diff --git a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
index 0d58633f4..690726cd6 100644
--- a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
+++ b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
@@ -1654,6 +1654,7 @@ if something breakable was set up as alternate weapon and the second of two
 	"objfree: deleting worn obj"
 strength cap for hero poly'd into an orc captain was 18/50 even though it is
 	10/100 for Uruk-Hai and monster Uruk-Hai can grow into orc captains
+status_hilite rule for critical-hp takes precedence over up/down/changed HP
 
 
 Fixes to 3.7.0-x Platform and/or Interface Problems Exposed Via git Repository
diff --git a/src/botl.c b/src/botl.c
index 7283a34c9..c112dc808 100644
--- a/src/botl.c
+++ b/src/botl.c
@@ -1895,10 +1895,10 @@ fldname_to_bl_indx(const char *name)
 }
 
 static boolean
-hilite_reset_needed(struct istat_s *bl_p,
-                    long augmented_time) /* no longer augmented; it once
-                                          * encoded fractional amounts for
-                                          * multiple moves within same turn */
+hilite_reset_needed(
+    struct istat_s *bl_p,
+    long augmented_time) /* no longer augmented; it once encoded fractional
+                          * amounts for multiple moves within same turn */
 {
     /*
      * This 'multi' handling may need some tuning...
@@ -1923,13 +1923,13 @@ status_eval_next_unhilite(void)
     struct istat_s *curr;
     long next_unhilite, this_unhilite;
 
-    gb.bl_hilite_moves = gm.moves; /* simplified; at one point we used to try
-                                  * to encode fractional amounts for multiple
-                                  * moves within same turn */
+    gb.bl_hilite_moves = gm.moves; /* simplified; at one point we used to
+                                    * try to encode fractional amounts for
+                                    * multiple moves within same turn */
     /* figure out whether an unhilight needs to be performed now */
     next_unhilite = 0L;
     for (i = 0; i < MAXBLSTATS; ++i) {
-        curr = &gb.blstats[0][i]; /* blstats[0][*].time == blstats[1][*].time */
+        curr = &gb.blstats[0][i]; /* blstats[0][*].time==blstats[1][*].time */
 
         if (curr->chg) {
             struct istat_s *prev = &gb.blstats[1][i];
@@ -2002,8 +2002,11 @@ noneoftheabove(const char *hl_text)
  *     pointer to rule that applies; Null if no rule does.
  */
 static struct hilite_s *
-get_hilite(int idx, int fldidx, genericptr_t vp, int chg, int pc,
-           int *colorptr)
+get_hilite(
+    int idx, int fldidx,
+    genericptr_t vp,
+    int chg, int pc,
+    int *colorptr)
 {
     struct hilite_s *hl, *rule = 0;
     anything *value = (anything *) vp;
@@ -2023,11 +2026,20 @@ get_hilite(int idx, int fldidx, genericptr_t vp, int chg, int pc,
            ancient configurations; we don't need LONG_MIN */
         long max_lval = -LONG_MAX, min_lval = LONG_MAX;
         boolean exactmatch = FALSE, updown = FALSE, changed = FALSE,
-                perc_or_abs = FALSE;
+                perc_or_abs = FALSE, crit_hp = FALSE;
 
         /* min_/max_ are used to track best fit */
         for (hl = gb.blstats[0][fldidx].thresholds; hl; hl = hl->next) {
             dt = initblstats[fldidx].anytype; /* only needed for 'absolute' */
+            /* for HP, if we already have a critical-hp rule then we ignore
+               other HP rules unless we hit another critical-hp one (last
+               one found wins); critical-hp takes precedence over temporary
+               HP highlights, otherwise a hero with regeneration and an up
+               or changed rule for HP would always show that up or changed
+               highlight even when within the critical-hp threshold because
+               the value will go up by at least one on every move */
+            if (crit_hp && hl->behavior != BL_TH_CRITICALHP)
+                continue;
             /* if we've already matched a temporary highlight, it takes
                precedence over all persistent ones; we still process
                updown rules to get the last one which qualifies */
@@ -2181,8 +2193,10 @@ get_hilite(int idx, int fldidx, genericptr_t vp, int chg, int pc,
                 rule = hl;
                 break;
             case BL_TH_CRITICALHP:
-                if (critically_low_hp(FALSE)) {
+                if (fldidx == BL_HP && critically_low_hp(FALSE)) {
                     rule = hl;
+                    crit_hp = TRUE;
+                    updown = changed = perc_or_abs = FALSE;
                 }
                 break;
             case BL_TH_NONE:
diff --git a/src/pray.c b/src/pray.c
index 7d9d5391f..5dac112f6 100644
--- a/src/pray.c
+++ b/src/pray.c
@@ -103,11 +103,12 @@ static const char *const godvoices[] = {
 
 /* critically low hit points if hp <= 5 or hp <= maxhp/N for some N */
 boolean
-critically_low_hp(boolean only_if_injured) /* determines whether maxhp <= 5
-                                              matters */
+critically_low_hp(
+    boolean only_if_injured) /* determines whether maxhp <= 5 matters */
 {
-    int divisor, hplim, curhp = Upolyd ? u.mh : u.uhp,
-                        maxhp = Upolyd ? u.mhmax : u.uhpmax;
+    int divisor, hplim,
+        curhp = Upolyd ? u.mh : u.uhp,
+        maxhp = Upolyd ? u.mhmax : u.uhpmax;
 
     if (only_if_injured && !(curhp < maxhp))
         return FALSE;