diff --git a/src/highlighters.cc b/src/highlighters.cc
index fb8a45c8..dff32928 100644
--- a/src/highlighters.cc
+++ b/src/highlighters.cc
@@ -1212,10 +1212,6 @@ static void update_line_specs_ifn(const Buffer& buffer, LineAndSpecList& line_fl
 
     auto& lines = line_flags.list;
 
-    std::sort(lines.begin(), lines.end(),
-              [](const LineAndSpec& lhs, const LineAndSpec& rhs)
-              { return std::get<0>(lhs) < std::get<0>(rhs); });
-
     auto modifs = compute_line_modifications(buffer, line_flags.prefix);
     auto ins_pos = lines.begin();
     for (auto it = lines.begin(); it != lines.end(); ++it)
@@ -1246,6 +1242,13 @@ void option_update(LineAndSpecList& opt, const Context& context)
     update_line_specs_ifn(context.buffer(), opt);
 }
 
+void option_list_postprocess(Vector<LineAndSpec, MemoryDomain::Options>& opt)
+{
+    std::sort(opt.begin(), opt.end(),
+              [](auto& lhs, auto& rhs)
+              { return std::get<0>(lhs) < std::get<0>(rhs); });
+}
+
 struct FlagLinesHighlighter : Highlighter
 {
     FlagLinesHighlighter(String option_name, String default_face)
@@ -1404,6 +1407,16 @@ static void update_ranges_ifn(const Buffer& buffer, RangeAndStringList& range_an
     range_and_faces.prefix = buffer.timestamp();
 }
 
+void option_list_postprocess(Vector<RangeAndString, MemoryDomain::Options>& opt)
+{
+    std::sort(opt.begin(), opt.end(),
+              [](auto& lhs, auto& rhs) {
+        return std::get<0>(lhs).first == std::get<0>(rhs).first ?
+            std::get<0>(lhs).last < std::get<0>(rhs).last
+          : std::get<0>(lhs).first < std::get<0>(rhs).first;
+    });
+}
+
 void option_update(RangeAndStringList& opt, const Context& context)
 {
     update_ranges_ifn(context.buffer(), opt);
diff --git a/src/highlighters.hh b/src/highlighters.hh
index cae0d63e..69979e32 100644
--- a/src/highlighters.hh
+++ b/src/highlighters.hh
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ constexpr StringView option_type_name(Meta::Type<LineAndSpecList>)
     return "line-specs";
 }
 void option_update(LineAndSpecList& opt, const Context& context);
+void option_list_postprocess(Vector<LineAndSpec, MemoryDomain::Options>& opt);
 
 using RangeAndString = std::tuple<InclusiveBufferRange, String>;
 using RangeAndStringList = TimestampedList<RangeAndString>;
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ constexpr StringView option_type_name(Meta::Type<RangeAndStringList>)
     return "range-specs";
 }
 void option_update(RangeAndStringList& opt, const Context& context);
+void option_list_postprocess(Vector<RangeAndString, MemoryDomain::Options>& opt);
 
 }
 
diff --git a/src/option_types.hh b/src/option_types.hh
index 0433d4d9..34e712ee 100644
--- a/src/option_types.hh
+++ b/src/option_types.hh
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@ String option_to_string(const Vector<T, domain>& opt)
                 list_separator);
 }
 
+template<typename T, MemoryDomain domain>
+void option_list_postprocess(Vector<T, domain>& opt)
+{}
+
 template<typename T, MemoryDomain domain>
 void option_from_string(StringView str, Vector<T, domain>& opt)
 {
@@ -85,6 +89,7 @@ void option_from_string(StringView str, Vector<T, domain>& opt)
         option_from_string(elem, opt_elem);
         opt.push_back(opt_elem);
     }
+    option_list_postprocess(opt);
 }
 
 template<typename T, MemoryDomain domain>
@@ -95,6 +100,7 @@ bool option_add(Vector<T, domain>& opt, StringView str)
     opt.insert(opt.end(),
                std::make_move_iterator(vec.begin()),
                std::make_move_iterator(vec.end()));
+    option_list_postprocess(opt);
     return not vec.empty();
 }