diff --git a/src/editor/edit-impl.h b/src/editor/edit-impl.h
index 46e9ff88f..d6bb43a10 100644
--- a/src/editor/edit-impl.h
+++ b/src/editor/edit-impl.h
@@ -288,7 +288,8 @@ int edit_insert_file_cmd (WEdit * edit);
 void edit_insert_over (WEdit * edit);
 void edit_insert_column_of_text (WEdit * edit, unsigned char *data, int size, int width,
                                  long *start_pos, long *end_pos, int *col1, int *col2);
-int edit_insert_column_of_text_from_file (WEdit * edit, int file);
+int edit_insert_column_of_text_from_file (WEdit * edit, int file,
+                                          long *start_pos, long *end_pos, int *col1, int *col2);
 long edit_insert_file (WEdit * edit, const char *filename);
 int edit_load_back_cmd (WEdit * edit);
 int edit_load_forward_cmd (WEdit * edit);
diff --git a/src/editor/edit.c b/src/editor/edit.c
index 39cbb50f0..7f1337651 100644
--- a/src/editor/edit.c
+++ b/src/editor/edit.c
@@ -2060,7 +2060,17 @@ edit_insert_file (WEdit * edit, const char *filename)
         }
         if (vertical_insertion)
         {
-            blocklen = edit_insert_column_of_text_from_file (edit, file);
+            long mark1, mark2;
+            int c1, c2;
+            blocklen = edit_insert_column_of_text_from_file (edit, file, &mark1, &mark2, &c1, &c2);
+            edit_set_markers (edit, edit->curs1, mark2, c1, c2);
+            /* highlight inserted text then not persistent blocks */
+            if (!option_persistent_selections)
+            {
+                if (!edit->column_highlight)
+                    edit_push_undo_action (edit, COLUMN_OFF);
+                edit->column_highlight = 1;
+            }
         }
         else
         {
@@ -2069,8 +2079,16 @@ edit_insert_file (WEdit * edit, const char *filename)
                 for (i = 0; i < blocklen; i++)
                     edit_insert (edit, buf[i]);
             }
-
+            /* highlight inserted text then not persistent blocks */
+            if (!option_persistent_selections)
+            {
+                edit_set_markers (edit, edit->curs1, current, 0, 0);
+                if (edit->column_highlight)
+                    edit_push_undo_action (edit, COLUMN_ON);
+                edit->column_highlight = 0;
+            }
         }
+        edit->force |= REDRAW_PAGE;
         ins_len = edit->curs1 - current;
         edit_cursor_move (edit, current - edit->curs1);
         g_free (buf);
diff --git a/src/editor/editcmd.c b/src/editor/editcmd.c
index cd209c341..5fb523730 100644
--- a/src/editor/editcmd.c
+++ b/src/editor/editcmd.c
@@ -1960,17 +1960,21 @@ edit_insert_column_of_text (WEdit * edit, unsigned char *data, int size, int wid
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 int
-edit_insert_column_of_text_from_file (WEdit * edit, int file)
+edit_insert_column_of_text_from_file (WEdit * edit, int file,
+                                      long *start_pos, long *end_pos, int *col1, int *col2)
 {
     long cursor;
-    int i, col;
-    int blocklen = -1, width;
+    int col;
+    int blocklen = -1, width = 0;
     unsigned char *data;
+
     cursor = edit->curs1;
     col = edit_get_col (edit);
     data = g_malloc0 (TEMP_BUF_LEN);
+
     while ((blocklen = mc_read (file, (char *) data, TEMP_BUF_LEN)) > 0)
     {
+        int i;
         for (width = 0; width < blocklen; width++)
         {
             if (data[width] == '\n')
@@ -2018,9 +2022,13 @@ edit_insert_column_of_text_from_file (WEdit * edit, int file)
             edit_insert (edit, data[i]);
         }
     }
+    *col1 = col;
+    *col2 = col + width;
+    *start_pos = cursor;
+    *end_pos = edit->curs1;
     edit_cursor_move (edit, cursor - edit->curs1);
     g_free (data);
-    edit->force |= REDRAW_PAGE;
+
     return blocklen;
 }