diff --git a/includes/Hooks.php b/includes/Hooks.php
index 332c6df..2fe4ca6 100644
--- a/includes/Hooks.php
+++ b/includes/Hooks.php
@@ -53,16 +53,22 @@ class Hooks {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Passes config variables to skins.vector.search ResourceLoader module.
+	 * Generates config variables for skins.vector.search Resource Loader module (defined in
+	 * skin.json).
+	 *
 	 * @param ResourceLoaderContext $context
 	 * @param Config $config
-	 * @return array
+	 * @return array<string,mixed>
 	 */
 	public static function getVectorWvuiSearchResourceLoaderConfig(
 		ResourceLoaderContext $context,
 		Config $config
-	) {
-		return $config->get( 'VectorWvuiSearchOptions' );
+	): array {
+		$result = $config->get( 'VectorWvuiSearchOptions' );
+		$result['highlightQuery'] =
+			VectorServices::getLanguageService()->canWordsBeSplitSafely( $context->getLanguage() );
+
+		return $result;
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/includes/Services/LanguageService.php b/includes/Services/LanguageService.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c750977
--- /dev/null
+++ b/includes/Services/LanguageService.php
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Vector\Services;
+
+class LanguageService {
+	/**
+	 * The list of language codes for those languages that the search autocomplete widget cannot
+	 * split a word on a Unicode code point followed by one or many combining marks (also code
+	 * points).
+	 *
+	 * This list was compiled by [@TJones](https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/p/TJones/) as part
+	 * of [T281797](https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T281797).
+	 *
+	 * @var string[]
+	 */
+	private $splittableLanguages;
+
+	public function __construct() {
+		$this->splittableLanguages = [
+			'ar', 'ary', 'arz', 'ckb', 'fa', 'glk', 'ks', 'mzn', 'pnb', 'ps', 'sd', 'skr', 'ug', 'ur',
+			'as', 'bn', 'bpy',
+			'awa', 'bh', 'dty', 'gom', 'hi', 'ks', 'mai', 'mr', 'ne', 'new', 'pi', 'sa',
+			'gu',
+			'pa',
+			'kn', 'tcy',
+			'km',
+			'ml',
+			'or',
+			'si',
+			'ta',
+			'te',
+		];
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Gets whether or not we can split words arbitrarily, for example when highlighting the user's query in the search
+	 * autocomplete widget.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $code
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	public function canWordsBeSplitSafely( string $code ): bool {
+		return !in_array( $code, $this->splittableLanguages );
+	}
+}
diff --git a/includes/VectorServices.php b/includes/VectorServices.php
index e093d32..9add2a4 100644
--- a/includes/VectorServices.php
+++ b/includes/VectorServices.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ namespace Vector;
 
 use MediaWiki\MediaWikiServices;
 use Vector\FeatureManagement\FeatureManager;
+use Vector\Services\LanguageService;
 
 /**
  * A service locator for services specific to Vector.
@@ -24,4 +25,13 @@ final class VectorServices {
 	public static function getFeatureManager(): FeatureManager {
 		return MediaWikiServices::getInstance()->getService( Constants::SERVICE_FEATURE_MANAGER );
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Gets the language service.
+	 *
+	 * @return LanguageService
+	 */
+	public static function getLanguageService(): LanguageService {
+		return new LanguageService();
+	}
 }
diff --git a/skin.json b/skin.json
index 88e7f6f..80ba08d 100644
--- a/skin.json
+++ b/skin.json
@@ -277,8 +277,7 @@
 		"VectorWvuiSearchOptions": {
 			"value": {
 				"showThumbnail": true,
-				"showDescription": true,
-				"highlightQuery": true
+				"showDescription": true
 			}
 		},
 		"VectorDefaultSidebarVisibleForAuthorisedUser": {