diff --git a/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh b/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
index cb7e55c..92ddda1 100644
--- a/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
+++ b/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
@@ -497,8 +497,11 @@ _zsh_highlight_main_highlighter()
       # The redirection mechanism assumes $this_word describes the word
       # following the redirection.  Make it so.
       #
+      # That word can be a command word with shortloops (`repeat 2 ls`)
+      # or a command separator (`repeat 2; ls` or `repeat 2; do ls; done`).
+      #
       # The repeat-count word will be handled like a redirection target.
-      this_word=':start:'
+      this_word=':start::regular:'
     fi
     start_pos=$end_pos
     (( in_redirection == 0 )) && this_word=$next_word
diff --git a/highlighters/main/test-data/control-flow2.zsh b/highlighters/main/test-data/control-flow2.zsh
index 3871adb..acf99e1 100644
--- a/highlighters/main/test-data/control-flow2.zsh
+++ b/highlighters/main/test-data/control-flow2.zsh
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ BUFFER='repeat 42; do ls; done'
 expected_region_highlight+=(
   "1 6 reserved-word" # repeat
   "8 9 default" # 42
-  "10 10 commandseparator 'issue #290'" # ;
+  "10 10 commandseparator" # ;
   "12 13 reserved-word" # do
   "15 16 command" # ls
   "17 17 commandseparator" # ;