diff --git a/e2e-tests/code-editing-and-ast-interaction.test.ts b/e2e-tests/code-editing-and-ast-interaction.test.ts
index ee2df7de..af28de72 100644
--- a/e2e-tests/code-editing-and-ast-interaction.test.ts
+++ b/e2e-tests/code-editing-and-ast-interaction.test.ts
@@ -196,6 +196,54 @@ test(`should not crash when an ESQuery selector matches a node with an empty ran
 	expect(consoleErrors).toStrictEqual([]);
 });
 
+test(`should keep ESQuery highlights when switching languages`, async ({
+	page,
+}) => {
+	const consoleErrors: string[] = [];
+	page.on("console", message => {
+		if (message.type() === "error") {
+			consoleErrors.push(message.text());
+		}
+	});
+
+	await page.goto("/");
+
+	const codeEditor = page.getByRole("textbox", {
+		name: "Code Editor",
+		exact: true,
+	});
+	const highlight = codeEditor.locator(".bg-editorHighlightedRangeColor");
+	const languageOptions = page.getByRole("button", {
+		name: "Language Options",
+	});
+
+	await codeEditor.fill('foo("bar");');
+
+	await page
+		.getByRole("textbox", { name: "ESQuery Selector" })
+		.fill("Literal");
+
+	await expect(highlight).toHaveText(['"bar"']);
+
+	await languageOptions.click();
+	await setComboboxOption(page, "Language", "JSON");
+	await page.keyboard.press("Escape");
+
+	await codeEditor.fill("[]");
+
+	await expect(
+		page
+			.getByRole("listitem")
+			.filter({ hasText: "bodyArray{type, elements, loc, ...}" }),
+	).toBeVisible();
+
+	await languageOptions.click();
+	await setComboboxOption(page, "Language", "JavaScript");
+
+	await expect(highlight).toHaveText(['"bar"']);
+	expect(consoleErrors).toStrictEqual([]);
+});
+
 test.describe("AST node expansion", () => {
 	test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
 		await page.goto("/");
diff --git a/src/components/editor.tsx b/src/components/editor.tsx
index 4e567d36..6b323a5a 100644
--- a/src/components/editor.tsx
+++ b/src/components/editor.tsx
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const basicSetup: BasicSetupOptions = {
 type EditorProperties = {
 	ariaLabel: string;
 	readOnly?: boolean;
-	value?: string;
+	value: string;
 	highlightedRanges?: SourceRange[];
 	onChange?: (value: string) => void;
 };
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ export const Editor: FC<EditorProperties> = ({
 			EditorView.contentAttributes.of({ "aria-label": ariaLabel }),
 			ESLintPlaygroundTheme,
 			ESLintPlaygroundHighlightStyle,
-			highlightedRangesExtension(highlightedRanges),
+			highlightedRangesExtension(highlightedRanges, value),
 		],
-		[activeLanguageExtension, wrap, ariaLabel, highlightedRanges],
+		[activeLanguageExtension, wrap, ariaLabel, highlightedRanges, value],
 	);
 
 	const debouncedOnChange = useMemo(
diff --git a/src/utils/highlighted-ranges.ts b/src/utils/highlighted-ranges.ts
index 23972880..c1cbecc1 100644
--- a/src/utils/highlighted-ranges.ts
+++ b/src/utils/highlighted-ranges.ts
@@ -16,18 +16,31 @@ function createHighlightedRangeDecorations(ranges: SourceRange[]) {
 	);
 }
 
-export const highlightedRangesExtension = (ranges: SourceRange[]) =>
+export const highlightedRangesExtension = (
+	ranges: SourceRange[],
+	code: string,
+) =>
 	ViewPlugin.define(
-		() => ({
-			decorations: createHighlightedRangeDecorations(ranges),
+		view => ({
+			decorations:
+				view.state.doc.toString() === code
+					? createHighlightedRangeDecorations(ranges)
+					: null,
 
 			update(update: ViewUpdate) {
-				if (update.docChanged) {
+				if (!update.docChanged) {
+					return;
+				}
+
+				if (this.decorations) {
 					this.decorations = this.decorations.map(update.changes);
+				} else if (update.state.doc.toString() === code) {
+					this.decorations =
+						createHighlightedRangeDecorations(ranges);
 				}
 			},
 		}),
 		{
-			decorations: value => value.decorations,
+			decorations: value => value.decorations ?? Decoration.none,
 		},
 	);