diff --git a/src/emu/ui/menubar.c b/src/emu/ui/menubar.c
index e10ebec786e..e1f72e63b74 100644
--- a/src/emu/ui/menubar.c
+++ b/src/emu/ui/menubar.c
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ void ui_menubar::draw_menu_item_text(menu_item *mi, float x0, float y0, float x1
 		fgcolor = UI_UNAVAILABLE_COLOR;
 		bgcolor = UI_TEXT_BG_COLOR;
 	}
-	else if (mi == m_selected_item)
+	else if (is_highlighted_selection(mi))
 	{
 		// selected
 		fgcolor = UI_SELECTED_COLOR;
@@ -703,6 +703,34 @@ void ui_menubar::draw_menu_item_text(menu_item *mi, float x0, float y0, float x1
 }
 
 
+//-------------------------------------------------
+//  is_highlighted_selection
+//-------------------------------------------------
+
+bool ui_menubar::is_highlighted_selection(menu_item *mi)
+{
+	bool result = false;
+
+	if (mi == m_selected_item)
+	{
+		// this item _is_ the selection
+		result = true;
+	}
+	else if (m_selected_item != NULL)
+	{
+		// walk up the menu hierarchy; we want to also highlight ancestor sub menus
+		menu_item *selected_item_ancestor = m_selected_item;
+		do
+		{
+			selected_item_ancestor = selected_item_ancestor->parent();
+			result = (mi == selected_item_ancestor) && selected_item_ancestor->is_sub_menu();
+		}
+		while(!result && selected_item_ancestor->is_sub_menu());
+	}
+	return result;
+}
+
+
 //-------------------------------------------------
 //  find_mouse
 //-------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/emu/ui/menubar.h b/src/emu/ui/menubar.h
index 57417e0f0e4..44b2f433e85 100644
--- a/src/emu/ui/menubar.h
+++ b/src/emu/ui/menubar.h
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ private:
 	void draw_child_menu(menu_item *menu, float x, float y);
 	bool is_child_menu_visible(menu_item *menu) const;
 	void draw_menu_item_text(menu_item *mi, float x0, float y0, float x1, float y1, bool decorations, const float *column_widths = NULL);
+	bool is_highlighted_selection(menu_item *mi);
 	bool event_loop();
 	bool poll_navigation_keys();
 	bool poll_shortcut_keys(bool swallow);