diff --git a/runtime/syntax/synload.vim b/runtime/syntax/synload.vim
index f373161..728b653 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/synload.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/synload.vim
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
     unlet b:current_syntax
   endif
 
-  let s = expand("<amatch>")
+  0verbose let s = expand("<amatch>")
   if s == "ON"
     " :set syntax=ON
     if &filetype == ""
diff --git a/runtime/syntax/syntax.vim b/runtime/syntax/syntax.vim
index f274d93..4cb0288 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/syntax.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/syntax.vim
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@
 
 " Set up the connection between FileType and Syntax autocommands.
 " This makes the syntax automatically set when the file type is detected.
+" Avoid an error when 'verbose' is set and <amatch> expansion fails.
 augroup syntaxset
-  au! FileType *	exe "set syntax=" . expand("<amatch>")
+  au! FileType *	0verbose exe "set syntax=" . expand("<amatch>")
 augroup END