diff --git a/rc/clang.kak b/rc/clang.kak
index 8bd24d52..eff8e2f3 100644
--- a/rc/clang.kak
+++ b/rc/clang.kak
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ decl str clang_options
 
 decl -hidden str clang_tmp_dir
 decl -hidden str-list clang_completions
-decl -hidden line-flag-list clang_flags
+decl -hidden line-flags clang_flags
 decl -hidden str clang_errors
 
 def clang-parse -params 0..1 -docstring "Parse the contents of the current buffer with clang" %{
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def clang-parse -params 0..1 -docstring "Parse the contents of the current buffe
 
             sed -e "s|<stdin>|${kak_bufname}|g" < ${dir}/stderr > ${dir}/fifo
 
-            echo "set 'buffer=${kak_buffile}' clang_flags %{${flags}}
+            echo "set 'buffer=${kak_buffile}' clang_flags %{${kak_timestamp}:${flags}}
                   set 'buffer=${kak_buffile}' clang_errors '${errors}'" | kak -p ${kak_session}
         ) > /dev/null 2>&1 < /dev/null &
     }
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ def -allow-override -hidden clang-show-error-info %{ %sh{
 } }
 
 def clang-enable-diagnostics -docstring "Activate automatic diagnostics of the code by clang" %{
-    addhl flag_lines default clang_flags
+    addhl flag_lines default clang_flags'
     hook window -group clang-diagnostics NormalIdle .* %{ clang-show-error-info }
 }
 
diff --git a/rc/git-tools.kak b/rc/git-tools.kak
index f81339b6..8aeb7741 100644
--- a/rc/git-tools.kak
+++ b/rc/git-tools.kak
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!git-status).* %{
     rmhl git-status-highlight
 }
 
-decl line-flag-list git_blame_flags
-decl line-flag-list git_diff_flags
+decl line-flags git_blame_flags
+decl line-flags git_diff_flags
 
 face GitBlame default,magenta
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def -params 1.. \
         (
             echo "eval -client '$kak_client' %{
                       try %{ addhl flag_lines GitBlame git_blame_flags }
-                      set buffer=$kak_bufname git_blame_flags ''
+                      set buffer=$kak_bufname git_blame_flags '$kak_timestamp'
                   }" | kak -p ${kak_session}
                   git blame "$@" --incremental ${kak_buffile} | awk -e '
                   function send_flags(text, flag, i) {
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ def -params 1.. \
                           flag=flag ":" line+i "|default|" text
                       }
                       cmd = "kak -p " ENVIRON["kak_session"]
-                      print "set -add buffer=" ENVIRON["kak_bufname"] " git_blame_flags %{" flag "}" | cmd
+                      print "set -add buffer=" ENVIRON["kak_bufname"] " git_blame_flags %{:" flag "}" | cmd
                       close(cmd)
                   }
                   /^([0-9a-f]{40}) ([0-9]+) ([0-9]+) ([0-9]+)/ {
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ def -params 1.. \
         git diff -U0 $kak_buffile | awk -e '
             BEGIN {
                 line=0
-                flags="0|red|."
+                flags=ENVIRON["kak_timestamp"]
             }
             /^---.*/ {}
             /^@@ -[0-9]+(,[0-9]+)? \+[0-9]+(,[0-9]+)? @@.*/ {
diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index d468dc59..dcee70cd 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -1104,7 +1104,7 @@ const CommandDesc declare_option_cmd = {
     "    regex: regular expression\n"
     "    int-list: list of integers\n"
     "    str-list: list of character strings\n"
-    "    line-flag-list: list of line flags\n",
+    "    line-flags: list of line flags\n",
     ParameterDesc{
         { { "hidden",    { false, "do not display option name when completing" } },
           { "docstring", { true,  "specify option description" } } },
@@ -1136,8 +1136,8 @@ const CommandDesc declare_option_cmd = {
             opt = &reg.declare_option<Vector<int, MemoryDomain::Options>>(parser[1], docstring, {}, flags);
         else if (parser[0] == "str-list")
             opt = &reg.declare_option<Vector<String, MemoryDomain::Options>>(parser[1], docstring, {}, flags);
-        else if (parser[0] == "line-flag-list")
-            opt = &reg.declare_option<Vector<LineAndFlag, MemoryDomain::Options>>(parser[1], docstring, {}, flags);
+        else if (parser[0] == "line-flags")
+            opt = &reg.declare_option<TimestampedList<LineAndFlag>>(parser[1], docstring, {}, flags);
         else
             throw runtime_error(format("unknown type {}", parser[0]));
 
diff --git a/src/highlighters.cc b/src/highlighters.cc
index 68f0bdb5..28e36660 100644
--- a/src/highlighters.cc
+++ b/src/highlighters.cc
@@ -904,13 +904,44 @@ HighlighterAndId create_flag_lines_highlighter(HighlighterParameters params)
     get_face(default_face); // validate param
 
     // throw if wrong option type
-    GlobalScope::instance().options()[option_name].get<Vector<LineAndFlag, MemoryDomain::Options>>();
+    GlobalScope::instance().options()[option_name].get<TimestampedList<LineAndFlag>>();
 
     auto func = [=](const Context& context, HighlightFlags flags,
                     DisplayBuffer& display_buffer, BufferRange)
     {
-        auto& lines_opt = context.options()[option_name];
-        auto& lines = lines_opt.get<Vector<LineAndFlag, MemoryDomain::Options>>();
+        auto& line_flags = context.options()[option_name].get_mutable<TimestampedList<LineAndFlag>>();
+        auto& lines = line_flags.list;
+
+        auto& buffer = context.buffer();
+        if (line_flags.timestamp != buffer.timestamp())
+        {
+            std::sort(lines.begin(), lines.end(),
+                      [](const LineAndFlag& lhs, const LineAndFlag& rhs)
+                      { return std::get<0>(lhs) < std::get<0>(rhs); });
+
+            auto modifs = compute_line_modifications(buffer, line_flags.timestamp);
+            auto ins_pos = lines.begin();
+            for (auto it = lines.begin(); it != lines.end(); ++it)
+            {
+                auto& line = std::get<0>(*it); // that line is 1 based as it comes from user side
+                auto modif_it = std::upper_bound(modifs.begin(), modifs.end(), line-1,
+                                                 [](const LineCount& l, const LineModification& c)
+                                                 { return l < c.old_line; });
+                if (modif_it != modifs.begin())
+                {
+                    auto& prev = *(modif_it-1);
+                    if (line-1 < prev.old_line + prev.num_removed)
+                        continue; // line removed
+
+                    line += prev.diff();
+                }
+
+                if (ins_pos != it)
+                    *ins_pos = std::move(*it);
+                ++ins_pos;
+            }
+            line_flags.timestamp = buffer.timestamp();
+        }
 
         auto def_face = get_face(default_face);
 
diff --git a/src/option_manager.hh b/src/option_manager.hh
index 8e21808c..6c4dce18 100644
--- a/src/option_manager.hh
+++ b/src/option_manager.hh
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ public:
     virtual ~Option() = default;
 
     template<typename T> const T& get() const;
+    template<typename T> T& get_mutable();
     template<typename T> void set(const T& val, bool notify=true);
     template<typename T> bool is_of_type() const;
 
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@ public:
         }
     }
     const T& get() const { return m_value; }
+    T& get_mutable() { return m_value; }
 
     String get_as_string() const override
     {
@@ -167,6 +169,11 @@ template<typename T> const T& Option::get() const
     return typed_opt->get();
 }
 
+template<typename T> T& Option::get_mutable()
+{
+    return const_cast<T&>(get<T>());
+}
+
 template<typename T> void Option::set(const T& val, bool notify)
 {
     auto* typed_opt = dynamic_cast<TypedOption<T>*>(this);
diff --git a/src/option_types.hh b/src/option_types.hh
index 12f5e4fd..73a8bcfb 100644
--- a/src/option_types.hh
+++ b/src/option_types.hh
@@ -223,6 +223,45 @@ constexpr Array<EnumDesc<DebugFlags>, 3> enum_desc(DebugFlags)
     } };
 }
 
+template<typename T>
+struct TimestampedList
+{
+    size_t timestamp;
+    Vector<T, MemoryDomain::Options> list;
+};
+
+template<typename T>
+inline bool operator==(const TimestampedList<T>& lhs, const TimestampedList<T>& rhs)
+{
+    return lhs.timestamp == rhs.timestamp and lhs.list == rhs.list;
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+inline bool operator!=(const TimestampedList<T>& lhs, const TimestampedList<T>& rhs)
+{
+    return not (lhs == rhs);
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+inline String option_to_string(const TimestampedList<T>& opt)
+{
+    return format("{}:{}", opt.timestamp, option_to_string(opt.list));
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+inline void option_from_string(StringView str, TimestampedList<T>& opt)
+{
+    auto it = find(str, ':');
+    opt.timestamp = str_to_int({str.begin(), it});
+    option_from_string({it+1, str.end()}, opt.list);
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+inline bool option_add(TimestampedList<T>& opt, StringView str)
+{
+    return option_add(opt.list, str);
+}
+
 }
 
 #endif // option_types_hh_INCLUDED