diff --git a/autoload/ale/highlight.vim b/autoload/ale/highlight.vim
index 3e09f26d..172f9d54 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/highlight.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/highlight.vim
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ function! s:highlight_line(bufnr, lnum, group) abort
         let l:highlight_id = s:ale_nvim_highlight_id(a:bufnr)
         call ale#highlight#nvim_buf_add_highlight(
         \   a:bufnr, l:highlight_id, a:group,
-        \   a:lnum, 0, -1
+        \   a:lnum - 1, 0, -1
         \)
     else
         call matchaddpos(a:group, [a:lnum])
diff --git a/test/test_nvim_api_highlight.vader b/test/test_nvim_api_highlight.vader
index fd535914..829c3ad7 100644
--- a/test/test_nvim_api_highlight.vader
+++ b/test/test_nvim_api_highlight.vader
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ Execute(Check usage of nvim_buf_add_highlight / line highights):
     \   [bufnr(''), 42, 'ALEError', 2, 0, -1],
     \   [bufnr(''), 42, 'ALEError', 3, 0, -1],
     \   [bufnr(''), 42, 'ALEError', 4, 0, 10],
-    \   [bufnr(''), 42, 'ALEErrorLine', 2, 0, -1]
+    \   [bufnr(''), 42, 'ALEErrorLine', 1, 0, -1]
     \ ],
     \ g:nvim_buf_add_highlight_calls
   endif