diff --git a/doc/syntastic.txt b/doc/syntastic.txt
index efa8355c..fb599a77 100644
--- a/doc/syntastic.txt
+++ b/doc/syntastic.txt
@@ -92,6 +92,30 @@ Syntastic uses the |:sign| commands to mark lines with errors and warnings in
 the sign column. To enable this feature, use the |'syntastic_enable_signs'|
 option.
 
+Signs are colored using the Error and Todo syntax highlight groups by default.
+If you wish to customize the colors for the signs, you can use the following
+groups:
+    SyntasticErrorSign - For syntax errors, links to 'error' by default
+    SyntasticWarningSign - For syntax warnings, links to 'todo' by default
+    SyntasticStyleErrorSign - For style errors, links to 'SyntasticErrorSign'
+                              by default
+    SyntasticStyleWarningSign - For style warnings, links to
+                                'SyntasticWarningSign' by default
+
+Example: >
+    highlight SyntasticErrorSign guifg=white guibg=red
+<
+To set up highlighting for the line where a sign resides, you can use the
+following highlight groups:
+    SyntasticErrorLine
+    SyntasticWarningLine
+    SyntasticStyleErrorLine - Links to 'SyntasticErrorLine' by default
+    SyntasticStyleWarningLine - Links to 'SyntasticWarningLine' by default
+
+Example: >
+    highlight SyntasticErrorLine guibg=#2f0000
+<
+
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2.3. The error window                       *:Errors* *syntastic-error-window*
 
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic.vim b/plugin/syntastic.vim
index af5de87d..d4cb84fa 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic.vim
@@ -274,10 +274,29 @@ endfunction
 
 if g:syntastic_enable_signs
     "define the signs used to display syntax and style errors/warns
-    exe 'sign define SyntasticError text='.g:syntastic_error_symbol.' texthl=error'
-    exe 'sign define SyntasticWarning text='.g:syntastic_warning_symbol.' texthl=todo'
-    exe 'sign define SyntasticStyleError text='.g:syntastic_style_error_symbol.' texthl=error'
-    exe 'sign define SyntasticStyleWarning text='.g:syntastic_style_warning_symbol.' texthl=todo'
+    exe 'sign define SyntasticError text='.g:syntastic_error_symbol.' texthl=SyntasticErrorSign linehl=SyntasticErrorLine'
+    exe 'sign define SyntasticWarning text='.g:syntastic_warning_symbol.' texthl=SyntasticWarningSign linehl=SyntasticWarningLine'
+    exe 'sign define SyntasticStyleError text='.g:syntastic_style_error_symbol.' texthl=SyntasticStyleErrorSign linehl=SyntasticStyleErrorLine'
+    exe 'sign define SyntasticStyleWarning text='.g:syntastic_style_warning_symbol.' texthl=SyntasticStyleWarningSign linehl=SyntasticStyleWarningLine'
+
+    if !hlexists('SyntasticErrorSign')
+        highlight link SyntasticErrorSign error
+    endif
+    if !hlexists('SyntasticWarningSign')
+        highlight link SyntasticWarningSign todo
+    endif
+    if !hlexists('SyntasticStyleErrorSign')
+        highlight link SyntasticStyleErrorSign SyntasticErrorSign
+    endif
+    if !hlexists('SyntasticStyleWarningSign')
+        highlight link SyntasticStyleWarningSign SyntasticWarningSign
+    endif
+    if !hlexists('SyntasticStyleErrorLine')
+        highlight link SyntasticStyleErrorLine SyntasticErrorLine
+    endif
+    if !hlexists('SyntasticStyleWarningLine')
+        highlight link SyntasticStyleWarningLine SyntasticWarningLine
+    endif
 endif
 
 "start counting sign ids at 5000, start here to hopefully avoid conflicting