diff --git a/doc/classes/EditorSyntaxHighlighter.xml b/doc/classes/EditorSyntaxHighlighter.xml
index 3685907574f..1e67dbd80df 100644
--- a/doc/classes/EditorSyntaxHighlighter.xml
+++ b/doc/classes/EditorSyntaxHighlighter.xml
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@
 	<tutorials>
 	</tutorials>
 	<methods>
+		<method name="_create" qualifiers="virtual const">
+			<return type="EditorSyntaxHighlighter" />
+			<description>
+				Virtual method which creates a new instance of the syntax highlighter.
+			</description>
+		</method>
 		<method name="_get_name" qualifiers="virtual const">
 			<return type="String" />
 			<description>
diff --git a/editor/plugins/script_editor_plugin.cpp b/editor/plugins/script_editor_plugin.cpp
index 2edc0963820..d40dbabbce2 100644
--- a/editor/plugins/script_editor_plugin.cpp
+++ b/editor/plugins/script_editor_plugin.cpp
@@ -86,9 +86,13 @@ PackedStringArray EditorSyntaxHighlighter::_get_supported_languages() const {
 
 Ref<EditorSyntaxHighlighter> EditorSyntaxHighlighter::_create() const {
 	Ref<EditorSyntaxHighlighter> syntax_highlighter;
-	syntax_highlighter.instantiate();
-	if (get_script_instance()) {
-		syntax_highlighter->set_script(get_script_instance()->get_script());
+	if (GDVIRTUAL_IS_OVERRIDDEN(_create)) {
+		GDVIRTUAL_CALL(_create, syntax_highlighter);
+	} else {
+		syntax_highlighter.instantiate();
+		if (get_script_instance()) {
+			syntax_highlighter->set_script(get_script_instance()->get_script());
+		}
 	}
 	return syntax_highlighter;
 }
@@ -98,6 +102,7 @@ void EditorSyntaxHighlighter::_bind_methods() {
 
 	GDVIRTUAL_BIND(_get_name)
 	GDVIRTUAL_BIND(_get_supported_languages)
+	GDVIRTUAL_BIND(_create)
 }
 
 ////
diff --git a/editor/plugins/script_editor_plugin.h b/editor/plugins/script_editor_plugin.h
index 5de0aaa1e97..41901102482 100644
--- a/editor/plugins/script_editor_plugin.h
+++ b/editor/plugins/script_editor_plugin.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ protected:
 
 	GDVIRTUAL0RC(String, _get_name)
 	GDVIRTUAL0RC(PackedStringArray, _get_supported_languages)
+	GDVIRTUAL0RC(Ref<EditorSyntaxHighlighter>, _create)
 
 public:
 	virtual String _get_name() const;