diff --git a/lib/mnswpr.js b/lib/mnswpr.js
index 624e806..b1247c3 100644
--- a/lib/mnswpr.js
+++ b/lib/mnswpr.js
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ const Minesweeper = function(appId, version, hooks = undefined) {
   let flagsCount = setting.mines
   // Mine positions stored as a Set of numeric keys (row * cols + col) for O(1) lookup
   let mines = new Set()
+  // Cells currently highlighted, so removeHighlights only resets these (<=9) instead of the whole grid
+  let highlightedCells = []
 
   this.initialize = function() {
     const headingElement = document.createElement('h1')
@@ -190,6 +192,7 @@ const Minesweeper = function(appId, version, hooks = undefined) {
     grid.oncontextmenu = () => false
     flagsCount = setting.mines
     mines.clear()
+    highlightedCells = []
 
     for (let i = 0; i < setting.rows; i++) {
       let row = grid.insertRow(i)
@@ -637,19 +640,20 @@ const Minesweeper = function(appId, version, hooks = undefined) {
   }
 
   function removeHighlights() {
-    for (let i=0; i<setting.rows; i++) {
-      const rows = grid.rows[i]
-      if (!rows) continue
-      for(let j=0; j<setting.cols; j++) {
-        let currentCell = grid.rows[i].cells[j]
-        if (getStatus(currentCell) == 'highlighted') setStatus(currentCell, 'default')
-      }
+    for (let i = 0; i < highlightedCells.length; i++) {
+      const currentCell = highlightedCells[i]
+      // guard: a tracked cell may have been flagged/clicked since it was highlighted
+      if (getStatus(currentCell) == 'highlighted') setStatus(currentCell, 'default')
     }
+    highlightedCells = []
   }
 
   function highlightCell(cell) {
     if (isFlagged(cell)) return
-    if (!gameIsDone() && getStatus(cell) == 'default') setStatus(cell, 'highlighted') // currentCell.classList.add('highlight');
+    if (!gameIsDone() && getStatus(cell) == 'default') {
+      setStatus(cell, 'highlighted') // currentCell.classList.add('highlight');
+      highlightedCells.push(cell)
+    }
   }
 
   function highlightSurroundingCell(cell) {
diff --git a/test/minesweeper.test.js b/test/minesweeper.test.js
index 1a96f71..a2d7e6c 100644
--- a/test/minesweeper.test.js
+++ b/test/minesweeper.test.js
@@ -89,4 +89,31 @@ describe('Minesweeper board', () => {
     expect(grid.getAttribute('game-status')).toBe('inactive')
     everyCell(grid, cell => expect(cell.getAttribute('data-status')).toBe('default'))
   })
+
+  it('highlights the pressed cell and clears it when the press moves away', () => {
+    const grid = mountGame()
+    const a = grid.rows[5].cells[5]
+    const b = grid.rows[5].cells[6]
+    const c = grid.rows[5].cells[7]
+
+    // Press-and-hold left on A -> A highlighted.
+    a.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mousedown', { button: 0, bubbles: true }))
+    expect(a.getAttribute('data-status')).toBe('highlighted')
+
+    // Drag the held press across B then C. Each move must clear the previous
+    // highlight and leave no stale ones behind.
+    b.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mousemove', { bubbles: true }))
+    c.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mousemove', { bubbles: true }))
+
+    expect(a.getAttribute('data-status')).toBe('default')
+    expect(b.getAttribute('data-status')).toBe('default')
+    expect(c.getAttribute('data-status')).toBe('highlighted')
+
+    // Exactly one cell should remain highlighted across the whole grid.
+    let highlighted = 0
+    everyCell(grid, cell => {
+      if (cell.getAttribute('data-status') === 'highlighted') highlighted++
+    })
+    expect(highlighted).toBe(1)
+  })
 })