diff --git a/kittens/diff/highlight.py b/kittens/diff/highlight.py
index c159ff7e9..43b211881 100644
--- a/kittens/diff/highlight.py
+++ b/kittens/diff/highlight.py
@@ -122,8 +122,6 @@ def highlight_line(line):
 def highlight_for_diff(path, aliases):
     ans = []
     lines = lines_for_path(path)
-    if len(lines) > 10000:
-        return ans
     hd = highlight_data('\n'.join(lines), path, aliases)
     if hd is not None:
         for line in hd.splitlines():
@@ -135,6 +133,7 @@ def highlight_collection(collection, aliases=None):
     jobs = {}
     ans = {}
     with concurrent.futures.ProcessPoolExecutor(max_workers=os.cpu_count()) as executor:
+        highlight_collection.processes = executor._processes
         for path, item_type, other_path in collection:
             if item_type != 'rename':
                 for p in (path, other_path):
diff --git a/kittens/diff/main.py b/kittens/diff/main.py
index fa839bcf7..f3819c295 100644
--- a/kittens/diff/main.py
+++ b/kittens/diff/main.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2018, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
 
 import os
+import signal
 import sys
 import warnings
 from collections import defaultdict
@@ -508,6 +509,13 @@ help_text = 'Show a side-by-side diff of the specified files/directories'
 usage = 'file_or_directory_left file_or_directory_right'
 
 
+def terminate_processes(processes):
+    for pid in processes:
+        os.kill(pid, signal.SIGTERM)
+    for pid in processes:
+        os.kill(pid, signal.SIGKILL)
+
+
 def main(args):
     warnings.showwarning = showwarning
     args, items = parse_args(args[1:], OPTIONS, usage, help_text, 'kitty +kitten diff')
@@ -530,6 +538,8 @@ def main(args):
     for message in showwarning.warnings:
         from kitty.utils import safe_print
         safe_print(message, file=sys.stderr)
+    processes = getattr(highlight_collection, 'processes', ())
+    terminate_processes(tuple(processes))
     if loop.return_code != 0:
         if handler.report_traceback_on_exit:
             print(handler.report_traceback_on_exit, file=sys.stderr)