diff --git a/plugin/hicursorwords.vim b/plugin/hicursorwords.vim
index d98dd3b..668a6dc 100644
--- a/plugin/hicursorwords.vim
+++ b/plugin/hicursorwords.vim
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ endfunction
 function! s:HiCursorWords__getWordUnderTheCursor(linestr, linenum, colnum)
     "let word = substitute(a:linestr, '.*\(\<\k\{-}\%' . a:colnum . 'c\k\{-}\>\).*', '\1', '') "expand('<word>')
     let word = matchstr(a:linestr, '\k*\%' . a:colnum . 'c\k\+')
-    if a:linestr == word
+    if word == ''
         return ''
     endif
     return '\V\<' . word . '\>'
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ function! s:HiCursorWords__startHilighting()
     augroup HiCursorWordsUpdate
         autocmd!
         autocmd CursorHold,CursorHoldI  *
-                    \ let &updatetime = b:HiCursorWords__oldUpdatetime
+                    \ if exists('b:HiCursorWords__oldUpdatetime') | let &updatetime = b:HiCursorWords__oldUpdatetime | endif
                     \ | call s:HiCursorWords__execute()
     augroup END
 endfunction