diff --git a/ask.c b/ask.c
index 22d329f..8dfee8e 100644
--- a/ask.c
+++ b/ask.c
@@ -87,35 +87,37 @@ static int fputc_escaped(char c, FILE *out)
     }
 }
 
-static int draw_line(FILE *out, const char *line, const char *patt, int cursor)
+static int draw_line(FILE *out, const char *option, const char *patt, int cursor)
 {
-    size_t linelen = strlen(line), patlen = strlen(patt);
-    int dim = 0;
-    int p = 0;
-    int run = 0;
+    static const char *dim = "\033[22;2m", *bold = "\033[22;1m", *normal = "\033[22m";
+    fputs(normal, out);
+    const char *state = normal;
+    const char *matchstyle = option ? bold : normal;
+    if (!option) option = patt;
+    size_t linelen = strlen(option), patlen = strlen(patt);
+    int p = 0, run = 0;
     int *cache = calloc((linelen+1)*(patlen+1), sizeof(int));
-    int backtrack = 0;
-    int to_start = 0;
+    int backtrack = 0, to_start = 0;
     for (int i = 0; i < (int)linelen; i++) {
-        if (EQ(patt[p], line[i]) &&
-            run + lcs(line,patt,(int)linelen,(int)patlen,i,p,cache)
-            >= lcs(line,patt,(int)linelen,(int)patlen,i+1,p,cache)) {
-            if (dim) {
-                fputs("\033[22;1m", out);
-                dim = 0;
+        if (EQ(patt[p], option[i]) &&
+            run + lcs(option,patt,(int)linelen,(int)patlen,i,p,cache)
+            >= lcs(option,patt,(int)linelen,(int)patlen,i+1,p,cache)) {
+            if (state != matchstyle) {
+                fputs(matchstyle, out);
+                state = matchstyle;
             }
-            int len = fputc_escaped(line[i], out);
+            int len = fputc_escaped(option[i], out);
             if (p >= cursor) backtrack += len;
             else to_start += len;
             ++run;
             ++p;
         } else {
             run = 0;
-            if (!dim) {
-                fputs("\033[22;2m", out);
-                dim = 1;
+            if (state != dim) {
+                fputs(dim, out);
+                state = dim;
             }
-            int len = fputc_escaped(line[i], out);
+            int len = fputc_escaped(option[i], out);
             if (p >= cursor) backtrack += len;
             else to_start += len;
         }
@@ -175,11 +177,7 @@ static char *get_input(FILE *in, FILE *out, const char *prompt, const char *init
             fputs("\033[0m", out);
             backtrack = 1;
         } else {
-            if (picked) {
-                backtrack = draw_line(out, picked, buf, b);
-            } else {
-                backtrack = draw_line(out, buf, buf, b);
-            }
+            backtrack = draw_line(out, picked, buf, b);
         }
         fflush(out);
         int key;