diff --git a/docs/highlighters/main.md b/docs/highlighters/main.md
index 37e7d13..5eec335 100644
--- a/docs/highlighters/main.md
+++ b/docs/highlighters/main.md
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ This highlighter defines the following styles:
 * `precommand` - precommand modifiers (e.g., `noglob`, `builtin`)
 * `commandseparator` - command separation tokens (`;`, `&&`)
 * `hashed-command` - hashed commands
+* `autodirectory` - a directory name in command position when the `AUTO_CD` option is set
 * `path` - existing filenames
 * `path_pathseparator` - path separators in filenames (`/`); if unset, `path` is used (default)
 * `path_prefix` - prefixes of existing filenames
diff --git a/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh b/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
index 05ff2ff..0222160 100644
--- a/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
+++ b/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 : ${ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_STYLES[global-alias]:=fg=cyan}
 : ${ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_STYLES[precommand]:=fg=green,underline}
 : ${ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_STYLES[commandseparator]:=none}
+: ${ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_STYLES[autodirectory]:=fg=green,underline}
 : ${ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_STYLES[path]:=underline}
 : ${ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_STYLES[path_pathseparator]:=}
 : ${ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_STYLES[path_prefix_pathseparator]:=}
@@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ _zsh_highlight_main_calculate_fallback() {
       command arg0
       precommand arg0
       hashed-command arg0
+      autodirectory arg0
       arg0_\* arg0
 
       # TODO: Maybe these? —
@@ -1130,6 +1132,8 @@ _zsh_highlight_main_highlighter_check_path()
   fi
 
   if (( in_command_position )); then
+    # ### Currently, this value is never returned: either it's overwritten
+    # ### below, or the return code is non-zero
     REPLY=arg0
   else
     REPLY=path
@@ -1156,8 +1160,16 @@ _zsh_highlight_main_highlighter_check_path()
   done
 
   if (( in_command_position )); then
-    if [[ -x $expanded_path ]] && { (( autocd )) || [[ ! -d $expanded_path ]] }; then
-      return 0
+    if [[ -x $expanded_path ]]; then
+      if (( autocd )); then
+        if [[ -d $expanded_path ]]; then
+          REPLY=autodirectory
+        fi
+        return 0
+      elif [[ ! -d $expanded_path ]]; then
+        # ### This seems unreachable for the current callers
+        return 0
+      fi
     fi
   else
     if [[ -L $expanded_path || -e $expanded_path ]]; then
@@ -1170,7 +1182,12 @@ _zsh_highlight_main_highlighter_check_path()
     # TODO: When we've dropped support for pre-5.0.6 zsh, use the *(Y1) glob qualifier here.
     local cdpath_dir
     for cdpath_dir in $cdpath ; do
-      [[ -d "$cdpath_dir/$expanded_path" && -x "$cdpath_dir/$expanded_path" ]] && return 0
+      if [[ -d "$cdpath_dir/$expanded_path" && -x "$cdpath_dir/$expanded_path" ]]; then
+        if (( in_command_position && autocd )); then
+          REPLY=autodirectory
+        fi
+        return 0
+      fi
     done
   fi
 
diff --git a/highlighters/main/test-data/abspath-in-command-position1b.zsh b/highlighters/main/test-data/abspath-in-command-position1b.zsh
index 82292ed..88fe60c 100644
--- a/highlighters/main/test-data/abspath-in-command-position1b.zsh
+++ b/highlighters/main/test-data/abspath-in-command-position1b.zsh
@@ -32,5 +32,5 @@ setopt autocd
 BUFFER=$'/'
 
 expected_region_highlight=(
-  '1 1 arg0' # /
+  '1 1 autodirectory' # /
 )
diff --git a/highlighters/main/test-data/abspath-in-command-position3b.zsh b/highlighters/main/test-data/abspath-in-command-position3b.zsh
index e43b7fb..0e65c98 100644
--- a/highlighters/main/test-data/abspath-in-command-position3b.zsh
+++ b/highlighters/main/test-data/abspath-in-command-position3b.zsh
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ setopt autocd
 BUFFER=$'/bin; /bin'
 
 expected_region_highlight=(
-  '1 4 arg0' # /bin (in middle)
+  '1 4 autodirectory' # /bin (in middle)
   '5 5 commandseparator' # ;
-  '7 10 arg0' # /bin (at end)
+  '7 10 autodirectory' # /bin (at end)
 )
diff --git a/highlighters/main/test-data/path-dollared-word3b.zsh b/highlighters/main/test-data/path-dollared-word3b.zsh
index 7c904f3..72a2f7c 100644
--- a/highlighters/main/test-data/path-dollared-word3b.zsh
+++ b/highlighters/main/test-data/path-dollared-word3b.zsh
@@ -29,11 +29,10 @@
 # -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 setopt autocd
-
 BUFFER=$'$PWD; ${PWD}'
 
 expected_region_highlight=(
-  '1 4 arg0' # $PWD
+  '1 4 autodirectory' # $PWD
   '5 5 commandseparator' # ;
-  '7 12 arg0' # ${PWD}
+  '7 12 autodirectory' # ${PWD}
 )