diff --git a/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/JetBundle.properties b/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/JetBundle.properties
index 70043c920c1..8f25ae7bbb2 100644
--- a/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/JetBundle.properties
+++ b/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/JetBundle.properties
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.instance.property=Instance property
 options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.package.property=Package-level property
 options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.property.with.backing=Property with backing field
 options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.backing.field.access=Backing field access
+options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.field=Backing field variable
 options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.extension.property=Extension property
 options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.dynamic.property=Dynamic property
 options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.it=Function literal default parameter
diff --git a/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/JetHighlightingColors.java b/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/JetHighlightingColors.java
index 60f81964a74..da90b36b105 100644
--- a/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/JetHighlightingColors.java
+++ b/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/JetHighlightingColors.java
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ public class JetHighlightingColors {
     public static final TextAttributesKey PACKAGE_PROPERTY = createTextAttributesKey("KOTLIN_PACKAGE_PROPERTY", CodeInsightColors.STATIC_FIELD_ATTRIBUTES);
     public static final TextAttributesKey PROPERTY_WITH_BACKING_FIELD = createTextAttributesKey("KOTLIN_PROPERTY_WITH_BACKING_FIELD");
     public static final TextAttributesKey BACKING_FIELD_ACCESS = createTextAttributesKey("KOTLIN_BACKING_FIELD_ACCESS");
+    public static final TextAttributesKey BACKING_FIELD_VARIABLE = createTextAttributesKey("KOTLIN_BACKING_FIELD_VARIABLE");
     public static final TextAttributesKey EXTENSION_PROPERTY = createTextAttributesKey("KOTLIN_EXTENSION_PROPERTY");
     public static final TextAttributesKey DYNAMIC_PROPERTY_CALL = createTextAttributesKey("KOTLIN_DYNAMIC_PROPERTY_CALL");
 
diff --git a/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/PropertiesHighlightingVisitor.java b/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/PropertiesHighlightingVisitor.java
index 54c587f0f84..5736ac046da 100644
--- a/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/PropertiesHighlightingVisitor.java
+++ b/idea/idea-analysis/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/PropertiesHighlightingVisitor.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.descriptors.DeclarationDescriptor;
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.descriptors.PropertyDescriptor;
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.descriptors.VariableDescriptor;
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.descriptors.impl.SyntheticFieldDescriptor;
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.lexer.JetTokens;
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.JetParameter;
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.JetProperty;
@@ -42,6 +43,10 @@ class PropertiesHighlightingVisitor extends AfterAnalysisHighlightingVisitor {
             return;
         }
         DeclarationDescriptor target = bindingContext.get(BindingContext.REFERENCE_TARGET, expression);
+        if (target instanceof SyntheticFieldDescriptor) {
+            JetPsiChecker.highlightName(holder, expression, JetHighlightingColors.BACKING_FIELD_VARIABLE);
+            return;
+        }
         if (!(target instanceof PropertyDescriptor)) {
             return;
         }
diff --git a/idea/resources/colorScheme/Darcula_Kotlin.xml b/idea/resources/colorScheme/Darcula_Kotlin.xml
index 48aac225395..2f2a87f3207 100644
--- a/idea/resources/colorScheme/Darcula_Kotlin.xml
+++ b/idea/resources/colorScheme/Darcula_Kotlin.xml
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@
       <option name="FONT_TYPE" value="1" />
     </value>
   </option>
+  <option name="KOTLIN_BACKING_FIELD_VARIABLE">
+    <value>
+      <option name="FONT_TYPE" value="1" />
+    </value>
+  </option>
   <option name="KOTLIN_SMART_CAST_VALUE">
     <value>
       <option name="BACKGROUND" value="223c23" />
diff --git a/idea/resources/colorScheme/Default_Kotlin.xml b/idea/resources/colorScheme/Default_Kotlin.xml
index 704b32e569b..ff12f870d95 100644
--- a/idea/resources/colorScheme/Default_Kotlin.xml
+++ b/idea/resources/colorScheme/Default_Kotlin.xml
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@
       <option name="FONT_TYPE" value="1" />
     </value>
   </option>
+  <option name="KOTLIN_BACKING_FIELD_VARIABLE">
+    <value>
+      <option name="FONT_TYPE" value="1" />
+    </value>
+  </option>
   <option name="KOTLIN_SMART_CAST_VALUE">
     <value>
       <option name="BACKGROUND" value="dbffdb" />
diff --git a/idea/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/KotlinColorSettingsPage.kt b/idea/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/KotlinColorSettingsPage.kt
index 583bae691da..a63d6232a04 100644
--- a/idea/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/KotlinColorSettingsPage.kt
+++ b/idea/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/KotlinColorSettingsPage.kt
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public class KotlinColorSettingsPage : ColorSettingsPage {
 
 var <PROPERTY_WITH_BACKING_FIELD><PACKAGE_PROPERTY><MUTABLE_VARIABLE>globalCounter</MUTABLE_VARIABLE></PACKAGE_PROPERTY></PROPERTY_WITH_BACKING_FIELD> : Int = 5
     <KEYWORD>get</KEYWORD>() {
-        return <BACKING_FIELD_ACCESS><PACKAGE_PROPERTY><MUTABLE_VARIABLE>${"$"}globalCounter</MUTABLE_VARIABLE></PACKAGE_PROPERTY></BACKING_FIELD_ACCESS>
+        return <BACKING_FIELD_VARIABLE><LOCAL_VARIABLE><MUTABLE_VARIABLE>field</MUTABLE_VARIABLE></LOCAL_VARIABLE></BACKING_FIELD_VARIABLE>
     }
 
 <KEYWORD>public</KEYWORD> <KEYWORD>abstract</KEYWORD> class <ABSTRACT_CLASS>Abstract</ABSTRACT_CLASS> {
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ var <PROPERTY_WITH_BACKING_FIELD><PACKAGE_PROPERTY><MUTABLE_VARIABLE>globalCount
                        JetBundle.message("options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.package.property") to JetHighlightingColors.PACKAGE_PROPERTY, 
                        JetBundle.message("options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.property.with.backing") to JetHighlightingColors.PROPERTY_WITH_BACKING_FIELD,
                        JetBundle.message("options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.backing.field.access") to JetHighlightingColors.BACKING_FIELD_ACCESS,
+                       JetBundle.message("options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.field") to JetHighlightingColors.BACKING_FIELD_VARIABLE,
                        JetBundle.message("options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.extension.property") to JetHighlightingColors.EXTENSION_PROPERTY,
                        JetBundle.message("options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.dynamic.property") to JetHighlightingColors.DYNAMIC_PROPERTY_CALL,
                        JetBundle.message("options.kotlin.attribute.descriptor.it") to JetHighlightingColors.FUNCTION_LITERAL_DEFAULT_PARAMETER,
diff --git a/idea/testData/highlighter/Field.kt b/idea/testData/highlighter/Field.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..44d89c86b83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/idea/testData/highlighter/Field.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+var <info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_PACKAGE_PROPERTY"><info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_MUTABLE_VARIABLE"><info descr="This property has a backing field" textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_PROPERTY_WITH_BACKING_FIELD">my</info></info></info> = 0
+    <info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_KEYWORD">get</info>() = <info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_BACKING_FIELD_VARIABLE"><info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_MUTABLE_VARIABLE"><info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_LOCAL_VARIABLE">field</info></info></info>
+    <info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_KEYWORD">set</info>(<info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_PARAMETER">arg</info>) {
+        <info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_BACKING_FIELD_VARIABLE"><info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_MUTABLE_VARIABLE"><info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_LOCAL_VARIABLE">field</info></info></info> = <info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_PARAMETER">arg</info> + 1
+    }
+
+fun <info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_FUNCTION_DECLARATION">foo</info>(): <info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_CLASS">Int</info> {
+    val <info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_LOCAL_VARIABLE">field</info> = <info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_PACKAGE_PROPERTY"><info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_MUTABLE_VARIABLE">my</info></info>
+    return <info textAttributesKey="KOTLIN_LOCAL_VARIABLE">field</info>
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/idea/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/HighlightingTestGenerated.java b/idea/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/HighlightingTestGenerated.java
index ee8796c0159..247e72c9d26 100644
--- a/idea/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/HighlightingTestGenerated.java
+++ b/idea/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/highlighter/HighlightingTestGenerated.java
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ public class HighlightingTestGenerated extends AbstractHighlightingTest {
         doTest(fileName);
     }
 
+    @TestMetadata("Field.kt")
+    public void testField() throws Exception {
+        String fileName = JetTestUtils.navigationMetadata("idea/testData/highlighter/Field.kt");
+        doTest(fileName);
+    }
+
     @TestMetadata("Functions.kt")
     public void testFunctions() throws Exception {
         String fileName = JetTestUtils.navigationMetadata("idea/testData/highlighter/Functions.kt");