diff --git a/autoload/ale/cleanup.vim b/autoload/ale/cleanup.vim
index 2f636eee..45eccb98 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/cleanup.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/cleanup.vim
@@ -2,14 +2,18 @@
 " Description: Utility functions related to cleaning state.
 
 function! ale#cleanup#Buffer(buffer) abort
-    if has_key(g:ale_buffer_should_reset_map, a:buffer)
-        call remove(g:ale_buffer_should_reset_map, a:buffer)
+    if has_key(g:ale_buffer_count_map, a:buffer)
+        call remove(g:ale_buffer_count_map, a:buffer)
     endif
 
     if has_key(g:ale_buffer_loclist_map, a:buffer)
         call remove(g:ale_buffer_loclist_map, a:buffer)
     endif
 
+    if has_key(g:ale_buffer_should_reset_map, a:buffer)
+        call remove(g:ale_buffer_should_reset_map, a:buffer)
+    endif
+
     if has_key(g:ale_buffer_sign_dummy_map, a:buffer)
         call remove(g:ale_buffer_sign_dummy_map, a:buffer)
     endif
diff --git a/autoload/ale/engine.vim b/autoload/ale/engine.vim
index 7342a541..1d0ad3d5 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/engine.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/engine.vim
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ function! s:HandleExit(job) abort
     " Sort the loclist again.
     " We need a sorted list so we can run a binary search against it
     " for efficient lookup of the messages in the cursor handler.
-    call sort(g:ale_buffer_loclist_map[l:buffer], 'ale#util#LocItemCompare')
+    call sort(g:ale_buffer_loclist_map[l:buffer], 's:LocItemCompare')
 
     if g:ale_set_loclist
         call setloclist(0, g:ale_buffer_loclist_map[l:buffer])
@@ -108,6 +108,11 @@ function! s:HandleExit(job) abort
         call ale#sign#SetSigns(l:buffer, g:ale_buffer_loclist_map[l:buffer])
     endif
 
+    if exists('*ale#statusline#Update')
+        " Don't load/run if not already loaded.
+        call ale#statusline#Update(l:buffer, g:ale_buffer_loclist_map[l:buffer])
+    endif
+
     " Mark line 200, column 17 with a squiggly line or something
     " matchadd('ALEError', '\%200l\%17v')
 endfunction
@@ -136,6 +141,26 @@ function! s:FixLocList(buffer, loclist) abort
     endfor
 endfunction
 
+function! s:LocItemCompare(left, right) abort
+    if a:left['lnum'] < a:right['lnum']
+        return -1
+    endif
+
+    if a:left['lnum'] > a:right['lnum']
+        return 1
+    endif
+
+    if a:left['col'] < a:right['col']
+        return -1
+    endif
+
+    if a:left['col'] > a:right['col']
+        return 1
+    endif
+
+    return 0
+endfunction
+
 function! ale#engine#Invoke(buffer, linter) abort
     if has_key(a:linter, 'job')
         " Stop previous jobs for the same linter.
diff --git a/autoload/ale/statusline.vim b/autoload/ale/statusline.vim
index 995fcd94..8a31bc39 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/statusline.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/statusline.vim
@@ -1,20 +1,12 @@
 " Author: KabbAmine <amine.kabb@gmail.com>
 " Description: Statusline related function(s)
 
-function! ale#statusline#Status() abort
-    " Returns a formatted string that can be integrated in the
-    " statusline
-
-    let l:buffer = bufnr('%')
-    let l:loclist = g:ale_buffer_loclist_map
-
-    if !has_key(l:loclist, l:buffer)
-        return ''
-    endif
-
+" Update the buffer error/warning count with data from loclist.
+function! ale#statusline#Update(buffer, loclist) abort
     let l:errors = 0
     let l:warnings = 0
-    for l:entry in l:loclist[l:buffer]
+
+    for l:entry in a:loclist
         if l:entry.type ==# 'E'
             let l:errors += 1
         else
@@ -22,11 +14,36 @@ function! ale#statusline#Status() abort
         endif
     endfor
 
-    let l:errors = l:errors ? printf(g:ale_statusline_format[0], l:errors) : ''
-    let l:warnings = l:warnings ? printf(g:ale_statusline_format[1], l:warnings) : ''
+    let g:ale_buffer_count_map[a:buffer] = [l:errors, l:warnings]
+endfunction
+
+" Returns a tuple of errors and warnings for use in third-party integrations.
+function! ale#statusline#Count(buffer) abort
+    " Cache is cold, so manually ask for an update.
+    if !has_key(g:ale_buffer_count_map, a:buffer)
+        call ale#statusline#Update(a:buffer, get(g:ale_buffer_loclist_map, a:buffer, []))
+    endif
+
+    return g:ale_buffer_count_map[a:buffer]
+endfunction
+
+" Returns a formatted string that can be integrated in the statusline.
+function! ale#statusline#Status() abort
+    let l:buffer = bufnr('%')
+
+    " Cache is cold, so manually ask for an update.
+    if !has_key(g:ale_buffer_count_map, l:buffer)
+        call ale#statusline#Update(l:buffer, get(g:ale_buffer_loclist_map, l:buffer, []))
+    endif
+
+    " Build strings based on user formatting preferences.
+    let l:errors = g:ale_buffer_count_map[l:buffer][0] ?
+      \ printf(g:ale_statusline_format[0], g:ale_buffer_count_map[l:buffer][0]) : ''
+    let l:warnings = g:ale_buffer_count_map[l:buffer][1] ?
+      \ printf(g:ale_statusline_format[1], g:ale_buffer_count_map[l:buffer][1]) : ''
     let l:no_errors = g:ale_statusline_format[2]
 
-    " Different formats if no errors or no warnings
+    " Different formats based on the combination of errors and warnings.
     if empty(l:errors) && empty(l:warnings)
         let l:res = l:no_errors
     elseif !empty(l:errors) && !empty(l:warnings)
diff --git a/autoload/ale/util.vim b/autoload/ale/util.vim
index 17ce7c44..4217ac49 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/util.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/util.vim
@@ -43,23 +43,3 @@ function! ale#util#GetFunction(string_or_ref) abort
 
     return a:string_or_ref
 endfunction
-
-function! ale#util#LocItemCompare(left, right) abort
-    if a:left['lnum'] < a:right['lnum']
-        return -1
-    endif
-
-    if a:left['lnum'] > a:right['lnum']
-        return 1
-    endif
-
-    if a:left['col'] < a:right['col']
-        return -1
-    endif
-
-    if a:left['col'] > a:right['col']
-        return 1
-    endif
-
-    return 0
-endfunction
diff --git a/plugin/ale.vim b/plugin/ale.vim
index 9b45cd7c..d1c29902 100644
--- a/plugin/ale.vim
+++ b/plugin/ale.vim
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ endif
 
 " Globals
 
+let g:ale_buffer_count_map = {}
 let g:ale_buffer_loclist_map = {}
 let g:ale_buffer_should_reset_map = {}
 let g:ale_buffer_sign_dummy_map = {}
@@ -98,7 +99,8 @@ let g:ale_echo_msg_error_str = get(g:, 'ale_echo_msg_error_str', 'Error')
 let g:ale_echo_msg_warning_str = get(g:, 'ale_echo_msg_warning_str', 'Warning')
 
 " This flag can be set to 0 to disable echoing when the cursor moves.
-if get(g:, 'ale_echo_cursor', 1)
+let g:ale_echo_cursor = get(g:, 'ale_echo_cursor', 1)
+if g:ale_echo_cursor
     augroup ALECursorGroup
         autocmd!
         autocmd CursorMoved,CursorHold * call ale#cursor#EchoCursorWarningWithDelay()
@@ -120,10 +122,10 @@ let g:ale_warn_about_trailing_whitespace =
 
 " Housekeeping
 
-augroup ALECleanup
+augroup ALECleanupGroup
     autocmd!
     " Clean up buffers automatically when they are unloaded.
-    autocmd BufUnload * call ale#cleanup#Buffer('<abuf>')
+    autocmd BufUnload * call ale#cleanup#Buffer(expand('<abuf>'))
 augroup END
 
 " Backwards Compatibility
diff --git a/test/test_ale_statusline.vader b/test/test_ale_statusline.vader
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e935b1ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_ale_statusline.vader
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+Before:
+  let g:ale_buffer_loclist_map = {}
+
+Execute (Count should be 0 when data is empty):
+  AssertEqual ale#statusline#Count(bufnr('%')), [0, 0]
+
+
+Before:
+  let g:ale_buffer_count_map = {'44': [1, 2]}
+
+Execute (Count should read data from the cache):
+  AssertEqual ale#statusline#Count(44), [1, 2]
+
+Execute (Update the cache with new data):
+  call ale#statusline#Update(44, [])
+Then (The cache should reflect the new data):
+  AssertEqual ale#statusline#Count(44), [0, 0]
+
+
+Before:
+  let g:ale_buffer_loclist_map = {'1': [{'lnum': 1, 'bufnr': 1, 'vcol': 0, 'linter_name': 'testlinter', 'nr': -1, 'type': 'E', 'col': 1, 'text': 'Test Error'}]}
+
+Execute (Count should be match the loclist):
+  AssertEqual ale#statusline#Count(1), [1, 0]
+
+Execute (Output should be empty for non-existant buffer):
+  AssertEqual ale#statusline#Count(9001), [0, 0]
+
+Before:
+  let g:ale_statusline_format = ['%sE', '%sW', 'OKIE']
+
+Execute (Given some errors):
+  call ale#statusline#Update(bufnr('%'), [{'type': 'E'}, {'type': 'E'}])
+Then (Statusline is formatted to the users preference):
+  AssertEqual ale#statusline#Status(), "2E"
+
+Execute (Given some warnings):
+  call ale#statusline#Update(bufnr('%'), [{'type': 'W'}, {'type': 'W'}, {'type': 'W'}])
+Then (Statusline is formatted to the users preference):
+  AssertEqual ale#statusline#Status(), "3W"
+
+Execute (Given some warnings, and errors.):
+  call ale#statusline#Update(bufnr('%'), [{'type': 'E'}, {'type': 'W'}, {'type': 'W'}])
+Then (Statusline is formatted to the users preference):
+  AssertEqual ale#statusline#Status(), "1E 2W"
+
+Execute (Given a lack of data):
+  call ale#statusline#Update(bufnr('%'), [])
+Then (Statusline is formatted to the users preference):
+  AssertEqual ale#statusline#Status(), 'OKIE'
diff --git a/test/vimrc b/test/vimrc
index 1ab04d04..77be5e29 100644
--- a/test/vimrc
+++ b/test/vimrc
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@
 
 " Load builtin plugins
 " We need this because run_vim.sh sets -i NONE
-set runtimepath=/home/vim,$VIM/vimfiles,$VIMRUNTIME,$VIM/vimfiles/after,/testplugin
-set runtimepath+=/home/ale
-set runtimepath+=/vader
+set runtimepath=/home/vim,$VIM/vimfiles,$VIMRUNTIME,$VIM/vimfiles/after,/testplugin,/vader
 
 " The following is just an example
 filetype plugin indent on