diff --git a/src/window.cc b/src/window.cc
index 2af9564c..966ffdb6 100644
--- a/src/window.cc
+++ b/src/window.cc
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "assert.hh"
 #include "highlighter_registry.hh"
+#include "highlighters.hh"
 #include "hooks_manager.hh"
 
 #include <algorithm>
@@ -402,6 +403,21 @@ void Window::remove_highlighter(const std::string& id)
     m_highlighters.remove(id);
 }
 
+HighlighterGroup& Window::get_highlighter_group(const std::string& id)
+{
+    auto group_it = m_highlighters.find(id);
+
+    if (group_it == m_highlighters.end())
+        throw runtime_error("no such group id " + id);
+
+    HighlighterGroup* group = group_it->second.target<HighlighterGroup>();
+
+    if (not group)
+        throw runtime_error("not a group " + id);
+
+    return *group;
+}
+
 CandidateList Window::complete_highlighterid(const std::string& prefix,
                                              size_t cursor_pos)
 {
diff --git a/src/window.hh b/src/window.hh
index fa367c53..da49c0d1 100644
--- a/src/window.hh
+++ b/src/window.hh
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ private:
 typedef std::vector<Selection> SelectionList;
 
 class IncrementalInserter;
+class HighlighterGroup;
 
 // A Window is an editing view onto a Buffer
 //
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ public:
 
     void add_highlighter(HighlighterAndId&& highlighter);
     void remove_highlighter(const std::string& id);
+    HighlighterGroup& get_highlighter_group(const std::string& id);
 
     CandidateList complete_highlighterid(const std::string& prefix,
                                          size_t cursor_pos = std::string::npos);