diff --git a/autoload/syntastic/util.vim b/autoload/syntastic/util.vim
index 34318770..535d2671 100644
--- a/autoload/syntastic/util.vim
+++ b/autoload/syntastic/util.vim
@@ -372,8 +372,8 @@ function! syntastic#util#stamp() abort " {{{2
     return split( split(reltimestr(reltime(g:_SYNTASTIC_START)))[0], '\.' )
 endfunction " }}}2
 
-function! syntastic#util#setChangedtick(buf) abort " {{{2
-    call setbufvar(a:buf, 'syntastic_changedtick', getbufvar(a:buf, 'changedtick'))
+function! syntastic#util#setLastTick(buf) abort " {{{2
+    call setbufvar(a:buf, 'syntastic_lasttick', getbufvar(a:buf, 'changedtick'))
 endfunction " }}}2
 
 let s:_wid_base = 'syntastic_' . getpid() . '_' . reltimestr(g:_SYNTASTIC_START) . '_'
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic.vim b/plugin/syntastic.vim
index d67631a0..be020dea 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic.vim
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ if has('reltime')
     lockvar! g:_SYNTASTIC_START
 endif
 
-let g:_SYNTASTIC_VERSION = '3.7.0-216'
+let g:_SYNTASTIC_VERSION = '3.7.0-217'
 lockvar g:_SYNTASTIC_VERSION
 
 " Sanity checks {{{1
@@ -233,6 +233,15 @@ endfunction " }}}2
 function! SyntasticReset() abort " {{{2
     call s:ClearCache(bufnr(''))
     call s:notifiers.refresh(g:SyntasticLoclist.New([]))
+    if !empty(get(w:, 'syntastic_loclist_set', []))
+        let w:syntastic_loclist_set = []
+        try
+            " Vim 7.4.2200 or later
+            call setloclist(0, [], 'r', { 'title': '' })
+        catch /\m^Vim\%((\a\+)\)\=:E118/
+            " do nothing
+        endtry
+    endif
 endfunction " }}}2
 
 function! SyntasticToggleMode() abort " {{{2
@@ -243,7 +252,7 @@ function! SyntasticToggleMode() abort " {{{2
 endfunction " }}}2
 
 function! SyntasticSetLoclist() abort " {{{2
-    call g:SyntasticLoclist.current().setloclist()
+    call g:SyntasticLoclist.current().setloclist(0)
 endfunction " }}}2
 
 " }}}1
@@ -305,7 +314,7 @@ function! s:BufEnterHook(fname) abort " {{{2
                 call remove(s:_check_stack, -idx - 1)
                 call s:UpdateErrors(buf, 1, [])
             endif
-        else
+        elseif &buftype ==# ''
             call s:notifiers.refresh(g:SyntasticLoclist.current())
         endif
     elseif &buftype ==# 'quickfix'
@@ -387,14 +396,14 @@ function! s:UpdateErrors(buf, auto_invoked, checker_names) abort " {{{2
     let run_checks = !a:auto_invoked || s:modemap.doAutoChecking()
     if run_checks
         call s:CacheErrors(a:buf, a:checker_names)
-        call syntastic#util#setChangedtick(a:buf)
+        call syntastic#util#setLastTick(a:buf)
     else
         if a:auto_invoked
             return
         endif
     endif
 
-    let loclist = g:SyntasticLoclist.current()
+    let loclist = g:SyntasticLoclist.current(a:buf)
 
     if exists('*SyntasticCheckHook')
         call SyntasticCheckHook(loclist.getRaw())
@@ -412,12 +421,7 @@ function! s:UpdateErrors(buf, auto_invoked, checker_names) abort " {{{2
 
     let w:syntastic_loclist_set = []
     if syntastic#util#var('always_populate_loc_list') || do_jump
-        call syntastic#log#debug(g:_SYNTASTIC_DEBUG_NOTIFICATIONS, 'loclist: setloclist (new)')
-        call setloclist(0, loclist.getRaw())
-        if !exists('b:syntastic_changedtick')
-            call syntastic#util#setChangedtick(a:buf)
-        endif
-        let w:syntastic_loclist_set = [a:buf, b:syntastic_changedtick]
+        call loclist.setloclist(1)
         if run_checks && do_jump && !loclist.isEmpty()
             call syntastic#log#debug(g:_SYNTASTIC_DEBUG_NOTIFICATIONS, 'loclist: jump')
             execute 'silent! lrewind ' . do_jump
@@ -438,11 +442,9 @@ endfunction " }}}2
 
 "clear the loc list for the buffer
 function! s:ClearCache(buf) abort " {{{2
-    call s:notifiers.reset(g:SyntasticLoclist.current())
-    let loclist = getbufvar(a:buf, 'syntastic_loclist')
-    if type(loclist) == type({})
-        call loclist.destroy()
-    endif
+    let loclist = g:SyntasticLoclist.current(a:buf)
+    call s:notifiers.reset(loclist)
+    call loclist.destroy()
 endfunction " }}}2
 
 "detect and cache all syntax errors in this buffer
@@ -451,6 +453,7 @@ function! s:CacheErrors(buf, checker_names) abort " {{{2
         \ (len(a:checker_names) ? join(a:checker_names) : 'default checkers'))
     call s:ClearCache(a:buf)
     let newLoclist = g:SyntasticLoclist.New([])
+    call newLoclist.setOwner(a:buf)
 
     if !s:_skip_file(a:buf)
         " debug logging {{{3
@@ -494,7 +497,7 @@ function! s:CacheErrors(buf, checker_names) abort " {{{2
                     call syntastic#log#debug(g:_SYNTASTIC_DEBUG_LOCLIST, 'sorted:', loclist)
                 endif
 
-                let newLoclist = newLoclist.extend(loclist)
+                call newLoclist.extend(loclist)
 
                 if !aggregate_errors
                     break
@@ -627,6 +630,12 @@ function! SyntasticMake(options) abort " {{{2
         catch /\m^Vim\%((\a\+)\)\=:E380/
             " E380: At bottom of quickfix stack
             call setloclist(0, [], 'r')
+            try
+                " Vim 7.4.2200 or later
+                call setloclist(0, [], 'r', { 'title': '' })
+            catch /\m^Vim\%((\a\+)\)\=:E118/
+                " do nothing
+            endtry
         catch /\m^Vim\%((\a\+)\)\=:E776/
             " E776: No location list
             " do nothing
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/autoloclist.vim b/plugin/syntastic/autoloclist.vim
index 153b0bc9..463a01c1 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/autoloclist.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/autoloclist.vim
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ function! g:SyntasticAutoloclistNotifier.AutoToggle(loclist) abort " {{{2
             call a:loclist.show()
         endif
     else
-        if auto_loc_list == 1 || auto_loc_list == 2
+        if (auto_loc_list == 1 || auto_loc_list == 2) && !empty(get(w:, 'syntastic_loclist_set', []))
             "TODO: this will close the loc list window if one was opened by
             "something other than syntastic
-            lclose
+            call SyntasticLoclistHide()
         endif
     endif
 endfunction " }}}2
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim b/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim
index 5bfff846..c5a53327 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim
@@ -27,17 +27,18 @@ function! g:SyntasticLoclist.New(rawLoclist) abort " {{{2
     return newObj
 endfunction " }}}2
 
-function! g:SyntasticLoclist.current() abort " {{{2
-    if !exists('b:syntastic_loclist') || empty(b:syntastic_loclist)
-        let b:syntastic_loclist = g:SyntasticLoclist.New([])
+function! g:SyntasticLoclist.current(...) abort " {{{2
+    let buf = a:0 > 1 ? a:1 : bufnr('')
+    let loclist = getbufvar(buf, 'syntastic_loclist')
+    if type(loclist) != type({}) || empty(loclist)
+        unlet! loclist
+        let loclist = g:SyntasticLoclist.New([])
     endif
-    return b:syntastic_loclist
+    return loclist
 endfunction " }}}2
 
 function! g:SyntasticLoclist.extend(other) abort " {{{2
-    let list = self.copyRaw()
-    call extend(list, a:other.copyRaw())
-    return g:SyntasticLoclist.New(list)
+    call extend(self._rawLoclist, a:other.copyRaw())
 endfunction " }}}2
 
 function! g:SyntasticLoclist.sort() abort " {{{2
@@ -167,7 +168,6 @@ function! g:SyntasticLoclist.setOwner(buffer) abort " {{{2
 endfunction " }}}2
 
 function! g:SyntasticLoclist.deploy() abort " {{{2
-    call self.setOwner(bufnr(''))
     let self._stamp = syntastic#util#stamp()
     for buf in self.getBuffers()
         call setbufvar(buf, 'syntastic_loclist', self)
@@ -289,24 +289,29 @@ function! g:SyntasticLoclist.filter(filters) abort " {{{2
     return filter(copy(self._rawLoclist), filter)
 endfunction " }}}2
 
-function! g:SyntasticLoclist.setloclist() abort " {{{2
+function! g:SyntasticLoclist.setloclist(new) abort " {{{2
     if !exists('w:syntastic_loclist_set')
         let w:syntastic_loclist_set = []
     endif
-    let buf = bufnr('')
-    if empty(w:syntastic_loclist_set) || w:syntastic_loclist_set != [buf, getbufvar(buf, 'changedtick')]
-        let replace = g:syntastic_reuse_loc_lists && !empty(w:syntastic_loclist_set)
+    if a:new || empty(w:syntastic_loclist_set) || w:syntastic_loclist_set != [self._owner, getbufvar(self._owner, 'changedtick')]
+        let replace = !a:new && g:syntastic_reuse_loc_lists && !empty(w:syntastic_loclist_set)
         call syntastic#log#debug(g:_SYNTASTIC_DEBUG_NOTIFICATIONS, 'loclist: setloclist ' . (replace ? '(replace)' : '(new)'))
         call setloclist(0, self.getRaw(), replace ? 'r' : ' ')
-        call syntastic#util#setChangedtick(buf)
-        let w:syntastic_loclist_set = [buf, getbufvar(buf, 'syntastic_changedtick')]
+        try
+            " Vim 7.4.2200 or later
+            call setloclist(0, [], 'r', { 'title': (self.isEmpty() ? '' : ':SyntasticCheck ' . self._name) })
+        catch /\m^Vim\%((\a\+)\)\=:E118/
+            " do nothing
+        endtry
+        call syntastic#util#setLastTick(self._owner)
+        let w:syntastic_loclist_set = [self._owner, getbufvar(self._owner, 'syntastic_lasttick')]
     endif
 endfunction " }}}2
 
 "display the cached errors for this buf in the location list
 function! g:SyntasticLoclist.show() abort " {{{2
     call syntastic#log#debug(g:_SYNTASTIC_DEBUG_NOTIFICATIONS, 'loclist: show')
-    call self.setloclist()
+    call self.setloclist(0)
 
     if !self.isEmpty()
         let num = winnr()
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/notifiers.vim b/plugin/syntastic/notifiers.vim
index fe158ca1..6a3b8239 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/notifiers.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/notifiers.vim
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function! g:SyntasticNotifiers.Instance() abort " {{{2
 endfunction " }}}2
 
 function! g:SyntasticNotifiers.refresh(loclist) abort " {{{2
-    if !a:loclist.isEmpty() && !a:loclist.isNewerThan([])
+    if !syntastic#util#bufIsActive(bufnr('')) || (!a:loclist.isEmpty() && !a:loclist.isNewerThan([]))
         " loclist not fully constructed yet
         return
     endif