diff --git a/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/api_keysets.lua b/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/api_keysets.lua
index 377060256a..5ebedc977b 100644
--- a/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/api_keysets.lua
+++ b/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/api_keysets.lua
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ error('Cannot require a meta file')
 --- @field end_line? integer
 --- @field end_row? integer
 --- @field end_col? integer
---- @field hl_group? integer
+--- @field hl_group? number|string
 --- @field virt_text? any[]
 --- @field virt_text_pos? string
 --- @field virt_text_win_col? integer
@@ -264,10 +264,10 @@ error('Cannot require a meta file')
 --- @field virt_lines_leftcol? boolean
 --- @field strict? boolean
 --- @field sign_text? string
---- @field sign_hl_group? integer
---- @field number_hl_group? integer
---- @field line_hl_group? integer
---- @field cursorline_hl_group? integer
+--- @field sign_hl_group? number|string
+--- @field number_hl_group? number|string
+--- @field line_hl_group? number|string
+--- @field cursorline_hl_group? number|string
 --- @field conceal? string
 --- @field spell? boolean
 --- @field ui_watched? boolean
diff --git a/scripts/gen_eval_files.lua b/scripts/gen_eval_files.lua
index c49f598304..499c7dc9a7 100755
--- a/scripts/gen_eval_files.lua
+++ b/scripts/gen_eval_files.lua
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ local API_TYPES = {
   LuaRef = 'function',
   Dictionary = 'table<string,any>',
   Float = 'number',
+  HLGroupID = 'number|string',
   void = '',
 }
 
diff --git a/src/nvim/api/keysets_defs.h b/src/nvim/api/keysets_defs.h
index aad8ba3238..b2f0039eb9 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/keysets_defs.h
+++ b/src/nvim/api/keysets_defs.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ typedef struct {
   Integer end_line;
   Integer end_row;
   Integer end_col;
-  Integer hl_group;
+  HLGroupID hl_group;
   Array virt_text;
   String virt_text_pos;
   Integer virt_text_win_col;
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@ typedef struct {
   Boolean virt_lines_leftcol;
   Boolean strict;
   String sign_text;
-  Integer sign_hl_group;
-  Integer number_hl_group;
-  Integer line_hl_group;
-  Integer cursorline_hl_group;
+  HLGroupID sign_hl_group;
+  HLGroupID number_hl_group;
+  HLGroupID line_hl_group;
+  HLGroupID cursorline_hl_group;
   String conceal;
   Boolean spell;
   Boolean ui_watched;
diff --git a/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h b/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h
index 84ded1e647..0cdc90e50f 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h
+++ b/src/nvim/api/private/defs.h
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ struct key_value_pair {
 };
 
 typedef uint64_t OptionalKeys;
+typedef Integer HLGroupID;
 
 // this is the prefix of all keysets with optional keys
 typedef struct {
diff --git a/src/nvim/generators/gen_api_dispatch.lua b/src/nvim/generators/gen_api_dispatch.lua
index 3fb240d70b..2eee1724c0 100644
--- a/src/nvim/generators/gen_api_dispatch.lua
+++ b/src/nvim/generators/gen_api_dispatch.lua
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ local keysets = {}
 local function add_keyset(val)
   local keys = {}
   local types = {}
-  local hlgroups = {}
   local is_set_name = 'is_set__' .. val.keyset_name .. '_'
   local has_optional = false
   for i, field in ipairs(val.fields) do
@@ -81,7 +80,6 @@ local function add_keyset(val)
     end
     if field.name ~= is_set_name and field.type ~= 'OptionalKeys' then
       table.insert(keys, field.name)
-      hlgroups[field.name] = field.name:find('hl_group') and true or false
     else
       if i > 1 then
         error("'is_set__{type}_' must be first if present")
@@ -97,7 +95,6 @@ local function add_keyset(val)
     name = val.keyset_name,
     keys = keys,
     types = types,
-    hlgroups = hlgroups,
     has_optional = has_optional,
   })
 end
@@ -285,7 +282,9 @@ for _, k in ipairs(keysets) do
   keysets_defs:write('extern KeySetLink ' .. k.name .. '_table[];\n')
 
   local function typename(type)
-    if type ~= nil then
+    if type == 'HLGroupID' then
+      return 'kObjectTypeInteger'
+    elseif type ~= nil then
       return 'kObjectType' .. type
     else
       return 'kObjectTypeNil'
@@ -311,7 +310,7 @@ for _, k in ipairs(keysets) do
         .. ', '
         .. ind
         .. ', '
-        .. (k.hlgroups[key] and 'true' or 'false')
+        .. (k.types[key] == 'HLGroupID' and 'true' or 'false')
         .. '},\n'
     )
   end