diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index b6c6b9429..02a324030 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -4785,7 +4785,24 @@ screen_draw_overlay_line(Screen *self) {
     self->modes.mIRM = false;
     Cursor *orig_cursor = self->cursor;
     self->cursor = &(self->overlay_line.original_line.cursor);
-    self->cursor->sgr.reverse ^= true;
+    // Mark the pre-edit text as distinct from committed text: italic, with a
+    // dashed underline in the highlight color. Underline rather than reverse
+    // video matches what other terminals do (VTE and foot both underline), and
+    // dashed avoids colliding with the styles applications already use: curly
+    // for spell checking and straight for hyperlinks. Saved and restored around
+    // the draw, like the modes above.
+    const bool orig_italic = self->cursor->sgr.italic;
+    const uint8_t orig_decoration = self->cursor->sgr.decoration;
+    const color_type orig_decoration_fg = self->cursor->sgr.decoration_fg;
+    self->cursor->sgr.italic = true;
+    self->cursor->sgr.decoration = 5;  // dashed
+    self->cursor->sgr.decoration_fg =
+        ((colorprofile_to_color_with_fallback(self->color_profile, self->color_profile->overridden.highlight_bg,
+              self->color_profile->configured.highlight_bg, self->color_profile->overridden.default_fg,
+              self->color_profile->configured.default_fg)
+             & COL_MASK)
+            << 8)
+        | 2;
     self->cursor->x = xstart;
     self->cursor->y = self->overlay_line.ynum;
     self->overlay_line.xnum = 0;
@@ -4837,7 +4854,9 @@ screen_draw_overlay_line(Screen *self) {
         self->overlay_line.xnum += len;
     }
     self->overlay_line.cursor_x = self->cursor->x;
-    self->cursor->sgr.reverse ^= true;
+    self->cursor->sgr.italic = orig_italic;
+    self->cursor->sgr.decoration = orig_decoration;
+    self->cursor->sgr.decoration_fg = orig_decoration_fg;
     self->cursor = orig_cursor;
     self->modes.mDECAWM = orig_line_wrap_mode;
     self->modes.mDECTCEM = orig_cursor_enable_mode;
diff --git a/kitty_tests/screen.py b/kitty_tests/screen.py
index 40f338d99..663b625aa 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/screen.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/screen.py
@@ -2119,6 +2119,29 @@ class TestScreen(BaseTest):
         s.reset()
         self.assertTrue(s.is_main_linebuf())
 
+    def test_ime_preedit_styling(self):
+        # Pre-edit text is marked with italics and a dashed underline in the
+        # highlight color, rather than reverse video.
+        s = self.create_screen(cols=10, lines=3)
+        s.draw('xy')
+        before = s.line(0).cursor_from(0)
+        s.test_draw_overlay_line('ab', 0, 0)
+        line = s.line(0)
+        for x in (0, 1):
+            c = line.cursor_from(x)
+            self.assertTrue(c.italic, f'pre-edit cell {x} is not italic')
+            self.assertFalse(c.reverse, f'pre-edit cell {x} is in reverse video')
+            self.ae(c.decoration, 5, f'pre-edit cell {x} is not dashed-underlined')
+            # decoration_fg is packed as (rgb << 8) | type, type 2 being RGB
+            self.ae(c.decoration_fg & 0xff, 2)
+            self.ae(c.decoration_fg >> 8, 0xfffacd)  # default selection_background
+
+        # the styling is applied to the overlay's own cursor and must be
+        # restored, not leaked into the screen's cursor
+        self.assertFalse(s.cursor.italic)
+        self.ae(s.cursor.decoration, before.decoration)
+        self.ae(s.cursor.decoration_fg, before.decoration_fg)
+
 
 def detect_url(self, scale=1):
     s = self.create_screen(cols=30 * scale)