diff --git a/plugin/syntastic.vim b/plugin/syntastic.vim
index 0538af21..f08f1126 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic.vim
@@ -224,9 +224,9 @@ function! s:UpdateErrors(auto_invoked, ...)
     let w:syntastic_loclist_set = 0
     if g:syntastic_always_populate_loc_list || g:syntastic_auto_jump
         call syntastic#log#debug(g:SyntasticDebugNotifications, 'loclist: setloclist (new)')
-        call setloclist(0, loclist.filteredRaw())
+        call setloclist(0, loclist.getRaw())
         let w:syntastic_loclist_set = 1
-        if run_checks && g:syntastic_auto_jump && loclist.hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay()
+        if run_checks && g:syntastic_auto_jump && !loclist.isEmpty()
             call syntastic#log#debug(g:SyntasticDebugNotifications, 'loclist: jump')
             silent! lrewind
 
@@ -388,9 +388,9 @@ endfunction
 "return '' if no errors are cached for the buffer
 function! SyntasticStatuslineFlag()
     let loclist = g:SyntasticLoclist.current()
-    let issues = loclist.filteredRaw()
+    let issues = loclist.getRaw()
     let num_issues = loclist.getLength()
-    if loclist.hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay()
+    if !loclist.isEmpty()
         let errors = loclist.errors()
         let warnings = loclist.warnings()
 
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/autoloclist.vim b/plugin/syntastic/autoloclist.vim
index 92e430bb..f0038e11 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/autoloclist.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/autoloclist.vim
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ endfunction
 
 function! g:SyntasticAutoloclistNotifier.AutoToggle(loclist)
     call syntastic#log#debug(g:SyntasticDebugNotifications, 'autoloclist: toggle')
-    if a:loclist.hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay()
+    if !a:loclist.isEmpty()
         if g:syntastic_auto_loc_list == 1
             call a:loclist.show()
         endif
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/balloons.vim b/plugin/syntastic/balloons.vim
index 18d31c2d..4b6735c3 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/balloons.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/balloons.vim
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ endfunction
 " Update the error balloons
 function! g:SyntasticBalloonsNotifier.refresh(loclist)
     let b:syntastic_balloons = {}
-    if self.enabled() && a:loclist.hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay()
+    if self.enabled() && !a:loclist.isEmpty()
         call syntastic#log#debug(g:SyntasticDebugNotifications, 'balloons: refresh')
         let buf = bufnr('')
-        let issues = filter(a:loclist.filteredRaw(), 'v:val["bufnr"] == buf')
+        let issues = filter(a:loclist.copyRaw(), 'v:val["bufnr"] == buf')
         if !empty(issues)
             for i in issues
                 if has_key(b:syntastic_balloons, i['lnum'])
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/cursor.vim b/plugin/syntastic/cursor.vim
index b330b33a..0ee8caff 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/cursor.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/cursor.vim
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function! g:SyntasticCursorNotifier.enabled()
 endfunction
 
 function! g:SyntasticCursorNotifier.refresh(loclist)
-    if self.enabled() && a:loclist.hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay()
+    if self.enabled() && !a:loclist.isEmpty()
         call syntastic#log#debug(g:SyntasticDebugNotifications, 'cursor: refresh')
         let b:syntastic_messages = copy(a:loclist.messages(bufnr('')))
         let b:oldLine = -1
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/highlighting.vim b/plugin/syntastic/highlighting.vim
index b928ce6f..b48d10cd 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/highlighting.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/highlighting.vim
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ function! g:SyntasticHighlightingNotifier.refresh(loclist)
         call self.reset(a:loclist)
         call syntastic#log#debug(g:SyntasticDebugNotifications, 'highlighting: refresh')
         let buf = bufnr('')
-        let issues = filter(a:loclist.filteredRaw(), 'v:val["bufnr"] == buf')
+        let issues = filter(a:loclist.copyRaw(), 'v:val["bufnr"] == buf')
         for item in issues
             let group = item['type'] ==? 'E' ? 'SyntasticError' : 'SyntasticWarning'
 
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim b/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim
index 306ff97e..d4601259 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ function! g:SyntasticLoclist.New(rawLoclist)
     endfor
 
     let newObj._rawLoclist = llist
-    let newObj._hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay = -1
-
     let newObj._name = ''
 
     return newObj
@@ -34,23 +32,23 @@ function! g:SyntasticLoclist.current()
 endfunction
 
 function! g:SyntasticLoclist.extend(other)
-    let list = self.toRaw()
-    call extend(list, a:other.toRaw())
+    let list = self.copyRaw()
+    call extend(list, a:other.copyRaw())
     return g:SyntasticLoclist.New(list)
 endfunction
 
-function! g:SyntasticLoclist.toRaw()
-    return copy(self._rawLoclist)
-endfunction
-
-function! g:SyntasticLoclist.filteredRaw()
-    return self._rawLoclist
-endfunction
-
 function! g:SyntasticLoclist.isEmpty()
     return empty(self._rawLoclist)
 endfunction
 
+function! g:SyntasticLoclist.copyRaw()
+    return copy(self._rawLoclist)
+endfunction
+
+function! g:SyntasticLoclist.getRaw()
+    return self._rawLoclist
+endfunction
+
 function! g:SyntasticLoclist.getLength()
     return len(self._rawLoclist)
 endfunction
@@ -69,14 +67,6 @@ function! g:SyntasticLoclist.decorate(name, filetype)
     endfor
 endfunction
 
-function! g:SyntasticLoclist.hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay()
-    if self._hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay >= 0
-        return self._hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay
-    endif
-    let self._hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay = !empty(self._rawLoclist)
-    return self._hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay
-endfunction
-
 function! g:SyntasticLoclist.quietMessages(filters)
     call syntastic#util#dictFilter(self._rawLoclist, a:filters)
 endfunction
@@ -138,7 +128,7 @@ function! g:SyntasticLoclist.setloclist()
     endif
     let replace = g:syntastic_reuse_loc_lists && w:syntastic_loclist_set
     call syntastic#log#debug(g:SyntasticDebugNotifications, 'loclist: setloclist ' . (replace ? '(replace)' : '(new)'))
-    call setloclist(0, self.filteredRaw(), replace ? 'r' : ' ')
+    call setloclist(0, self.getRaw(), replace ? 'r' : ' ')
     let w:syntastic_loclist_set = 1
 endfunction
 
@@ -147,7 +137,7 @@ function! g:SyntasticLoclist.show()
     call syntastic#log#debug(g:SyntasticDebugNotifications, 'loclist: show')
     call self.setloclist()
 
-    if self.hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay()
+    if !self.isEmpty()
         let num = winnr()
         execute "lopen " . g:syntastic_loc_list_height
         if num != winnr()
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/signs.vim b/plugin/syntastic/signs.vim
index 68aa5dc9..8f0e0430 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/signs.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/signs.vim
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ endfunction
 " Place signs by all syntax errors in the buffer
 function! g:SyntasticSignsNotifier._signErrors(loclist)
     let loclist = a:loclist
-    if loclist.hasErrorsOrWarningsToDisplay()
+    if !loclist.isEmpty()
 
         " errors some first, so that they are not masked by warnings
         let buf = bufnr('')