diff --git a/src/message_handler.cc b/src/message_handler.cc
index d5fbdd95..81576227 100644
--- a/src/message_handler.cc
+++ b/src/message_handler.cc
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ void EmitSemanticHighlighting(QueryDatabase* db,
       grouped_symbols;
   for (SymbolRef sym : file->def->all_symbols) {
     std::string_view detailed_name;
-    SymbolKind parent_kind = SymbolKind::Invalid;
+    lsSymbolKind parent_kind = lsSymbolKind::Unknown;
     lsSymbolKind kind = lsSymbolKind::Unknown;
     StorageClass storage = StorageClass::Invalid;
     // This switch statement also filters out symbols that are not highlighted.
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ void EmitSemanticHighlighting(QueryDatabase* db,
             short_name.compare(0, 27, "function<type-parameter-0-0") == 0)
           continue;  // applies to for loop
         if (def->spell)
-          parent_kind = def->spell->kind;
+          parent_kind = GetSymbolKind(db, *def->spell);
         kind = def->kind;
         storage = def->storage;
         detailed_name = short_name;
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ void EmitSemanticHighlighting(QueryDatabase* db,
           kind = def.kind;
           detailed_name = def.detailed_name;
           if (def.spell) {
-            parent_kind = def.spell->kind;
+            parent_kind = GetSymbolKind(db, *def.spell);
             break;
           }
         }
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ void EmitSemanticHighlighting(QueryDatabase* db,
           storage = def.storage;
           detailed_name = def.detailed_name;
           if (def.spell) {
-            parent_kind = def.spell->kind;
+            parent_kind = GetSymbolKind(db, *def.spell);
             break;
           }
         }
diff --git a/src/message_handler.h b/src/message_handler.h
index 1339e695..d5b79d48 100644
--- a/src/message_handler.h
+++ b/src/message_handler.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ struct Out_CqueryPublishSemanticHighlighting
     : public lsOutMessage<Out_CqueryPublishSemanticHighlighting> {
   struct Symbol {
     int stableId = 0;
-    SymbolKind parentKind;
+    lsSymbolKind parentKind;
     lsSymbolKind kind;
     StorageClass storage;
     std::vector<lsRange> ranges;
diff --git a/src/query_utils.cc b/src/query_utils.cc
index 7361187e..7377ad17 100644
--- a/src/query_utils.cc
+++ b/src/query_utils.cc
@@ -266,6 +266,22 @@ std::vector<lsLocationEx> GetLsLocationExs(QueryDatabase* db,
   return ret;
 }
 
+lsSymbolKind GetSymbolKind(QueryDatabase* db, SymbolIdx sym) {
+  lsSymbolKind ret;
+  if (sym.kind == SymbolKind::File)
+    ret = lsSymbolKind::File;
+  else {
+    ret = lsSymbolKind::Unknown;
+    WithEntity(db, sym, [&](const auto& entity) {
+      for (auto& def : entity.def) {
+        ret = def.kind;
+        break;
+      }
+    });
+  }
+  return ret;
+}
+
 // Returns a symbol. The symbol will have *NOT* have a location assigned.
 optional<lsSymbolInformation> GetSymbolInfo(QueryDatabase* db,
                                             WorkingFiles* working_files,
diff --git a/src/query_utils.h b/src/query_utils.h
index 4b341086..f9a10a6a 100644
--- a/src/query_utils.h
+++ b/src/query_utils.h
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ void EachOccurrence(QueryDatabase* db, SymbolIdx sym, bool include_decl, Fn&& fn
   });
 }
 
+lsSymbolKind GetSymbolKind(QueryDatabase* db, SymbolIdx sym);
+
 template <typename Fn>
 void EachOccurrenceWithParent(QueryDatabase* db,
                               SymbolIdx sym,
@@ -101,12 +103,7 @@ void EachOccurrenceWithParent(QueryDatabase* db,
     lsSymbolKind parent_kind = lsSymbolKind::Unknown;
     for (auto& def : entity.def)
       if (def.spell) {
-        WithEntity(db, *def.spell, [&](const auto& entity) {
-          for (auto& def : entity.def) {
-            parent_kind = def.kind;
-            break;
-          }
-        });
+        parent_kind = GetSymbolKind(db, sym);
         break;
       }
     for (Use use : entity.uses)