diff --git a/autoload/youcompleteme.vim b/autoload/youcompleteme.vim
index f525316dcb..1be36bb6e4 100644
--- a/autoload/youcompleteme.vim
+++ b/autoload/youcompleteme.vim
@@ -512,6 +512,21 @@ function! s:SetUpSyntaxHighlighting()
           \ 'combine': 0,
           \ 'override': 1 } )
   endif
+
+  if !hlexists( 'YcmErrorPopup' )
+    if hlexists( 'ErrorMsg' )
+      highlight default link YcmErrorPopup ErrorMsg
+    else
+      highlight default link YcmErrorPopup SpellBad
+    endif
+  endif
+  if s:PropertyTypeNotDefined( 'YcmErrorProperty' )
+    call prop_type_add( 'YcmErrorProperty', {
+          \ 'highlight': 'YcmErrorPopup',
+          \ 'priority': 30,
+          \ 'combine': 0,
+          \ 'override': 1 } )
+  endif
 endfunction
 
 
diff --git a/python/ycm/youcompleteme.py b/python/ycm/youcompleteme.py
index 5d9ac6cd15..d7eb18862b 100644
--- a/python/ycm/youcompleteme.py
+++ b/python/ycm/youcompleteme.py
@@ -849,7 +849,7 @@ def ShowDetailedDiagnostic( self, message_in_popup ):
           'maxwidth': available_columns,
           'close': 'click',
           'fixed': 0,
-          'highlight': 'ErrorMsg',
+          'highlight': 'YcmErrorPopup',
           'border': [ 1, 1, 1, 1 ],
           # Close when moving cursor
           'moved': 'expr',