diff --git a/core/rendered_connection.ts b/core/rendered_connection.ts
index d26e34d44..f66b64005 100644
--- a/core/rendered_connection.ts
+++ b/core/rendered_connection.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export class RenderedConnection extends Connection {
   private readonly dbOpposite: ConnectionDB;
   private readonly offsetInBlock: Coordinate;
   private trackedState: TrackedState;
+  private highlighted: boolean = false;
 
   /** Connection this connection connects to.  Null if not connected. */
   override targetConnection: RenderedConnection | null = null;
@@ -287,12 +288,19 @@ export class RenderedConnection extends Connection {
 
   /** Add highlighting around this connection. */
   highlight() {
-    this.getSourceBlock().workspace.getRenderer().highlightConnection(this);
+    this.highlighted = true;
+    this.getSourceBlock().queueRender();
   }
 
   /** Remove the highlighting around this connection. */
   unhighlight() {
-    this.getSourceBlock().workspace.getRenderer().unhighlightConnection(this);
+    this.highlighted = false;
+    this.getSourceBlock().queueRender();
+  }
+
+  /** Returns true if this connection is highlighted, false otherwise. */
+  isHighlighted(): boolean {
+    return this.highlighted;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/renderers/common/drawer.ts b/core/renderers/common/drawer.ts
index bda4303af..83732516c 100644
--- a/core/renderers/common/drawer.ts
+++ b/core/renderers/common/drawer.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import {isDynamicShape, isNotch, isPuzzleTab} from './constants.js';
 import type {ConstantProvider, Notch, PuzzleTab} from './constants.js';
 import type {RenderInfo} from './info.js';
 import * as deprecation from '../../utils/deprecation.js';
-import type {RenderedConnection} from '../../rendered_connection.js';
 import {ConnectionType} from '../../connection_type.js';
 
 /**
@@ -62,6 +61,7 @@ export class Drawer {
   draw() {
     this.drawOutline_();
     this.drawInternals_();
+    this.updateConnectionHighlights();
 
     this.block_.pathObject.setPath(this.outlinePath_ + '\n' + this.inlinePath_);
     if (this.info_.RTL) {
@@ -443,13 +443,29 @@ export class Drawer {
     }
   }
 
-  /** Returns a path to highlight the given connection. */
-  drawConnectionHighlightPath(conn: RenderedConnection) {
-    const measurable = this.info_.getMeasureableForConnection(conn);
-    if (!measurable) {
-      throw new Error('Could not find measurable for connection');
-    }
+  /**
+   * Updates the path object to reflect which connections on the block are
+   * highlighted.
+   */
+  protected updateConnectionHighlights() {
+    for (const row of this.info_.rows) {
+      for (const elem of row.elements) {
+        if (!(elem instanceof Connection)) continue;
 
+        if (elem.highlighted) {
+          this.drawConnectionHighlightPath(elem);
+        } else {
+          this.block_.pathObject.removeConnectionHighlight?.(
+            elem.connectionModel,
+          );
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  /** Returns a path to highlight the given connection. */
+  drawConnectionHighlightPath(measurable: Connection) {
+    const conn = measurable.connectionModel;
     let path = '';
     if (
       conn.type === ConnectionType.INPUT_VALUE ||
diff --git a/core/renderers/common/path_object.ts b/core/renderers/common/path_object.ts
index 35e1f83c5..d5c0850a1 100644
--- a/core/renderers/common/path_object.ts
+++ b/core/renderers/common/path_object.ts
@@ -40,12 +40,11 @@ export class PathObject implements IPathObject {
   constants: ConstantProvider;
   style: BlockStyle;
 
-  /**
-   * Highlight paths associated with connections.
-   *
-   * @protected
-   */
-  connectionHighlights = new WeakMap<RenderedConnection, SVGElement>();
+  /** Highlight paths associated with connections. */
+  private connectionHighlights = new WeakMap<RenderedConnection, SVGElement>();
+
+  /** Locations of connection highlights. */
+  private highlightOffsets = new WeakMap<RenderedConnection, Coordinate>();
 
   /**
    * @param root The root SVG element.
@@ -273,7 +272,13 @@ export class PathObject implements IPathObject {
     offset: Coordinate,
     rtl: boolean,
   ) {
-    if (this.connectionHighlights.has(connection)) return;
+    if (this.connectionHighlights.has(connection)) {
+      if (this.currentHighlightMatchesNew(connection, connectionPath, offset)) {
+        return;
+      }
+      this.removeConnectionHighlight(connection);
+    }
+
     const highlight = dom.createSvgElement(
       Svg.PATH,
       {
@@ -287,6 +292,18 @@ export class PathObject implements IPathObject {
     this.connectionHighlights.set(connection, highlight);
   }
 
+  private currentHighlightMatchesNew(
+    connection: RenderedConnection,
+    newPath: string,
+    newOffset: Coordinate,
+  ): boolean {
+    const currPath = this.connectionHighlights
+      .get(connection)
+      ?.getAttribute('d');
+    const currOffset = this.highlightOffsets.get(connection);
+    return currPath === newPath && Coordinate.equals(currOffset, newOffset);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Removes any highlight associated with the given connection, if it exists.
    */
diff --git a/core/renderers/common/renderer.ts b/core/renderers/common/renderer.ts
index d171f8b09..3a53322dd 100644
--- a/core/renderers/common/renderer.ts
+++ b/core/renderers/common/renderer.ts
@@ -257,25 +257,6 @@ export class Renderer implements IRegistrable {
     return InsertionMarkerManager.PREVIEW_TYPE.INSERTION_MARKER;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Visually highlights the given connection with a border, if it is not
-   * already highlighted.
-   */
-  highlightConnection(conn: RenderedConnection): void {
-    const block = conn.getSourceBlock();
-
-    const info = this.makeRenderInfo_(block);
-    info.measure();
-    const drawer = this.makeDrawer_(block, info);
-
-    drawer.drawConnectionHighlightPath(conn);
-  }
-
-  /** Visually unhighlights the given connection, if it is highlighted. */
-  unhighlightConnection(conn: RenderedConnection): void {
-    conn.getSourceBlock().pathObject.removeConnectionHighlight?.(conn);
-  }
-
   /**
    * Render the block.
    *
diff --git a/core/renderers/geras/drawer.ts b/core/renderers/geras/drawer.ts
index fd9a0795e..29bcbfab4 100644
--- a/core/renderers/geras/drawer.ts
+++ b/core/renderers/geras/drawer.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ export class Drawer extends BaseDrawer {
   override draw() {
     this.drawOutline_();
     this.drawInternals_();
+    this.updateConnectionHighlights();
 
     const pathObject = this.block_.pathObject as PathObject;
     pathObject.setPath(this.outlinePath_ + '\n' + this.inlinePath_);
diff --git a/core/renderers/measurables/connection.ts b/core/renderers/measurables/connection.ts
index e25215770..5744eaab4 100644
--- a/core/renderers/measurables/connection.ts
+++ b/core/renderers/measurables/connection.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {Types} from './types.js';
 export class Connection extends Measurable {
   shape: Shape;
   isDynamicShape: boolean;
+  highlighted: boolean;
 
   /**
    * @param constants The rendering constants provider.
@@ -32,9 +33,11 @@ export class Connection extends Measurable {
   ) {
     super(constants);
 
-    this.shape = this.constants_.shapeFor(connectionModel);
-
-    this.isDynamicShape = 'isDynamic' in this.shape && this.shape.isDynamic;
     this.type |= Types.CONNECTION;
+
+    this.shape = this.constants_.shapeFor(connectionModel);
+    this.isDynamicShape = 'isDynamic' in this.shape && this.shape.isDynamic;
+
+    this.highlighted = connectionModel.isHighlighted();
   }
 }
diff --git a/core/renderers/zelos/drawer.ts b/core/renderers/zelos/drawer.ts
index 1f78047f0..009247aea 100644
--- a/core/renderers/zelos/drawer.ts
+++ b/core/renderers/zelos/drawer.ts
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 import type {BlockSvg} from '../../block_svg.js';
 import {ConnectionType} from '../../connection_type.js';
-import {RenderedConnection} from '../../rendered_connection.js';
 import * as svgPaths from '../../utils/svg_paths.js';
 import type {BaseShape, DynamicShape, Notch} from '../common/constants.js';
 import {Drawer as BaseDrawer} from '../common/drawer.js';
+import {Connection} from '../measurables/connection.js';
 import type {InlineInput} from '../measurables/inline_input.js';
 import {OutputConnection} from '../measurables/output_connection.js';
 import type {Row} from '../measurables/row.js';
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ export class Drawer extends BaseDrawer {
     pathObject.beginDrawing();
     this.drawOutline_();
     this.drawInternals_();
+    this.updateConnectionHighlights();
 
     pathObject.setPath(this.outlinePath_ + '\n' + this.inlinePath_);
     if (this.info_.RTL) {
@@ -236,17 +237,14 @@ export class Drawer extends BaseDrawer {
   }
 
   /** Returns a path to highlight the given connection. */
-  drawConnectionHighlightPath(conn: RenderedConnection) {
-    const measurable = this.info_.getMeasureableForConnection(conn);
-    if (!measurable) {
-      throw new Error('Could not find measurable for connection');
-    }
+  drawConnectionHighlightPath(measurable: Connection) {
+    const conn = measurable.connectionModel;
     if (
       conn.type === ConnectionType.NEXT_STATEMENT ||
       conn.type === ConnectionType.PREVIOUS_STATEMENT ||
       (conn.type === ConnectionType.OUTPUT_VALUE && !measurable.isDynamicShape)
     ) {
-      super.drawConnectionHighlightPath(conn);
+      super.drawConnectionHighlightPath(measurable);
       return;
     }
 
diff --git a/core/renderers/zelos/renderer.ts b/core/renderers/zelos/renderer.ts
index a3bd5f70e..729c54f5f 100644
--- a/core/renderers/zelos/renderer.ts
+++ b/core/renderers/zelos/renderer.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 // Former goog.module ID: Blockly.zelos.Renderer
 
 import type {BlockSvg} from '../../block_svg.js';
-import type {Connection} from '../../connection.js';
 import {ConnectionType} from '../../connection_type.js';
 import {InsertionMarkerManager} from '../../insertion_marker_manager.js';
 import type {Marker} from '../../keyboard_nav/marker.js';
@@ -109,13 +108,6 @@ export class Renderer extends BaseRenderer {
     return this.constants_;
   }
 
-  override shouldHighlightConnection(conn: Connection) {
-    return (
-      conn.type !== ConnectionType.INPUT_VALUE &&
-      conn.type !== ConnectionType.OUTPUT_VALUE
-    );
-  }
-
   override getConnectionPreviewMethod(
     closest: RenderedConnection,
     local: RenderedConnection,