diff --git a/src/nvim/grid.c b/src/nvim/grid.c
index 97899181c1..96dc6203c3 100644
--- a/src/nvim/grid.c
+++ b/src/nvim/grid.c
@@ -1088,10 +1088,11 @@ static void grid_draw_bordertext(VirtText vt, int col, int winbl, const int *hl_
                                  int win_hl_attr_normal, BorderTextType bt, int overflow)
 {
   int default_attr = hl_attr[bt == kBorderTextTitle ? HLF_BTITLE : HLF_BFOOTER];
+  default_attr = hl_apply_winblend(winbl, default_attr);
   default_attr = hl_combine_attr(win_hl_attr_normal, default_attr);
 
   if (overflow > 0) {
-    grid_line_puts(1, "<", -1,  hl_apply_winblend(winbl, default_attr));
+    grid_line_puts(1, "<", -1, default_attr);
     col += 1;
     overflow += 1;
   }
@@ -1102,9 +1103,6 @@ static void grid_draw_bordertext(VirtText vt, int col, int winbl, const int *hl_
     if (text == NULL) {
       break;
     }
-    if (attr == -1) {  // No highlight specified.
-      attr = default_attr;
-    }
     // Skip characters from the beginning when title overflows available width.
     if (overflow > 0) {
       int cells = (int)mb_string2cells(text);
@@ -1121,7 +1119,12 @@ static void grid_draw_bordertext(VirtText vt, int col, int winbl, const int *hl_
       }
       text = p;
     }
-    attr = hl_apply_winblend(winbl, attr);
+    if (attr == -1) {  // No highlight specified.
+      attr = default_attr;
+    } else {
+      attr = hl_apply_winblend(winbl, attr);
+      attr = hl_combine_attr(win_hl_attr_normal, attr);
+    }
     col += grid_line_puts(col, text, -1, attr);
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/functional/ui/float_spec.lua b/test/functional/ui/float_spec.lua
index 375348caea..827c5066b8 100644
--- a/test/functional/ui/float_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/ui/float_spec.lua
@@ -3042,10 +3042,10 @@ describe('float window', function()
         ## grid 3
                                                   |
         ## grid 4
-          {33:╔}🦄{7:BB}{33:═════╗}|
+          {33:╔}{1:🦄}{7:BB}{33:═════╗}|
           {33:║}{1: halloj! }{33:║}|
           {33:║}{1: BORDAA  }{33:║}|
-          {33:╚}🦄{7:BB}{33:═════╝}|
+          {33:╚}{1:🦄}{7:BB}{33:═════╝}|
         ]],
           float_pos = { [4] = { 1001, 'NW', 1, 2, 5, true, 50, 1, 2, 5 } },
           win_viewport = {
@@ -3058,10 +3058,10 @@ describe('float window', function()
           grid = [[
           ^                                        |
           {0:~                                       }|
-          {0:~    }{33:╔}🦄{7:BB}{33:═════╗}{0:                        }|
+          {0:~    }{33:╔}{1:🦄}{7:BB}{33:═════╗}{0:                        }|
           {0:~    }{33:║}{1: halloj! }{33:║}{0:                        }|
           {0:~    }{33:║}{1: BORDAA  }{33:║}{0:                        }|
-          {0:~    }{33:╚}🦄{7:BB}{33:═════╝}{0:                        }|
+          {0:~    }{33:╚}{1:🦄}{7:BB}{33:═════╝}{0:                        }|
                                                   |
         ]],
         }