diff --git a/autoload/ctrlp.vim b/autoload/ctrlp.vim
index 9371a0a..4425a9e 100644
--- a/autoload/ctrlp.vim
+++ b/autoload/ctrlp.vim
@@ -712,9 +712,7 @@ endf
 fu! s:ToggleType(dir)
 	let ext = exists('g:ctrlp_ext_vars') ? len(g:ctrlp_ext_vars) : 0
 	unl! g:ctrlp_nolimit
-	if has('syntax') && exists('g:syntax_on')
-		cal ctrlp#syntax()
-	en
+	cal ctrlp#syntax()
 	cal ctrlp#setlines(s:walker(2 + ext, s:itemtype, a:dir))
 	cal s:PrtSwitcher()
 endf
@@ -1213,9 +1211,8 @@ fu! ctrlp#setlcdir()
 endf
 " Highlighting {{{2
 fu! ctrlp#syntax()
-	for [ke, va] in items(s:hlgrps) | if !hlexists('CtrlP'.ke)
-		exe 'hi link CtrlP'.ke va
-	en | endfo
+	if ctrlp#nosy() | retu | en
+	for [ke, va] in items(s:hlgrps) | cal ctrlp#hicheck('CtrlP'.ke, va) | endfo
 	if !hlexists('CtrlPLinePre')
 		\ && synIDattr(synIDtrans(hlID('Normal')), 'bg') !~ '^-1$\|^$'
 		sil! exe 'hi CtrlPLinePre '.( has("gui_running") ? 'gui' : 'cterm' ).'fg=bg'
@@ -1510,6 +1507,11 @@ fu! s:openfile(cmd, fid, tail, ...)
 		cal ctrlp#setlcdir()
 	en
 endf
+
+fu! s:settype(type)
+	retu a:type < 0 ? exists('s:itemtype') ? s:itemtype
+		\ : exists('g:CTRLP_LAST_MODE') ? g:CTRLP_LAST_MODE : 0 : a:type
+endf
 " Matching {{{2
 fu! s:matchfname(item, pat)
 	retu match(split(a:item, s:lash)[-1], a:pat)
@@ -1603,6 +1605,16 @@ endf
 fu! ctrlp#switchtype(id)
 	cal s:ToggleType(a:id - s:itemtype)
 endf
+
+fu! ctrlp#nosy()
+	retu !( has('syntax') && exists('g:syntax_on') )
+endf
+
+fu! ctrlp#hicheck(grp, defgrp)
+	if !hlexists(a:grp)
+		exe 'hi link' a:grp a:defgrp
+	en
+endf
 "}}}1
 " * Initialization {{{1
 fu! ctrlp#setlines(...)
@@ -1622,12 +1634,8 @@ fu! ctrlp#init(type, ...)
 	cal s:SetWD(a:0 ? a:1 : '')
 	cal s:SetDefTxt()
 	cal s:MapKeys()
-	if has('syntax') && exists('g:syntax_on')
-		cal ctrlp#syntax()
-	en
-	let type = a:type < 0 ? exists('s:itemtype') ? s:itemtype
-		\ : exists('g:CTRLP_LAST_MODE') ? g:CTRLP_LAST_MODE : 0 : a:type
-	cal ctrlp#setlines(type)
+	cal ctrlp#syntax()
+	cal ctrlp#setlines(s:settype(a:type))
 	cal s:BuildPrompt(1)
 endf
 " - Autocmds {{{1
diff --git a/autoload/ctrlp/buffertag.vim b/autoload/ctrlp/buffertag.vim
index cb2e1e9..a8a99f9 100644
--- a/autoload/ctrlp/buffertag.vim
+++ b/autoload/ctrlp/buffertag.vim
@@ -199,15 +199,10 @@ fu! s:parseline(line)
 endf
 
 fu! s:syntax()
-	if !hlexists('CtrlPTagKind')
-		hi link CtrlPTagKind Title
-	en
-	if !hlexists('CtrlPBufName')
-		hi link CtrlPBufName Directory
-	en
-	if !hlexists('CtrlPTabExtra')
-		hi link CtrlPTabExtra Comment
-	en
+	if ctrlp#nosy() | retu | en
+	cal ctrlp#hicheck('CtrlPTagKind', 'Title')
+	cal ctrlp#hicheck('CtrlPBufName', 'Directory')
+	cal ctrlp#hicheck('CtrlPTabExtra', 'Comment')
 	sy match CtrlPTagKind '\zs[^\t|]\+\ze|\d\+:[^|]\+|\d\+|'
 	sy match CtrlPBufName '|\d\+:\zs[^|]\+\ze|\d\+|'
 	sy match CtrlPTabExtra '\zs\t.*\ze$' contains=CtrlPBufName,CtrlPTagKind
@@ -223,9 +218,7 @@ fu! ctrlp#buffertag#init(fname)
 		let tftype = get(split(getbufvar(bname, '&ft'), '\.'), 0, '')
 		cal extend(lines, s:process(bname, tftype))
 	endfo
-	if has('syntax') && exists('g:syntax_on')
-		cal s:syntax()
-	en
+	cal s:syntax()
 	retu lines
 endf
 
diff --git a/autoload/ctrlp/changes.vim b/autoload/ctrlp/changes.vim
index 736e911..ecc370f 100644
--- a/autoload/ctrlp/changes.vim
+++ b/autoload/ctrlp/changes.vim
@@ -46,12 +46,9 @@ fu! s:process(clines, ...)
 endf
 
 fu! s:syntax()
-	if !hlexists('CtrlPBufName')
-		hi link CtrlPBufName Directory
-	en
-	if !hlexists('CtrlPTabExtra')
-		hi link CtrlPTabExtra Comment
-	en
+	if ctrlp#nosy() | retu | en
+	cal ctrlp#hicheck('CtrlPBufName', 'Directory')
+	cal ctrlp#hicheck('CtrlPTabExtra', 'Comment')
 	sy match CtrlPBufName '\t|\d\+:\zs[^|]\+\ze|\d\+:\d\+|$'
 	sy match CtrlPTabExtra '\zs\t.*\ze$' contains=CtrlPBufName
 endf
@@ -72,10 +69,8 @@ fu! ctrlp#changes#init(original_bufnr, fname)
 	sil! exe 'noa hid b' a:original_bufnr
 	let &swb = swb
 	let g:ctrlp_nolimit = 1
-	if has('syntax') && exists('g:syntax_on')
-		cal ctrlp#syntax()
-		cal s:syntax()
-	en
+	cal ctrlp#syntax()
+	cal s:syntax()
 	retu lines
 endf
 
diff --git a/autoload/ctrlp/dir.vim b/autoload/ctrlp/dir.vim
index 7b0e17d..5b44fc7 100644
--- a/autoload/ctrlp/dir.vim
+++ b/autoload/ctrlp/dir.vim
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ fu! s:globdirs(dirs, depth)
 	let entries = split(globpath(a:dirs, s:glob), "\n")
 	let [dirs, depth] = [ctrlp#dirnfile(entries)[0], a:depth + 1]
 	cal extend(g:ctrlp_alldirs, dirs)
-	if !empty(dirs) && !s:max(len(g:ctrlp_alldirs), s:maxfiles)
-		\ && depth <= s:maxdepth
-		sil! cal ctrlp#progress(len(g:ctrlp_alldirs))
+	let nr = len(g:ctrlp_alldirs)
+	if !empty(dirs) && !s:max(nr, s:maxfiles) && depth <= s:maxdepth
+		sil! cal ctrlp#progress(nr)
 		cal s:globdirs(join(dirs, ','), depth)
 	en
 endf
diff --git a/autoload/ctrlp/line.vim b/autoload/ctrlp/line.vim
index 28b81d6..d5a2c57 100644
--- a/autoload/ctrlp/line.vim
+++ b/autoload/ctrlp/line.vim
@@ -24,12 +24,9 @@ let g:ctrlp_ext_vars = exists('g:ctrlp_ext_vars') && !empty(g:ctrlp_ext_vars)
 let s:id = g:ctrlp_builtins + len(g:ctrlp_ext_vars)
 " Utilities {{{1
 fu! s:syntax()
-	if !hlexists('CtrlPBufName')
-		hi link CtrlPBufName Directory
-	en
-	if !hlexists('CtrlPTabExtra')
-		hi link CtrlPTabExtra Comment
-	en
+	if ctrlp#nosy() | retu | en
+	cal ctrlp#hicheck('CtrlPBufName', 'Directory')
+	cal ctrlp#hicheck('CtrlPTabExtra', 'Comment')
 	sy match CtrlPBufName '\t|\zs[^|]\+\ze|\d\+:\d\+|$'
 	sy match CtrlPTabExtra '\zs\t.*\ze$' contains=CtrlPBufName
 endf
@@ -48,9 +45,7 @@ fu! ctrlp#line#init()
 		cal filter(from_file, 'v:val !~ ''^\s*\t|[^|]\+|\d\+:\d\+|$''')
 		cal extend(lines, from_file)
 	endfo
-	if has('syntax') && exists('g:syntax_on')
-		cal s:syntax()
-	en
+	cal s:syntax()
 	retu lines
 endf
 
diff --git a/autoload/ctrlp/quickfix.vim b/autoload/ctrlp/quickfix.vim
index 1296df9..0878a90 100644
--- a/autoload/ctrlp/quickfix.vim
+++ b/autoload/ctrlp/quickfix.vim
@@ -28,15 +28,17 @@ fu! s:lineout(dict)
 	retu printf('%s|%d:%d| %s', bufname(a:dict['bufnr']), a:dict['lnum'],
 		\ a:dict['col'], matchstr(a:dict['text'], '\s*\zs.*\S'))
 endf
+" Utilities {{{1
+fu! s:syntax()
+	if !ctrlp#nosy()
+		cal ctrlp#hicheck('CtrlPqfLineCol', 'Search')
+		sy match CtrlPqfLineCol '|\zs\d\+:\d\+\ze|'
+	en
+endf
 " Public {{{1
 fu! ctrlp#quickfix#init()
 	let g:ctrlp_nolimit = 1
-	if has('syntax') && exists('g:syntax_on')
-		if !hlexists('CtrlPqfLineCol')
-			hi link CtrlPqfLineCol Search
-		en
-		sy match CtrlPqfLineCol '|\zs\d\+:\d\+\ze|'
-	en
+	cal s:syntax()
 	retu map(getqflist(), 's:lineout(v:val)')
 endf
 
diff --git a/autoload/ctrlp/tag.vim b/autoload/ctrlp/tag.vim
index 5e002ef..1b90b7f 100644
--- a/autoload/ctrlp/tag.vim
+++ b/autoload/ctrlp/tag.vim
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ fu! s:filter(tags)
 	endw
 	retu alltags
 endf
+
+fu! s:syntax()
+	if !ctrlp#nosy()
+		cal ctrlp#hicheck('CtrlPTabExtra', 'Comment')
+		sy match CtrlPTabExtra '\zs\t.*\ze$'
+	en
+endf
 " Public {{{1
 fu! ctrlp#tag#init()
 	if empty(s:tagfiles) | retu [] | en
@@ -66,12 +73,7 @@ fu! ctrlp#tag#init()
 		let alltags = s:filter(ctrlp#utils#readfile(each))
 		cal extend(g:ctrlp_alltags, alltags)
 	endfo
-	if has('syntax') && exists('g:syntax_on')
-		if !hlexists('CtrlPTabExtra')
-			hi link CtrlPTabExtra Comment
-		en
-		sy match CtrlPTabExtra '\zs\t.*\ze$'
-	en
+	cal s:syntax()
 	retu g:ctrlp_alltags
 endf
 
diff --git a/autoload/ctrlp/undo.vim b/autoload/ctrlp/undo.vim
index 3604ba0..9f0ef53 100644
--- a/autoload/ctrlp/undo.vim
+++ b/autoload/ctrlp/undo.vim
@@ -82,11 +82,10 @@ fu! s:elapsed(nr)
 endf
 
 fu! s:syntax()
+	if ctrlp#nosy() | retu | en
 	for [ke, va] in items({'T': 'Directory', 'Br': 'Comment', 'Nr': 'String',
 		\ 'Sv': 'Comment', 'Po': 'Title'})
-		if !hlexists('CtrlPUndo'.ke)
-			exe 'hi link CtrlPUndo'.ke va
-		en
+		cal ctrlp#hicheck('CtrlPUndo'.ke, va)
 	endfo
 	sy match CtrlPUndoT '\v\d+ \zs[^ ]+\ze|\d+:\d+:\d+'
 	sy match CtrlPUndoBr '\[\|\]'
@@ -121,9 +120,6 @@ endf
 fu! ctrlp#undo#init()
 	let entries = s:undos[0] ? s:undos[1]['entries'] : s:undos[1]
 	if empty(entries) | retu [] | en
-	if has('syntax') && exists('g:syntax_on')
-		cal s:syntax()
-	en
 	let g:ctrlp_nolimit = 1
 	if !exists('s:lines')
 		if s:undos[0]
@@ -133,6 +129,7 @@ fu! ctrlp#undo#init()
 			let s:lines = map(reverse(entries), 's:formatul(v:val)')
 		en
 	en
+	cal s:syntax()
 	retu s:lines
 endf