diff --git a/plugin/syntastic.vim b/plugin/syntastic.vim
index af5de87d..7f836a29 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic.vim
@@ -362,13 +362,9 @@ endfunction
 
 "highlight the current errors using matchadd()
 "
-"The function `Syntastic_{&ft}_GetHighlightRegex` is used to get the regex to
-"highlight errors that do not have a 'col' key (and hence cant be done
-"automatically). This function must take one arg (an error item) and return a
-"regex to match that item in the buffer.
-"
-"If the 'force_highlight_callback' key is set for an error item, then invoke
-"the callback even if it can be highlighted automatically.
+"The function `Syntastic_{filetype}_{checker}_GetHighlightRegex` is used
+"to override default highlighting.  This function must take one arg (an
+"error item) and return a regex to match that item in the buffer.
 function! s:HighlightErrors()
     call s:ClearErrorHighlights()
     let loclist = s:LocList()
@@ -377,22 +373,17 @@ function! s:HighlightErrors()
     for ft in split(fts, '\.')
 
         for item in loclist.toRaw()
-
-            let force_callback = has_key(item, 'force_highlight_callback') && item['force_highlight_callback']
-
             let group = item['type'] == 'E' ? 'SyntasticError' : 'SyntasticWarning'
-            if get( item, 'col' ) && !force_callback
+
+            if exists('*SyntaxCheckers_'. ft . '_' . item['checker'] .'_GetHighlightRegex')
+                let term = SyntaxCheckers_{ft}_{item['checker']}_GetHighlightRegex(item)
+                if len(term) > 0
+                    call matchadd(group, '\%' . item['lnum'] . 'l' . term)
+                endif
+            elseif get(item, 'col')
                 let lastcol = col([item['lnum'], '$'])
                 let lcol = min([lastcol, item['col']])
                 call matchadd(group, '\%'.item['lnum'].'l\%'.lcol.'c')
-            else
-
-                if exists("*SyntaxCheckers_". ft ."_GetHighlightRegex")
-                    let term = SyntaxCheckers_{ft}_GetHighlightRegex(item)
-                    if len(term) > 0
-                        call matchadd(group, '\%' . item['lnum'] . 'l' . term)
-                    endif
-                endif
             endif
         endfor
     endfor
@@ -606,12 +597,12 @@ function! SyntasticMake(options)
     endif
 
     if has_key(a:options, 'defaults')
-        call SyntasticAddToErrors(errors, a:options['defaults'])
+        call g:SyntasticAddToErrors(errors, a:options['defaults'])
     endif
 
     " Add subtype info if present.
     if has_key(a:options, 'subtype')
-        call SyntasticAddToErrors(errors, {'subtype': a:options['subtype']})
+        call g:SyntasticAddToErrors(errors, {'subtype': a:options['subtype']})
     endif
 
     return errors
@@ -626,7 +617,7 @@ function! SyntasticErrorBalloonExpr()
 endfunction
 
 "take a list of errors and add default values to them from a:options
-function! SyntasticAddToErrors(errors, options)
+function! g:SyntasticAddToErrors(errors, options)
     for i in range(0, len(a:errors)-1)
         for key in keys(a:options)
             if !has_key(a:errors[i], key) || empty(a:errors[i][key])
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/checker.vim b/plugin/syntastic/checker.vim
index 12731e32..d8433b46 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/checker.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/checker.vim
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ endfunction
 
 function! g:SyntasticChecker.getLocList()
     let list = self._locListFunc()
+    call g:SyntasticAddToErrors(list, {'checker': self._name})
     return g:SyntasticLoclist.New(list)
 endfunction
 
diff --git a/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim b/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim
index 862a3f9a..d34e5cd2 100644
--- a/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim
+++ b/plugin/syntastic/loclist.vim
@@ -90,3 +90,5 @@ function! g:SyntasticLoclist.filter(filters)
     endfor
     return rv
 endfunction
+
+" vim: set sw=4 sts=4 et fdm=marker:
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/lua/luac.vim b/syntax_checkers/lua/luac.vim
index b753edc0..464e14f7 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/lua/luac.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/lua/luac.vim
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_lua_luac_IsAvailable()
     return executable('luac')
 endfunction
 
-function! SyntaxCheckers_lua_GetHighlightRegex(pos)
+function! SyntaxCheckers_lua_luac_GetHighlightRegex(pos)
     let near = matchstr(a:pos['text'], "near '[^']\\+'")
     let result = ''
     if len(near) > 0
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/php/php.vim b/syntax_checkers/php/php.vim
index 32e0e671..8736daf1 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/php/php.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/php/php.vim
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_php_php_IsAvailable()
     return executable("php")
 endfunction
 
-function! SyntaxCheckers_php_GetHighlightRegex(item)
+function! SyntaxCheckers_php_php_GetHighlightRegex(item)
     let unexpected = matchstr(a:item['text'], "unexpected '[^']\\+'")
     if len(unexpected) < 1
         return ''
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/twig/twiglint.vim b/syntax_checkers/twig/twiglint.vim
index e1c89cbc..919ec48b 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/twig/twiglint.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/twig/twiglint.vim
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ if exists("g:loaded_syntastic_twig_twiglint_checker")
 endif
 let g:loaded_syntastic_twig_twiglint_checker=1
 
-function! SyntaxCheckers_twig_GetHighlightRegex(item)
+function! SyntaxCheckers_twig_twiglint_GetHighlightRegex(item)
     " Let's match the full line for now
     return '\V'
 endfunction
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/vala/valac.vim b/syntax_checkers/vala/valac.vim
index 73ac4261..e9b56012 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/vala/valac.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/vala/valac.vim
@@ -55,8 +55,7 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_vala_valac_GetLocList()
     let errorformat = '%A%f:%l.%c-%\d%\+.%\d%\+: %t%[a-z]%\+: %m,%C%m,%Z%m'
 
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg,
-                         \ 'errorformat': errorformat,
-                         \ 'defaults': {'force_highlight_callback': 1} })
+                         \ 'errorformat': errorformat })
 endfunction
 
 call g:SyntasticRegistry.CreateAndRegisterChecker({