diff --git a/packages/debug/src/browser/editor/debug-hover-widget.ts b/packages/debug/src/browser/editor/debug-hover-widget.ts
index 22f30493899f7..9c0276a407af7 100644
--- a/packages/debug/src/browser/editor/debug-hover-widget.ts
+++ b/packages/debug/src/browser/editor/debug-hover-widget.ts
@@ -197,6 +197,24 @@ export class DebugHoverWidget extends SourceTreeWidget implements monaco.editor.
             }
         } else { // use fallback if no provider was registered
             matchingExpression = this.expressionProvider.get(this.editor.getControl().getModel()!, options.selection);
+            if (matchingExpression) {
+                const expressionLineContent = this.editor
+                    .getControl()
+                    .getModel()!
+                    .getLineContent(this.options.selection.startLineNumber);
+                const startColumn =
+                    expressionLineContent.indexOf(
+                        matchingExpression,
+                        this.options.selection.startColumn - matchingExpression.length
+                    ) + 1;
+                const endColumn = startColumn + matchingExpression.length;
+                this.options.selection = new monaco.Range(
+                    this.options.selection.startLineNumber,
+                    startColumn,
+                    this.options.selection.startLineNumber,
+                    endColumn
+                );
+            }
         }
 
         if (!matchingExpression) {