diff --git a/avy.el b/avy.el
index 47f3ed2..22a6873 100644
--- a/avy.el
+++ b/avy.el
@@ -759,7 +759,10 @@ LEAF is normally ((BEG . END) . WND)."
           (when (and (bound-and-true-p visual-line-mode)
                      (> len (- end beg)))
             (setq len (- end beg))
-            (setq str (substring str 0 len))))))
+            (setq str
+                  (substring (propertize
+                              (apply #'string (reverse path))
+                              'face 'avy-lead-face) 0 len))))))
     (avy--overlay
      str beg end wnd
      (lambda (str old-str)