = 0;
 	for (tmp = window->items; tmp != NULL; tmp = tmp->next) {
 		item = tmp->data;
 
-		if (item->new_data > level)
+		if (item->new_data > level) {
 			level = item->new_data;
+			color = item->last_color;
+		}
 	}
 
 	oldlevel = window->new_data;
+	if (level == MSGLEVEL_HILIGHT)
+		window->last_color = color;
 	if (window->new_data < level || level == 0) {
 		window->new_data = level;
 		signal_emit("window hilight", 2, window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/windows.h b/src/fe-common/core/windows.h
index 69f292e4..a74f575d 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/windows.h
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/windows.h
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 enum {
 	NEWDATA_TEXT = 1,
 	NEWDATA_MSG,
-	NEWDATA_MSG_FORYOU,
+        NEWDATA_HILIGHT,
 	NEWDATA_CUSTOM
 };
 
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	char *name;
 
 	int new_data;
+	int last_color; /* if NEWDATA_HILIGHT is set, color number could be specified here */
 } WI_ITEM_REC;
 
 typedef struct {
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ typedef struct {
 
 	int level;
 	int new_data;
+	int last_color;
 	time_t last_timestamp; /* When was last timestamp printed */
 	time_t last_line; /* When was last line printed */
 
diff --git a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-common-irc.c b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-common-irc.c
index 83f20899..25f4886b 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-common-irc.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-common-irc.c
@@ -61,15 +61,18 @@ void fe_ignore_deinit(void);
 void fe_query_init(void);
 void fe_query_deinit(void);
 
-void irc_window_activity_init(void);
-void irc_window_activity_deinit(void);
-
 void irc_completion_init(void);
 void irc_completion_deinit(void);
 
 void fe_netsplit_init(void);
 void fe_netsplit_deinit(void);
 
+void irc_hilight_text_init(void);
+void irc_hilight_text_deinit(void);
+
+void irc_window_activity_init(void);
+void irc_window_activity_deinit(void);
+
 static char *autocon_server;
 static char *autocon_password;
 static int autocon_port;
@@ -115,6 +118,7 @@ void fe_common_irc_init(void)
 	fe_netsplit_init();
 	fe_query_init();
 	irc_completion_init();
+	irc_hilight_text_init();
 	irc_window_activity_init();
 
 	fe_irc_modules_init();
@@ -135,6 +139,7 @@ void fe_common_irc_deinit(void)
 	fe_netsplit_deinit();
 	fe_query_deinit();
 	irc_completion_deinit();
+	irc_hilight_text_deinit();
 	irc_window_activity_deinit();
 
 	theme_unregister();
diff --git a/src/fe-common/irc/irc-hilight-text.c b/src/fe-common/irc/irc-hilight-text.c
index 7c8a46be..7969f7d4 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/irc/irc-hilight-text.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/irc/irc-hilight-text.c
@@ -19,10 +19,13 @@
 */
 
 #include "module.h"
+#include "signals.h"
 #include "settings.h"
 
 #include "hilight-text.h"
 
+static int last_color;
+
 char *irc_hilight_find_nick(const char *channel, const char *nick,
 			    const char *address, int level, const char *msg)
 {
@@ -32,6 +35,28 @@ char *irc_hilight_find_nick(const char *channel, const char *nick,
 	color = hilight_match(channel, mask, level, msg);
 	g_free(mask);
 
+	last_color = (color != NULL && *color == 3) ?
+		atoi(color+1) : 0;
 	return color;
 }
 
+int irc_hilight_last_color(void)
+{
+	return last_color;
+}
+
+static void event_privmsg(void)
+{
+        last_color = 0;
+}
+
+void irc_hilight_text_init(void)
+{
+	last_color = 0;
+	signal_add_last("event privmsg", (SIGNAL_FUNC) event_privmsg);
+}
+
+void irc_hilight_text_deinit(void)
+{
+	signal_remove("event privmsg", (SIGNAL_FUNC) event_privmsg);
+}
diff --git a/src/fe-common/irc/irc-hilight-text.h b/src/fe-common/irc/irc-hilight-text.h
index 243ec653..9d2b1b3d 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/irc/irc-hilight-text.h
+++ b/src/fe-common/irc/irc-hilight-text.h
@@ -4,4 +4,6 @@
 char *irc_hilight_find_nick(const char *channel, const char *nick,
 			    const char *address, int level, const char *msg);
 
+int irc_hilight_last_color(void);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/fe-common/irc/irc-window-activity.c b/src/fe-common/irc/irc-window-activity.c
index 765939ff..6fd433a9 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/irc/irc-window-activity.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/irc/irc-window-activity.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "completion.h"
 #include "windows.h"
 #include "window-items.h"
+#include "irc-hilight-text.h"
 
 static void event_privmsg(const char *data, IRC_SERVER_REC *server, const char *nick, const char *addr)
 {
@@ -53,9 +54,10 @@ static void event_privmsg(const char *data, IRC_SERVER_REC *server, const char *
 	   that it didn't get ignored */
         if (window != active_win && !ignore_check(server, nick, addr, target, msg, level)) {
                 /* hilight */
-		level = !ischannel(*target) ||
+		item->last_color = irc_hilight_last_color();
+		level = item->last_color > 0 || !ischannel(*target) ||
 			irc_nick_match(server->nick, msg) ?
-			NEWDATA_MSG_FORYOU : NEWDATA_MSG;
+			NEWDATA_HILIGHT : NEWDATA_MSG;
 		if (item != NULL && item->new_data < level) {
 			item->new_data = level;
 			signal_emit("window item hilight", 1, item);
@@ -64,6 +66,7 @@ static void event_privmsg(const char *data, IRC_SERVER_REC *server, const char *
 
 			if (window->new_data < level) {
 				window->new_data = level;
+				window->last_color = irc_hilight_last_color();
 				signal_emit("window hilight", 2, window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
 			}
 			signal_emit("window activity", 2, window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
diff --git a/src/fe-text/gui-printtext.c b/src/fe-text/gui-printtext.c
index e80afa19..07f63ee9 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/gui-printtext.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/gui-printtext.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
 #define TEXT_CHUNK_USABLE_SIZE (LINE_TEXT_CHUNK_SIZE-2-sizeof(char*))
 
-static int mirc_colors[] = { 15, 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 5, 4, 14, 10, 3, 11, 9, 13, 8, 7, 15 };
+int mirc_colors[] = { 15, 0, 1, 2, 12, 6, 5, 4, 14, 10, 3, 11, 9, 13, 8, 7, 15 };
 static int scrollback_lines, scrollback_hours;
 
 #define mark_temp_eol(text) \
diff --git a/src/fe-text/gui-printtext.h b/src/fe-text/gui-printtext.h
index 6c6e24d9..aeeb5cce 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/gui-printtext.h
+++ b/src/fe-text/gui-printtext.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ enum
     NUM_COLORS
 };
 
+extern int mirc_colors[];
+
 void gui_printtext_init(void);
 void gui_printtext_deinit(void);
 
diff --git a/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c b/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
index 12c8b75a..4705cc64 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ static void draw_activity(gchar *title, gboolean act, gboolean det)
     {
 	window = tmp->data;
 
-	is_det = window->new_data == NEWDATA_MSG_FORYOU;
+	is_det = window->new_data >= NEWDATA_HILIGHT;
 	if (is_det && !det) continue;
 	if (!is_det && !act) continue;
 
@@ -342,14 +342,14 @@ static void draw_activity(gchar *title, gboolean act, gboolean det)
 	ltoa(str, window->refnum);
 	switch (window->new_data)
 	{
-	    case NEWDATA_TEXT:
+	case NEWDATA_TEXT:
 		set_color((1 << 4)+3);
 		break;
-	    case NEWDATA_MSG:
+	case NEWDATA_MSG:
 		set_color((1 << 4)+15);
 		break;
-	    case NEWDATA_MSG_FORYOU:
-		set_color((1 << 4)+13);
+	case NEWDATA_HILIGHT:
+		set_color((1 << 4) + (window->last_color > 0 ? mirc_colors[window->last_color] : 13));
 		break;
 	}
 	addstr(str);
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ static void statusbar_activity(SBAR_ITEM_REC *item, int ypos)
 
 	size_needed += 1+ltoa(str, window->refnum);
 
-	if (!use_colors && window->new_data == NEWDATA_MSG_FORYOU)
+	if (!use_colors && window->new_data >= NEWDATA_HILIGHT)
 	    det = TRUE;
 	else
 	    act = TRUE;