diff --git a/kittens/hints/main.py b/kittens/hints/main.py
index 8b7e92264..5b423f355 100644
--- a/kittens/hints/main.py
+++ b/kittens/hints/main.py
@@ -702,7 +702,7 @@ def main(args: List[str]) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
     return None
 
 
-def linenum_handle_result(args: List[str], data: Dict[str, Any], target_window_id: int, boss: BossType, extra_cli_args: Sequence[str], *a: Any) -> None:
+def linenum_process_result(data: Dict[str, Any]) -> Tuple[str, int]:
     pat = re.compile(r':(\d+)$')
     for m, g in zip(data['match'], data['groupdicts']):
         if m:
@@ -715,10 +715,13 @@ def linenum_handle_result(args: List[str], data: Dict[str, Any], target_window_i
                 line = m.group(1)
                 path = path[:-len(m.group())]
 
-            path = os.path.expanduser(path.split(':')[-1])
-            line = int(line)
-            break
-    else:
+            return os.path.expanduser(path), int(line)
+    return '', -1
+
+
+def linenum_handle_result(args: List[str], data: Dict[str, Any], target_window_id: int, boss: BossType, extra_cli_args: Sequence[str], *a: Any) -> None:
+    path, line = linenum_process_result(data)
+    if not path:
         return
 
     cmd = [x.format(path=path, line=line) for x in extra_cli_args or ('vim', '+{line}', '{path}')]
diff --git a/kitty_tests/hints.py b/kitty_tests/hints.py
index d116ce125..c232b97e1 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/hints.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/hints.py
@@ -1,18 +1,21 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 # License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2018, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
 
-
+import os
 from . import BaseTest
 
 
 class TestHints(BaseTest):
 
     def test_url_hints(self):
-        from kittens.hints.main import parse_hints_args, functions_for, mark, convert_text
+        from kittens.hints.main import (
+            Mark, convert_text, functions_for, linenum_marks,
+            linenum_process_result, mark, parse_hints_args
+        )
         args = parse_hints_args([])[0]
         pattern, post_processors = functions_for(args)
 
-        def create_marks(text, cols=20):
+        def create_marks(text, cols=20, mark=mark):
             text = convert_text(text, cols)
             return tuple(mark(pattern, post_processors, text, args))
 
@@ -30,8 +33,27 @@ class TestHints(BaseTest):
         t(f'`xyz <{u}>`_.', u)
         t(f'<a href="{u}">moo', u)
 
+        def m(text, path, line, cols=20):
+
+            def adapt(pattern, postprocessors, text, *a):
+                return linenum_marks(text, args, Mark, ())
+
+            marks = create_marks(text, cols, mark=adapt)
+            data = {'groupdicts': [m.groupdict for m in marks], 'match': [m.text for m in marks]}
+            self.ae(linenum_process_result(data), (path, line))
+
+        args = parse_hints_args('--type=linenum'.split())[0]
+        m('file.c:23', 'file.c', 23)
+        m('file.c:23:32', 'file.c', 23)
+        m('file.cpp:23:1', 'file.cpp', 23)
+        m('a/file.c:23', 'a/file.c', 23)
+        m('a/file.c:23:32', 'a/file.c', 23)
+        m('~/file.c:23:32', os.path.expanduser('~/file.c'), 23)
+
     def test_ip_hints(self):
-        from kittens.hints.main import parse_hints_args, functions_for, mark, convert_text
+        from kittens.hints.main import (
+            convert_text, functions_for, mark, parse_hints_args
+        )
         args = parse_hints_args(['--type', 'ip'])[0]
         pattern, post_processors = functions_for(args)