diff --git a/autoload/syntastic/util.vim b/autoload/syntastic/util.vim
index 29855330..6fbf2dff 100644
--- a/autoload/syntastic/util.vim
+++ b/autoload/syntastic/util.vim
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ function! syntastic#util#wideMsg(msg)
     "convert tabs to spaces so that the tabs count towards the window
     "width as the proper amount of characters
     let chunks = split(msg, "\t", 1)
-    let msg = join(map(chunks[:-2], 'v:val . repeat(" ", &ts - len(v:val) % &ts)'), '') . chunks[-1]
+    let msg = join(map(chunks[:-2], 'v:val . repeat(" ", &ts - strwidth(v:val) % &ts)'), '') . chunks[-1]
     let msg = strpart(msg, 0, winwidth(0) - 1)
 
     set noruler noshowcmd
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/lua/luac.vim b/syntax_checkers/lua/luac.vim
index 0139ced3..b62d3f57 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/lua/luac.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/lua/luac.vim
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ set cpo&vim
 function! SyntaxCheckers_lua_luac_GetHighlightRegex(pos)
     let result = ''
     let near = matchstr(a:pos['text'], '\mnear ''\zs[^'']\+\ze''')
-    if len(near) > 0
+    if strlen(near) > 0
         if near ==# '<eof>'
             let p = getpos('$')
             let a:pos['lnum'] = p[1]
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_lua_luac_GetHighlightRegex(pos)
         " in future versions of syntastic; enable it at your own risk :)
 
         "let open = matchstr(a:pos['text'], '\m(to close ''\zs[^'']\+\ze'' at line [0-9]\+)')
-        "if len(open) > 0
+        "if strlen(open) > 0
         "    let line = str2nr(matchstr(a:pos['text'], '\m(to close ''[^'']\+'' at line \zs[0-9]\+\ze)'))
         "    let group = a:pos['type'] ==? 'E' ? 'SyntasticError' : 'SyntasticWarning'
         "    call matchadd(group, '\%' . line . 'l\V' . open)
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/php/php.vim b/syntax_checkers/php/php.vim
index b96ea076..b33f1ded 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/php/php.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/php/php.vim
@@ -19,11 +19,8 @@ let s:save_cpo = &cpo
 set cpo&vim
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_php_php_GetHighlightRegex(item)
-    let unexpected = matchstr(a:item['text'], "\\munexpected '[^']\\+'")
-    if len(unexpected) < 1
-        return ''
-    endif
-    return '\V'.split(unexpected, "'")[1]
+    let term = matchstr(a:item['text'], "\\munexpected '\\zs[^']\\+\\ze'")
+    return term != '' ? '\V' . term : ''
 endfunction
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_php_php_GetLocList() dict
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/sh/sh.vim b/syntax_checkers/sh/sh.vim
index 4e4be67b..bb435cfd 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/sh/sh.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/sh/sh.vim
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ function! s:GetShell()
     if !exists('b:shell') || b:shell == ''
         let b:shell = ''
         let shebang = getbufline(bufnr('%'), 1)[0]
-        if len(shebang) > 0
+        if strlen(shebang) > 0
             if stridx(shebang, 'bash') >= 0
                 let b:shell = 'bash'
             elseif stridx(shebang, 'zsh') >= 0