diff --git a/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsparameters.cpp b/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsparameters.cpp
index fcc14f85453f..04d33e725f53 100644
--- a/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsparameters.cpp
+++ b/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsparameters.cpp
@@ -1482,21 +1482,66 @@ namespace QgsWms
     }
 
     //layers
-    QList<QgsWmsParametersLayer> parameters;
-    QStringList layers = composerMapParamToStringList( mapId, "LAYERS", ',' );
-    QStringList styles = composerMapParamToStringList( mapId, "STYLES", ',' );
+    QList<QgsWmsParametersLayer> lParams;
+    QStringList layers = composerMapParamToStringList( mapId, name( ParameterName::LAYERS ), ',' );
+    QStringList styles = composerMapParamToStringList( mapId, name( ParameterName::STYLES ), ',' );
     for ( int i = 0; i < layers.size(); i++ )
     {
       QString layer = layers[i];
-      QgsWmsParametersLayer param;
-      param.mNickname = layer;
+      QgsWmsParametersLayer lParam;
+      lParam.mNickname = layer;
 
       if ( i < styles.count() )
-        param.mStyle = styles[i];
+        lParam.mStyle = styles[i];
 
-      parameters.append( param );
+      lParams.append( lParam );
+    }
+    param.mLayers = lParams;
+
+    //highlight layers
+    QList<QgsWmsParametersHighlightLayer> hParams;
+    QList<QgsGeometry> geoms = composerMapParamToGeomList( mapId, name( ParameterName::HIGHLIGHT_GEOM ), ';' );
+    QStringList slds = composerMapParamToStringList( mapId, name( ParameterName::HIGHLIGHT_SYMBOL ), ';' );
+    QStringList labels = composerMapParamToStringList( mapId, name( ParameterName::HIGHLIGHT_LABELSTRING ), ';' );
+    QList<QColor> colors = composerMapParamToColorList( mapId, name( ParameterName::HIGHLIGHT_LABELCOLOR ), ';' );
+    QList<int> sizes = composerMapParamToIntList( mapId, name( ParameterName::HIGHLIGHT_LABELSIZE ), ';' );
+    QList<int> weights = composerMapParamToIntList( mapId, name( ParameterName::HIGHLIGHT_LABELWEIGHT ), ';' );
+    QStringList fonts = composerMapParamToStringList( mapId, name( ParameterName::HIGHLIGHT_LABELFONT ), ';' );
+    QList<QColor> bufferColors = composerMapParamToColorList( mapId, name( ParameterName::HIGHLIGHT_LABELBUFFERCOLOR ), ';' );
+    QList<float> bufferSizes = composerMapParamToFloatList( mapId, name( ParameterName::HIGHLIGHT_LABELBUFFERSIZE ), ';' );
+
+    int nHLayers = qMin( geoms.size(), slds.size() );
+    for ( int i = 0; i < nHLayers; i++ )
+    {
+      QgsWmsParametersHighlightLayer hParam;
+      hParam.mName = pMapId + "_highlight_" + QString::number( i );
+      hParam.mGeom = geoms[i];
+      hParam.mSld = slds[i];
+
+      if ( i < labels.count() )
+        hParam.mLabel = labels[i];
+
+      if ( i < colors.count() )
+        hParam.mColor = colors[i];
+
+      if ( i < sizes.count() )
+        hParam.mSize = sizes[i];
+
+      if ( i < weights.count() )
+        hParam.mWeight = weights[i];
+
+      if ( i < fonts.count() )
+        hParam.mFont = fonts[ i ];
+
+      if ( i < bufferColors.count() )
+        hParam.mBufferColor = bufferColors[i];
+
+      if ( i < bufferSizes.count() )
+        hParam.mBufferSize = bufferSizes[i];
+
+      hParams.append( hParam );
     }
-    param.mLayers = parameters;
+    param.mHighlightLayers = hParams;
 
     return param;
   }
@@ -1545,6 +1590,112 @@ namespace QgsWms
     return valStr.split( delimiter, QString::SkipEmptyParts );
   }
 
+  QList<QgsGeometry> QgsWmsParameters::composerMapParamToGeomList( int mapId, QString name, char delimiter ) const
+  {
+    QStringList l = composerMapParamToStringList( mapId, name, delimiter );
+    QList<QgsGeometry> geometries;
+
+    Q_FOREACH ( QString wkt, l )
+    {
+      QgsGeometry g( QgsGeometry::fromWkt( wkt ) );
+
+      if ( g.isGeosValid() )
+      {
+        geometries.append( g );
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        QString pMapId = "MAP" + QString::number( mapId );
+        QString paramName = pMapId + ":" + name;
+        QString valStr = l.join( delimiter );
+        QString msg = paramName + " ('" + valStr + "') cannot be converted into a list of geometries";
+        raiseError( msg );
+      }
+    }
+
+    return geometries;
+  }
+
+  QList<QColor> QgsWmsParameters::composerMapParamToColorList( int mapId, QString name, char delimiter ) const
+  {
+    QStringList l = composerMapParamToStringList( mapId, name, delimiter );
+    QList<QColor> elements;
+
+    Q_FOREACH ( QString element, l )
+    {
+      QColor c = QColor( element );
+
+      if ( c.isValid() )
+      {
+        elements.append( c );
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        QString pMapId = "MAP" + QString::number( mapId );
+        QString paramName = pMapId + ":" + name;
+        QString valStr = l.join( delimiter );
+        QString msg = paramName + " ('" + valStr + "') cannot be converted into a list of colors";
+        raiseError( msg );
+      }
+    }
+
+    return elements;
+  }
+
+  QList<int> QgsWmsParameters::composerMapParamToIntList( int mapId, QString name, char delimiter ) const
+  {
+    QStringList l = composerMapParamToStringList( mapId, name, delimiter );
+    QList<int> elements;
+
+    Q_FOREACH ( QString element, l )
+    {
+      bool ok;
+      int e = element.toInt( &ok );
+
+      if ( ok )
+      {
+        elements.append( e );
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        QString pMapId = "MAP" + QString::number( mapId );
+        QString paramName = pMapId + ":" + name;
+        QString valStr = l.join( delimiter );
+        QString msg = paramName + " ('" + valStr + "') cannot be converted into a list of int";
+        raiseError( msg );
+      }
+    }
+
+    return elements;
+  }
+
+  QList<float> QgsWmsParameters::composerMapParamToFloatList( int mapId, QString name, char delimiter ) const
+  {
+    QStringList l = composerMapParamToStringList( mapId, name, delimiter );
+    QList<float> elements;
+
+    Q_FOREACH ( QString element, l )
+    {
+      bool ok;
+      float e = element.toFloat( &ok );
+
+      if ( ok )
+      {
+        elements.append( e );
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        QString pMapId = "MAP" + QString::number( mapId );
+        QString paramName = pMapId + ":" + name;
+        QString valStr = l.join( delimiter );
+        QString msg = paramName + " ('" + valStr + "') cannot be converted into a list of float";
+        raiseError( msg );
+      }
+    }
+
+    return elements;
+  }
+
   QString QgsWmsParameters::name( ParameterName name ) const
   {
     const QMetaEnum metaEnum( QMetaEnum::fromType<ParameterName>() );
diff --git a/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsparameters.h b/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsparameters.h
index 4aa95440a998..aeee6ef8d476 100644
--- a/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsparameters.h
+++ b/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsparameters.h
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ namespace QgsWms
     float mGridX = 0;
     float mGridY = 0;
     QList<QgsWmsParametersLayer> mLayers; // list of layers fr this composer map
+    QList<QgsWmsParametersHighlightLayer> mHighlightLayers; // list of highlight layers fr this composer map
   };
 
   class QgsWmsParameters
@@ -810,6 +811,10 @@ namespace QgsWms
        * \returns parameter as a string list
        */
       QStringList composerMapParamToStringList( int mapId, QString name, char delimiter ) const;
+      QList<QgsGeometry> composerMapParamToGeomList( int mapId, QString name, char delimiter ) const;
+      QList<QColor> composerMapParamToColorList( int mapId, QString name, char delimiter ) const;
+      QList<int> composerMapParamToIntList( int mapId, QString name, char delimiter ) const;
+      QList<float> composerMapParamToFloatList( int mapId, QString name, char delimiter ) const;
 
     private:
       QString name( ParameterName name ) const;
diff --git a/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsrenderer.cpp b/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsrenderer.cpp
index 5fce9a970a3c..e404b53451da 100644
--- a/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsrenderer.cpp
+++ b/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsrenderer.cpp
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ namespace QgsWms
     }
 
     // add highlight layers above others
-    layers = layers << highlightLayers();
+    layers = layers << highlightLayers( mWmsParameters.highlightLayersParameters() );
 
     // add layers to map settings (revert order for the rendering)
     std::reverse( layers.begin(), layers.end() );
@@ -523,6 +523,7 @@ namespace QgsWms
                                               QStringLiteral( "Layer \"%1\" does not exist" ).arg( nickname ) );
               }
             }
+            layerSet << highlightLayers( cMapParams.mHighlightLayers );
             std::reverse( layerSet.begin(), layerSet.end() );
             map->setLayers( layerSet );
           }
@@ -754,7 +755,7 @@ namespace QgsWms
     }
 
     // add highlight layers above others
-    layers = layers << highlightLayers();
+    layers = layers << highlightLayers( mWmsParameters.highlightLayersParameters() );
 
     // create the output image and the painter
     std::unique_ptr<QPainter> painter;
@@ -2871,12 +2872,11 @@ namespace QgsWms
     return visible;
   }
 
-  QList<QgsMapLayer *> QgsRenderer::highlightLayers()
+  QList<QgsMapLayer *> QgsRenderer::highlightLayers( QList<QgsWmsParametersHighlightLayer> params )
   {
     QList<QgsMapLayer *> highlightLayers;
 
     // try to create highlight layer for each geometry
-    QList<QgsWmsParametersHighlightLayer> params = mWmsParameters.highlightLayersParameters();
     QString crs = mWmsParameters.crs();
     Q_FOREACH ( QgsWmsParametersHighlightLayer param, params )
     {
diff --git a/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsrenderer.h b/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsrenderer.h
index b93263834cf3..462b91fc08b2 100644
--- a/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsrenderer.h
+++ b/src/server/services/wms/qgswmsrenderer.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ namespace QgsWms
       void initRestrictedLayers();
 
       // Build and returns highlight layers
-      QList<QgsMapLayer *> highlightLayers();
+      QList<QgsMapLayer *> highlightLayers( QList<QgsWmsParametersHighlightLayer> params );
 
       // Init a map with nickname for layers' project
       void initNicknameLayers();