diff --git a/tests/t1300-ls.sh b/tests/t1300-ls.sh
index a374c5b..7a18fde 100755
--- a/tests/t1300-ls.sh
+++ b/tests/t1300-ls.sh
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ cat > todo.txt <<EOF
 (D) @con02 +prj03 -- Some project 03 task, pri D
 (D) @con02 +prj04 -- Some project 04 task, pri D
 @con01 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-@con01 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+@con01 +prj02 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 @con02 +prj03 -- Some project 03 task, no priorty
 @con02 +prj04 -- Some project 04 task, no priority
 EOF
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ test_todo_session 'plain mode option' <<EOF
 15 (D) @con02 +prj03 -- Some project 03 task, pri D
 16 (D) @con02 +prj04 -- Some project 04 task, pri D
 17 @con01 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 19 @con02 +prj03 -- Some project 03 task, no priorty
 20 @con02 +prj04 -- Some project 04 task, no priority
 --
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ TODO: 20 of 20 tasks shown
 15 (D) @con02 +prj03 -- Some project 03 task, pri D
 16 (D) @con02 +prj04 -- Some project 04 task, pri D
 17 @con01 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 19 @con02 +prj03 -- Some project 03 task, no priorty
 20 @con02 +prj04 -- Some project 04 task, no priority
 --
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ cat > todo.txt <<EOF
 (D) @con02 +prj03 -- Some project 03 task, pri D
 (D) @con02 +prj04 -- Some project 04 task, pri D
 @con01 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-@con01 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+@con01 +prj02 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 @con02 +prj03 -- Some project 03 task, no priorty
 @con02 +prj04 -- Some project 04 task, no priority
 EOF
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ test_todo_session 'context, project, and priority suppression' <<EOF
 15 (D) @con02 +prj03 -- Some project 03 task, pri D
 16 (D) @con02 +prj04 -- Some project 04 task, pri D
 17 @con01 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 19 @con02 +prj03 -- Some project 03 task, no priorty
 20 @con02 +prj04 -- Some project 04 task, no priority
 --
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ TODO: 20 of 20 tasks shown
 13 (D) @con01 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, pri D
 14 (D) @con01 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, pri D
 17 @con01 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 --
 TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 13 @con01 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, pri D
 14 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, pri D
 17 @con01 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 --
 TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 13 (D) @con01 -- Some project 01 task, pri D
 14 (D) @con01 -- Some project 02 task, pri D
 17 @con01 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-18 @con01 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+18 @con01 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 --
 TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 13 (D) +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, pri D
 14 (D) +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, pri D
 17 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-18 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+18 +prj02 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 --
 TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 13 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, pri D
 14 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, pri D
 17 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-18 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+18 +prj02 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 --
 TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 13 (D) @con01 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, pri D
 14 (D) @con01 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, pri D
 17 @con01 +prj01 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+18 @con01 +prj02 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 --
 TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 13 -- Some project 01 task, pri D
 14 -- Some project 02 task, pri D
 17 -- Some project 01 task, no priority
-18 -- Some project 02 task, no priority
+18 -- Some project(S) 02 task, no priority
 --
 TODO: 10 of 20 tasks shown
 EOF
diff --git a/tests/t1330-ls-highlighting.sh b/tests/t1330-ls-highlighting.sh
index aa3db44..d5d0f0e 100755
--- a/tests/t1330-ls-highlighting.sh
+++ b/tests/t1330-ls-highlighting.sh
@@ -166,4 +166,20 @@ test_todo_session 'highlighting with hidden contexts/projects' <<EOF
 TODO: 4 of 4 tasks shown
 EOF
 
+# check that priorities are only matched at the start of the task
+#
+cat > todo.txt <<EOF
+(D) some prioritized task
+not prioritized
+should not be seen as PRIORITIZE(D) task
+EOF
+test_todo_session 'highlighting priority position' <<EOF
+>>> todo.sh ls
+1 (D) some prioritized task
+2 not prioritized
+3 should not be seen as PRIORITIZE(D) task
+--
+TODO: 3 of 3 tasks shown
+EOF
+
 test_done
diff --git a/todo.sh b/todo.sh
index a21356e..4ab322c 100755
--- a/todo.sh
+++ b/todo.sh
@@ -720,17 +720,18 @@ _list() {
                 return color
             }
             {
-                pos = match($0, /\([A-Z]\)/)
                 if (match($0, /^[0-9]+ x /)) {
                     print highlight("COLOR_DONE") $0 highlight("DEFAULT")
-                } else if (pos > 0) {
-                    clr = highlight("PRI_" substr($0, pos+1, 1))
-                    print ( clr ? clr : highlight("PRI_X") ) $0 highlight("DEFAULT")
+                } else if (match($0, /^[0-9]+ \([A-Z]\) /)) {
+                    clr = highlight("PRI_" substr($0, RSTART + RLENGTH - 3, 1))
+                    print \
+                        (clr ? clr : highlight("PRI_X")) \
+                        (ENVIRON["HIDE_PRIORITY_SUBSTITUTION"] == "" ? $0 : substr($0, 1, RLENGTH - 4) substr($0, RSTART + RLENGTH)) \
+                        highlight("DEFAULT")
                 } else { print }
             }
           '''  \
         | sed '''
-            s/'${HIDE_PRIORITY_SUBSTITUTION:-^}'//g
             s/'${HIDE_PROJECTS_SUBSTITUTION:-^}'//g
             s/'${HIDE_CONTEXTS_SUBSTITUTION:-^}'//g
           '''                                                   \