diff --git a/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js b/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js
index 965b9a0f..2d41cfdb 100644
--- a/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js
+++ b/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js
@@ -75,19 +75,19 @@ var VirtualRenderer = function(container, theme) {
     this.scroller.appendChild(this.content);
 
     this.$gutterLayer = new GutterLayer(this.$gutter);
-    this.$markerLayer = new MarkerLayer(this.content);
+    this.$markerBack = new MarkerLayer(this.content);
 
     var textLayer = this.$textLayer = new TextLayer(this.content);
     this.canvas = textLayer.element;
 
+    this.$markerFront = new MarkerLayer(this.content);
+
     this.characterWidth = textLayer.getCharacterWidth();
     this.lineHeight = textLayer.getLineHeight();
 
     this.$cursorLayer = new CursorLayer(this.content);
     this.$cursorPadding = 8;
 
-    this.layers = [ this.$markerLayer, textLayer, this.$cursorLayer ];
-
     this.scrollBar = new ScrollBar(container);
     this.scrollBar.addEventListener("scroll", this.onScroll.bind(this));
 
@@ -133,14 +133,17 @@ var VirtualRenderer = function(container, theme) {
     this.CHANGE_LINES = 16;
     this.CHANGE_TEXT = 32;
     this.CHANGE_SIZE = 64;
-    this.CHANGE_FULL = 128;
+    this.CHANGE_MARKER_BACK = 128;
+    this.CHANGE_MARKER_FRONT = 256;
+    this.CHANGE_FULL = 512;
 
     oop.implement(this, EventEmitter);
 
     this.setSession = function(session) {
         this.session = session;
         this.$cursorLayer.setSession(session);
-        this.$markerLayer.setSession(session);
+        this.$markerBack.setSession(session);
+        this.$markerFront.setSession(session);
         this.$gutterLayer.setSession(session);
         this.$textLayer.setSession(session);
         this.$loop.schedule(this.CHANGE_FULL);
@@ -384,7 +387,8 @@ var VirtualRenderer = function(container, theme) {
         if (changes & this.CHANGE_FULL) {
             this.$textLayer.update(this.layerConfig);
             this.showGutter && this.$gutterLayer.update(this.layerConfig);
-            this.$markerLayer.update(this.layerConfig);
+            this.$markerBack.update(this.layerConfig);
+            this.$markerFront.update(this.layerConfig);
             this.$cursorLayer.update(this.layerConfig);
             this.$updateScrollBar();
             this.scrollCursorIntoView();
@@ -398,7 +402,8 @@ var VirtualRenderer = function(container, theme) {
             else
                 this.$textLayer.scrollLines(this.layerConfig);
             this.showGutter && this.$gutterLayer.update(this.layerConfig);
-            this.$markerLayer.update(this.layerConfig);
+            this.$markerBack.update(this.layerConfig);
+            this.$markerFront.update(this.layerConfig);
             this.$cursorLayer.update(this.layerConfig);
             this.$updateScrollBar();
             return;
@@ -419,8 +424,12 @@ var VirtualRenderer = function(container, theme) {
         if (changes & this.CHANGE_CURSOR)
             this.$cursorLayer.update(this.layerConfig);
 
-        if (changes & this.CHANGE_MARKER) {
-            this.$markerLayer.update(this.layerConfig);
+        if (changes & (this.CHANGE_MARKER | this.CHANGE_MARKER_FRONT)) {
+            this.$markerFront.update(this.layerConfig);
+        }
+        
+        if (changes & (this.CHANGE_MARKER | this.CHANGE_MARKER_BACK)) {
+            this.$markerBack.update(this.layerConfig);
         }
 
         if (changes & this.CHANGE_SIZE)
@@ -505,15 +514,28 @@ var VirtualRenderer = function(container, theme) {
         return Math.max(this.$size.scrollerWidth - this.$padding * 2, Math.round(charCount * this.characterWidth));
     };
 
-    this.addMarker = function(range, clazz, type) {
-        var id = this.$markerLayer.addMarker(range, clazz, type);
-        this.$loop.schedule(this.CHANGE_MARKER);
-        return id;
+    this.addMarker = function(range, clazz, type, inFront) {
+        if (inFront) {
+            var id = this.$markerFront.addMarker(range, clazz, type);
+            this.$loop.schedule(this.CHANGE_MARKER_FRONT);
+        }
+        else {
+            var id = this.$markerBack.addMarker(range, clazz, type);
+            this.$loop.schedule(this.CHANGE_MARKER_BACK);
+        }
+        
+        return [id, !!inFront];
     };
 
     this.removeMarker = function(markerId) {
-        this.$markerLayer.removeMarker(markerId);
-        this.$loop.schedule(this.CHANGE_MARKER);
+        if (markerId[1]) {
+            this.$markerFront.removeMarker(markerId[0]);
+            this.$loop.schedule(this.CHANGE_MARKER_FRONT);
+        }
+        else {
+            this.$markerBack.removeMarker(markerId[0]);
+            this.$loop.schedule(this.CHANGE_MARKER_BACK);
+        }
     };
 
     this.addGutterDecoration = function(row, className){