diff --git a/docs/highlighters/main.md b/docs/highlighters/main.md
index 169b00d..9ecf042 100644
--- a/docs/highlighters/main.md
+++ b/docs/highlighters/main.md
@@ -73,9 +73,10 @@ manual page][zshzle-Character-Highlighting].
 
 #### Parameters
 
-To avoid partial path lookups on a path, add the path to the `ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_DIRS_BLACKLIST` array.
+To avoid partial path lookups on a path, add the path to the `X_ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_DIRS_BLACKLIST` array.
+This interface is still experimental.
 
-    ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_DIRS_BLACKLIST+=(/mnt/slow_share)
+    X_ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_DIRS_BLACKLIST+=(/mnt/slow_share)
 
 ### Useless trivia
 
diff --git a/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh b/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
index 21b530a..baf4193 100644
--- a/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
+++ b/highlighters/main/main-highlighter.zsh
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ _zsh_highlight_main_highlighter_check_path()
   tmp_path=$tmp_path:a
 
   while [[ $tmp_path != / ]]; do
-    [[ -n "${(M)ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_DIRS_BLACKLIST:#$tmp_path}" ]] && return 1
+    [[ -n "${(M)X_ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_DIRS_BLACKLIST:#$tmp_path}" ]] && return 1
     tmp_path=$tmp_path:h
   done
 
@@ -1083,4 +1083,4 @@ else
   # Make sure the cache is unset
   unset _zsh_highlight_main__command_type_cache
 fi
-typeset -ga ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_DIRS_BLACKLIST
+typeset -ga X_ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_DIRS_BLACKLIST
diff --git a/highlighters/main/test-data/dirs_blacklist.zsh b/highlighters/main/test-data/dirs_blacklist.zsh
index 9c45ea1..0d4d666 100644
--- a/highlighters/main/test-data/dirs_blacklist.zsh
+++ b/highlighters/main/test-data/dirs_blacklist.zsh
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 mkdir foo
 touch foo/bar
 BUFFER=": foo/bar $PWD/foo foo/b"
-ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_DIRS_BLACKLIST=($PWD/foo)
+X_ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_DIRS_BLACKLIST=($PWD/foo)
 
 expected_region_highlight=(
   '1 1 builtin' # :