diff --git a/diff.c b/diff.c
index b88c7d11b1..cc0cb2b31f 100644
--- a/diff.c
+++ b/diff.c
@@ -685,14 +685,18 @@ static void diff_words_show(struct diff_words_data *diff_words)
 	diff_words->minus.text.size = diff_words->plus.text.size = 0;
 }
 
+/* In "color-words" mode, show word-diff of words accumulated in the buffer */
+static void diff_words_flush(struct emit_callback *ecbdata)
+{
+	if (ecbdata->diff_words->minus.text.size ||
+	    ecbdata->diff_words->plus.text.size)
+		diff_words_show(ecbdata->diff_words);
+}
+
 static void free_diff_words_data(struct emit_callback *ecbdata)
 {
 	if (ecbdata->diff_words) {
-		/* flush buffers */
-		if (ecbdata->diff_words->minus.text.size ||
-				ecbdata->diff_words->plus.text.size)
-			diff_words_show(ecbdata->diff_words);
-
+		diff_words_flush(ecbdata);
 		free (ecbdata->diff_words->minus.text.ptr);
 		free (ecbdata->diff_words->minus.orig);
 		free (ecbdata->diff_words->plus.text.ptr);
@@ -772,6 +776,8 @@ static void fn_out_consume(void *priv, char *line, unsigned long len)
 	}
 
 	if (line[0] == '@') {
+		if (ecbdata->diff_words)
+			diff_words_flush(ecbdata);
 		len = sane_truncate_line(ecbdata, line, len);
 		find_lno(line, ecbdata);
 		emit_line(ecbdata->file,
@@ -797,9 +803,7 @@ static void fn_out_consume(void *priv, char *line, unsigned long len)
 					  &ecbdata->diff_words->plus);
 			return;
 		}
-		if (ecbdata->diff_words->minus.text.size ||
-		    ecbdata->diff_words->plus.text.size)
-			diff_words_show(ecbdata->diff_words);
+		diff_words_flush(ecbdata);
 		line++;
 		len--;
 		emit_line(ecbdata->file, plain, reset, line, len);
diff --git a/t/t4034-diff-words.sh b/t/t4034-diff-words.sh
index 4508effcaa..21db6e95c4 100755
--- a/t/t4034-diff-words.sh
+++ b/t/t4034-diff-words.sh
@@ -63,6 +63,26 @@ test_expect_success 'word diff with runs of whitespace' '
 
 '
 
+cat > expect <<\EOF
+<WHITE>diff --git a/pre b/post<RESET>
+<WHITE>index 330b04f..5ed8eff 100644<RESET>
+<WHITE>--- a/pre<RESET>
+<WHITE>+++ b/post<RESET>
+<BROWN>@@ -1 +1 @@<RESET>
+<RED>h(4)<RESET><GREEN>h(4),hh[44]<RESET>
+<BROWN>@@ -3,0 +4,4 @@ a = b + c<RESET>
+
+<GREEN>aa = a<RESET>
+
+<GREEN>aeff = aeff * ( aaa )<RESET>
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'word diff without context' '
+
+	word_diff --color-words --unified=0
+
+'
+
 cat > expect <<\EOF
 <WHITE>diff --git a/pre b/post<RESET>
 <WHITE>index 330b04f..5ed8eff 100644<RESET>