diff --git a/autoload/syntastic/postprocess.vim b/autoload/syntastic/postprocess.vim
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d145a82a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autoload/syntastic/postprocess.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+if exists("g:loaded_syntastic_postprocess_autoload")
+    finish
+endif
+let g:loaded_syntastic_postprocess_autoload = 1
+
+let s:save_cpo = &cpo
+set cpo&vim
+
+function! s:compareErrorItems(a, b)
+    if a:a['bufnr'] != a:b['bufnr']
+        return a:a['bufnr'] - a:b['bufnr']
+    elseif a:a['lnum'] != a:b['lnum']
+        return a:a['lnum'] - a:b['lnum']
+    elseif a:a['type'] !=? a:b['type']
+        " errors take precedence over warnings
+        return a:a['type'] ==? 'e' ? -1 : 1
+    else
+        return a:a['col'] - a:b['col']
+    endif
+endfunction
+
+" natural sort
+function! syntastic#postprocess#sort(errors)
+    return sort(a:errors, 's:compareErrorItems')
+endfunction
+
+function syntastic#postprocess#compressWhitespace(errors)
+    let llist = []
+
+    for e in a:errors
+        call add(llist, substitute(e['text'], '\s\{2,}', ' ', 'g'))
+    endfor
+
+    return llist
+endfunction
+
+let &cpo = s:save_cpo
+unlet s:save_cpo
+" vim: set et sts=4 sw=4:
diff --git a/autoload/syntastic/util.vim b/autoload/syntastic/util.vim
index 8240188b..e68f6c95 100644
--- a/autoload/syntastic/util.vim
+++ b/autoload/syntastic/util.vim
@@ -117,18 +117,6 @@ function! syntastic#util#bufIsActive(buffer)
     return 0
 endfunction
 
-" Used to sort error lists
-function! syntastic#util#compareErrorItems(a, b)
-    if a:a['lnum'] != a:b['lnum']
-        return a:a['lnum'] - a:b['lnum']
-    elseif a:a['type'] !=? a:b['type']
-        " errors take precedence over warnings
-        return a:a['type'] ==? 'e' ? -1 : 1
-    else
-        return a:a['col'] - a:b['col']
-    endif
-endfunction
-
 " Returns unique elements in a list
 function! syntastic#util#unique(list)
     let seen = {}
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic.vim b/plugin/syntastic.vim
index e74d9d93..5c26db23 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic.vim
@@ -287,6 +287,7 @@ endfunction
 "a:options may also contain:
 "   'defaults' - a dict containing default values for the returned errors
 "   'subtype' - all errors will be assigned the given subtype
+"   'postprocess' - a list of functions to be applied to the error list
 function! SyntasticMake(options)
     call syntastic#util#debug('SyntasticMake: called with options: '. string(a:options))
 
@@ -333,6 +334,12 @@ function! SyntasticMake(options)
         call SyntasticAddToErrors(errors, {'subtype': a:options['subtype']})
     endif
 
+    if has_key(a:options, 'postprocess') && !empty(a:options['postprocess'])
+        for rule in a:options['postprocess']
+            let errors = call('syntastic#postprocess#' . rule, [errors])
+        endfor
+    endif
+
     return errors
 endfunction
 
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/css/prettycss.vim b/syntax_checkers/css/prettycss.vim
index 764f9aee..204b5142 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/css/prettycss.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/css/prettycss.vim
@@ -43,12 +43,17 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_css_prettycss_GetLocList()
         \ '%WWarning:  %m\, line %l\, char %c),' .
         \ '%-G%.%#'
 
-    let loclist = SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat, 'defaults': {'bufnr': bufnr("")} })
+    let loclist = SyntasticMake({
+        \ 'makeprg': makeprg,
+        \ 'errorformat': errorformat,
+        \ 'defaults': {'bufnr': bufnr("")},
+        \ 'postprocess': ['sort'] })
+
     for n in range(len(loclist))
         let loclist[n]["text"] .= ')'
     endfor
 
-    return sort(loclist, 'syntastic#util#compareErrorItems')
+    return loclist
 endfunction
 
 call g:SyntasticRegistry.CreateAndRegisterChecker({
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/haskell/hdevtools.vim b/syntax_checkers/haskell/hdevtools.vim
index f2ea0e91..fd43b349 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/haskell/hdevtools.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/haskell/hdevtools.vim
@@ -21,19 +21,22 @@ endfunction
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_haskell_hdevtools_GetLocList()
     let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
-                \ 'exe': 'hdevtools check',
-                \ 'args': get(g:, 'hdevtools_options', ''),
-                \ 'subchecker': 'hdevtools' })
+        \ 'exe': 'hdevtools check',
+        \ 'args': get(g:, 'hdevtools_options', ''),
+        \ 'subchecker': 'hdevtools' })
 
     let errorformat= '\%-Z\ %#,'.
-                \ '%W%f:%l:%c:\ Warning:\ %m,'.
-                \ '%E%f:%l:%c:\ %m,'.
-                \ '%E%>%f:%l:%c:,'.
-                \ '%+C\ \ %#%m,'.
-                \ '%W%>%f:%l:%c:,'.
-                \ '%+C\ \ %#%tarning:\ %m,'
+        \ '%W%f:%l:%c:\ Warning:\ %m,'.
+        \ '%E%f:%l:%c:\ %m,'.
+        \ '%E%>%f:%l:%c:,'.
+        \ '%+C\ \ %#%m,'.
+        \ '%W%>%f:%l:%c:,'.
+        \ '%+C\ \ %#%tarning:\ %m,'
 
-    return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
+    return SyntasticMake({
+        \ 'makeprg': makeprg,
+        \ 'errorformat': errorformat,
+        \ 'postprocess': ['compressWhitespace'] })
 endfunction
 
 call g:SyntasticRegistry.CreateAndRegisterChecker({
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/python/pylint.vim b/syntax_checkers/python/pylint.vim
index 37fc7bec..b7bfa122 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/python/pylint.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/python/pylint.vim
@@ -15,22 +15,25 @@ endfunction
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_python_pylint_GetLocList()
     let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
-                \ 'exe': 'pylint',
-                \ 'args': ' -f parseable -r n -i y',
-                \ 'subchecker': 'pylint' })
+        \ 'exe': 'pylint',
+        \ 'args': ' -f parseable -r n -i y',
+        \ 'subchecker': 'pylint' })
     let errorformat =
-                \ '%A%f:%l:%m,' .
-                \ '%A%f:(%l):%m,' .
-                \ '%-Z%p^%.%#,' .
-                \ '%-G%.%#'
+        \ '%A%f:%l:%m,' .
+        \ '%A%f:(%l):%m,' .
+        \ '%-Z%p^%.%#,' .
+        \ '%-G%.%#'
 
-    let loclist=SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
+    let loclist=SyntasticMake({
+        \ 'makeprg': makeprg,
+        \ 'errorformat': errorformat,
+        \ 'postprocess': ['sort'] })
 
     for n in range(len(loclist))
         let loclist[n]['type'] = match(['R', 'C', 'W'], loclist[n]['text'][2]) >= 0 ? 'W' : 'E'
     endfor
 
-    return sort(loclist, 'syntastic#util#compareErrorItems')
+    return loclist
 endfunction
 
 call g:SyntasticRegistry.CreateAndRegisterChecker({
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/tex/chktex.vim b/syntax_checkers/tex/chktex.vim
index 67b6e432..d0fb30cb 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/tex/chktex.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/tex/chktex.vim
@@ -38,14 +38,22 @@ endfunction
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_tex_chktex_GetLocList()
     let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
-                \ 'exe': 'chktex',
-                \ 'post_args': '-q -v1',
-                \ 'subchecker': 'chktex' })
-    let errorformat = '%EError\ %\\d%\\+\ in\ %f\ line\ %l:\ %m,%WWarning\ %\\d%\\+\ in\ %f\ line\ %l:\ %m,' .
-                \ (g:syntastic_tex_chktex_showmsgs ? '%WMessage\ %\\d%\\+\ in\ %f\ line %l:\ %m,' : '') .
-                \ '%+Z%p^,%-G%.%#'
-    let loclist = SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat, 'subtype': 'Style' })
-    return sort(loclist, 'syntastic#util#compareErrorItems')
+        \ 'exe': 'chktex',
+        \ 'post_args': '-q -v1',
+        \ 'subchecker': 'chktex' })
+
+    let errorformat =
+        \ '%EError\ %\\d%\\+\ in\ %f\ line\ %l:\ %m,' .
+        \ '%WWarning\ %\\d%\\+\ in\ %f\ line\ %l:\ %m,' .
+        \ (g:syntastic_tex_chktex_showmsgs ? '%WMessage\ %\\d%\\+\ in\ %f\ line %l:\ %m,' : '') .
+        \ '%+Z%p^,' .
+        \ '%-G%.%#'
+
+    return SyntasticMake({
+        \ 'makeprg': makeprg,
+        \ 'errorformat': errorformat,
+        \ 'subtype': 'Style',
+        \ 'postprocess': ['sort'] })
 endfunction
 
 call g:SyntasticRegistry.CreateAndRegisterChecker({