diff --git a/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh b/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
index ade7907..02d7225 100644
--- a/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
+++ b/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
@@ -338,6 +338,9 @@ _zsh_highlight_main_highlighter()
 
     # Parse the sudo command line
     if (( ! in_redirection )); then
+      if [[ $this_word == *':sudo_opt:'* ]] && [[ $arg != -* ]]; then
+        this_word=${this_word//:sudo_opt:/}
+      fi
       if [[ $this_word == *':sudo_opt:'* ]]; then
         case "$arg" in
           # Flag that requires an argument
diff --git a/highlighters/main/test-data/sudo-command.zsh b/highlighters/main/test-data/sudo-command.zsh
index 4f8909e..3183a23 100644
--- a/highlighters/main/test-data/sudo-command.zsh
+++ b/highlighters/main/test-data/sudo-command.zsh
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 # * -i  (no argument)
 # * -C3 (pasted argument)
 # * -u otheruser (non-pasted argument)
-BUFFER='sudo -C3 -u otheruser -i ls /; sudo ; sudo -u ;'
+BUFFER='sudo -C3 -u otheruser -i ls /; sudo ; sudo -u ; sudo notacommand'
 
 expected_region_highlight=(
   "1 4 precommand" # sudo
@@ -43,4 +43,5 @@ expected_region_highlight=(
   "29 29 path" # /
   "37 37 unknown-token" # ;, error because empty command
   "47 47 unknown-token" # ;, error because incomplete command
+  "54 64 unknown-token" # notacommand - doesn't falls back to "not a command word" codepath
 )