diff --git a/lib/awful/prompt.lua b/lib/awful/prompt.lua
index 5dac8164..25882169 100644
--- a/lib/awful/prompt.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/prompt.lua
@@ -83,6 +83,12 @@
 --
 -- @DOC_wibox_awidget_prompt_keypress_EXAMPLE@
 --
+-- **highlighting**:
+--
+-- The prompt also support custom highlighters:
+--
+-- @DOC_wibox_awidget_prompt_highlight_EXAMPLE@
+--
 -- @author Julien Danjou <julien@danjou.info>
 -- @copyright 2008 Julien Danjou
 -- @module awful.prompt
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/awidget/prompt/highlight.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/awidget/prompt/highlight.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1c273d80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/awidget/prompt/highlight.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+local parent    = ... --DOC_NO_USAGE --DOC_HIDE
+local wibox     = require( "wibox"     ) --DOC_HIDE
+local awful     = { prompt = require("awful.prompt") }--DOC_HIDE
+local beautiful = require( "beautiful" ) --DOC_HIDE
+
+    local amp = "&amp"..string.char(0x3B)
+    local quot = "&quot"..string.char(0x3B)
+
+    local atextbox = wibox.widget.textbox()
+
+    -- Create a shortcut function
+    local function echo_test()
+        awful.prompt.run {
+            prompt       = "<b>Echo: </b>",
+            text         = 'a_very "nice" $SHELL && command', --DOC_HIDE
+            bg_cursor    = "#ff0000",
+            -- To use the default `rc.lua` prompt:
+            --textbox      = mouse.screen.mypromptbox.widget,
+            textbox      = atextbox,
+            highlighter  = function(b, a)
+                -- Add a random marker to delimitate the cursor
+                local cmd = b.."ZZZCURSORZZZ"..a
+
+                -- Find shell variables
+                local sub = "<span foreground='#CFBA5D'>%1</span>"
+                cmd = cmd:gsub("($[A-Za-z][a-zA-Z0-9]*)", sub)
+
+                -- Highlight " && "
+                sub = "<span foreground='#159040'>%1</span>"
+                cmd = cmd:gsub("( "..amp..amp..")", sub)
+
+                -- Highlight double quotes
+                local quote_pos = cmd:find("[^\\]"..quot)
+                while quote_pos do
+                    local old_pos = quote_pos
+                    quote_pos = cmd:find("[^\\]"..quot, old_pos+2)
+
+                    if quote_pos then
+                        local content = cmd:sub(old_pos+1, quote_pos+6)
+                        cmd = table.concat({
+                                cmd:sub(1, old_pos),
+                                "<span foreground='#2977CF'>",
+                                content,
+                                "</span>",
+                                cmd:sub(quote_pos+7, #cmd)
+                        }, "")
+                        quote_pos = cmd:find("[^\\]"..quot, old_pos+38)
+                    end
+                end
+
+                -- Split the string back to the original content
+                -- (ignore the recursive and escaped ones)
+                local pos = cmd:find("ZZZCURSORZZZ")
+                b,a = cmd:sub(1, pos-1), cmd:sub(pos+12, #cmd)
+                return b,a
+            end,
+        }
+    end
+
+echo_test() --DOC_HIDE
+
+parent:add( wibox.widget {    --DOC_HIDE
+    atextbox,  --DOC_HIDE
+    bg = beautiful.bg_normal,  --DOC_HIDE
+    widget = wibox.container.background  --DOC_HIDE
+}) --DOC_HIDE