diff --git a/plugin/syntastic.vim b/plugin/syntastic.vim
index ccfbb796..fe12959e 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic.vim
@@ -413,6 +413,12 @@ function! s:EchoCurrentError()
     endif
 endfunction
 
+"load the chosen checker for the current filetype - useful for filetypes like
+"javascript that have more than one syntax checker
+function! s:LoadChecker(checker)
+    exec "runtime syntax_checkers/" . &ft . "/" . a:checker . ".vim"
+endfunction
+
 "return a string representing the state of buffer according to
 "g:syntastic_stl_format
 "
@@ -559,4 +565,33 @@ function! SyntasticAddToErrors(errors, options)
     return a:errors
 endfunction
 
+"take a list of syntax checkers for the current filetype and load the right
+"one based on the global settings and checker executable availabity
+"
+"a:checkers should be a list of syntax checker names. These names are assumed
+"to be the names of the vim syntax checker files that should be sourced, as
+"well as the names of the actual syntax checker executables. The checkers
+"should be listed in order of default preference.
+"
+"if a option called 'g:syntastic_[filetype]_checker' exists then attempt to
+"load the checker that it points to
+function! SyntasticLoadChecker(checkers)
+    let opt_name = "g:syntastic_" . &ft . "_checker"
+
+    if exists(opt_name)
+        let opt_val = {opt_name}
+        if index(a:checkers, opt_val) != -1 && executable(opt_val)
+            call s:LoadChecker(opt_val)
+        else
+            echoerr &ft . " syntax not supported or not installed."
+        endif
+    else
+        for checker in a:checkers
+            if executable(checker)
+                return s:LoadChecker(checker)
+            endif
+        endfor
+    endif
+endfunction
+
 " vim: set et sts=4 sw=4:
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/javascript.vim b/syntax_checkers/javascript.vim
index 0f1bd291..026c7371 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/javascript.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/javascript.vim
@@ -20,22 +20,4 @@ endif
 let loaded_javascript_syntax_checker = 1
 
 let s:supported_checkers = ["gjslint", "jslint", "jsl", "jshint"]
-
-function! s:load_checker(checker)
-    exec "runtime syntax_checkers/javascript/" . a:checker . ".vim"
-endfunction
-
-if exists("g:syntastic_javascript_checker")
-    if index(s:supported_checkers, g:syntastic_javascript_checker) != -1 && executable(g:syntastic_javascript_checker)
-        call s:load_checker(g:syntastic_javascript_checker)
-    else
-        echoerr "Javascript syntax not supported or not installed."
-    endif
-else
-    for checker in s:supported_checkers
-        if executable(checker)
-            call s:load_checker(checker)
-            break
-        endif
-    endfor
-endif
+call SyntasticLoadChecker(s:supported_checkers)
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/json.vim b/syntax_checkers/json.vim
index c528b1e7..2d2652db 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/json.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/json.vim
@@ -20,22 +20,4 @@ endif
 let loaded_json_syntax_checker = 1
 
 let s:supported_checkers = ["jsonlint", "jsonval"]
-
-function! s:load_checker(checker)
-    exec "runtime syntax_checkers/json/" . a:checker . ".vim"
-endfunction
-
-if exists("g:syntastic_json_checker")
-    if index(s:supported_checkers, g:syntastic_json_checker) != -1 && executable(g:syntastic_json_checker)
-        call s:load_checker(g:syntastic_json_checker)
-    else
-        echoerr "JSON syntax not supported or not installed."
-    endif
-else
-    for checker in s:supported_checkers
-        if executable(checker)
-            call s:load_checker(checker)
-            break
-        endif
-    endfor
-endif
+call SyntasticLoadChecker(s:supported_checkers)