diff --git a/crates/ide/src/syntax_highlighting/highlight.rs b/crates/ide/src/syntax_highlighting/highlight.rs
index 23bc85e333..d0fecc6956 100644
--- a/crates/ide/src/syntax_highlighting/highlight.rs
+++ b/crates/ide/src/syntax_highlighting/highlight.rs
@@ -489,13 +489,12 @@ fn highlight_def(db: &RootDatabase, krate: Option<hir::Crate>, def: Definition)
             let ty = local.ty(db);
             if local.is_mut(db) || ty.is_mutable_reference() {
                 h |= HlMod::Mutable;
+            } else if local.is_ref(db) || ty.is_reference() {
+                h |= HlMod::Reference;
             }
             if ty.as_callable(db).is_some() || ty.impls_fnonce(db) {
                 h |= HlMod::Callable;
             }
-            if local.is_ref(db) || ty.is_reference() {
-                h |= HlMod::Reference;
-            }
             h
         }
         Definition::Label(_) => Highlight::new(HlTag::Symbol(SymbolKind::Label)),