diff --git a/runtime/syntax/generator/vim.vim.base b/runtime/syntax/generator/vim.vim.base
index d5a52f0..0cfa300 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/generator/vim.vim.base
+++ b/runtime/syntax/generator/vim.vim.base
@@ -1561,7 +1561,7 @@
 syn match	vimHiGuiRgb	contained	"#\x\{6}"
 
 " Highlighting: hi group key=arg ... {{{2
-syn cluster	vimHiCluster contains=vimGroup,vimHiGroup,vimHiNone,vimHiTerm,vimHiCTerm,vimHiStartStop,vimHiCtermFgBg,vimHiCtermul,vimHiCtermfont,vimHiGui,vimHiGuiFont,vimHiGuiFgBg,vimHiKeyError,vimNotation,vimComment,vim9comment
+syn cluster	vimHiCluster contains=vimGroup,vimHLGroup,vimHiGroup,vimHiNone,vimHiTerm,vimHiCTerm,vimHiStartStop,vimHiCtermFgBg,vimHiCtermul,vimHiCtermfont,vimHiGui,vimHiGuiFont,vimHiGuiFgBg,vimHiKeyError,vimNotation,vimComment,vim9comment
 syn region	vimHiKeyList	contained 	start="\i\+" skip=+\\\\\|\\|\|\n\s*\\\|\n\s*"\\ + matchgroup=vimCmdSep end="|" excludenl end="$" contains=@vimContinue,@vimHiCluster
 if !exists("g:vimsyn_noerror") && !exists("g:vimsyn_vimhikeyerror")
  syn match	vimHiKeyError	contained	"\i\+="he=e-1
@@ -1579,7 +1579,7 @@
 syn match	vimHiNmbr	contained	'\d\+'
 
 " Highlight: clear {{{2
-syn keyword	vimHiClear	contained	clear	skipwhite nextgroup=vimGroup,vimHiGroup
+syn keyword	vimHiClear	contained	clear	skipwhite nextgroup=vimGroup,vimHLGroup,vimHiGroup
 
 " Highlight: link {{{2
 " see tst24 (hi def vs hi) (Jul 06, 2018)
diff --git a/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_00.dump b/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_00.dump
index ff9c0c5..fb33314 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_00.dump
+++ b/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_00.dump
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 @75
 |"+0#0000e05&| |d|i|s|a|b|l|e| +0#0000000&@65
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|c+0#00e0003&|l|e|a|r| +0#0000000&|C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&@51
+|h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|c+0#00e0003&|l|e|a|r| +0#0000000&|E+0#00e0003&|r@1|o|r|M|s|g| +0#0000000&@50
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&|N+0#00e0003&|O|N|E| +0#0000000&@52
 @75
 |"+0#0000e05&| |a|d@1|/|m|o|d|i|f|y| +0#0000000&@62
@@ -16,5 +17,4 @@
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| +0#0000000&|C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&|t+0#00e0003&|e|r|m|=+0#0000000&|b+0#e000e06&|o|l|d| +0#0000000&@39
 @75
 |"+0#0000e05&| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&@68
-|h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|l+0#00e0003&|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&@48
 @57|1|,|1| @10|T|o|p| 
diff --git a/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_01.dump b/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_01.dump
index e9c8257..6454f55 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_01.dump
+++ b/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_01.dump
@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
-|"+0#0000e05#ffffff0| |a|d@1|/|m|o|d|i|f|y| +0#0000000&@62
+| +0&#ffffff0@74
+|"+0#0000e05&| |a|d@1|/|m|o|d|i|f|y| +0#0000000&@62
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&|c+0#00e0003&|t|e|r|m|=+0#0000000&|u+0#e000e06&|n|d|e|r|l|i|n|e| +0#0000000&@41
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| +0#0000000&|C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&|t+0#00e0003&|e|r|m|=+0#0000000&|b+0#e000e06&|o|l|d| +0#0000000&@39
 @75
-|"+0#0000e05&| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&@68
->h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|l+0#00e0003&|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&@48
+>"+0#0000e05&| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&@68
+|h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|l+0#00e0003&|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&@48
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t|!| +0#0000000&|l+0#00e0003&|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&@47
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|l+0#00e0003&|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |N+0#00e0003&|O|N|E| +0#0000000&@51
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t|!| +0#0000000&|l+0#00e0003&|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |N+0#00e0003&|O|N|E| +0#0000000&@50
+|h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|l+0#00e0003&|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |E+0#00e0003&|r@1|o|r|M|s|g| +0#0000000&@47
+|h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t|!| +0#0000000&|l+0#00e0003&|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |E+0#00e0003&|r@1|o|r|M|s|g| +0#0000000&@46
 @75
 |"+0#0000e05&| |d|e|f|a|u|l|t| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&@60
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&@40
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t|!| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&@39
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |N+0#00e0003&|O|N|E| +0#0000000&@43
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t|!| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |N+0#00e0003&|O|N|E| +0#0000000&@42
-@75
-@75
-|"+0#0000e05&| |l|i|n|e| |c|o|n|t|i|n|u|a|t|i|o|n| |a|n|d| |c|o|m@1|a|n|d| |s|e|p|a|r|a|t|o|r| +0#0000000&@33
-@75
-@57|1|9|,|1| @9|3|6|%| 
+|h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |E+0#00e0003&|r@1|o|r|M|s|g| +0#0000000&@39
+@57|1|9|,|1| @9|3|1|%| 
diff --git a/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_02.dump b/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_02.dump
index ce26bc1..3c71c7c 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_02.dump
+++ b/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_02.dump
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
-| +0&#ffffff0@74
+|h+0#af5f00255#ffffff0|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |E+0#00e0003&|r@1|o|r|M|s|g| +0#0000000&@39
+|h+0#af5f00255&|i|g|h|l|i|g|h|t|!| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| |E+0#00e0003&|r@1|o|r|M|s|g| +0#0000000&@38
+@75
+@75
+|"+0#0000e05&| |l|i|n|e| |c|o|n|t|i|n|u|a|t|i|o|n| |a|n|d| |c|o|m@1|a|n|d| |s|e|p|a|r|a|t|o|r| +0#0000000&@33
+> @74
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i| +0#0000000&|C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&@64
 @6|"+0#0000e05&|\| |c|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&@58
 @6|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|t+0#00e0003&|e|r|m|=+0#0000000&|b+0#e000e06&|o|l|d| +0#0000000&@57
 @6|"+0#0000e05&|\| |c|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&@58
-@6>\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|c+0#00e0003&|t|e|r|m|f|g|=+0#0000000&|C+0#e000002&|y|a|n| +0#0000000&@54
+@6|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|c+0#00e0003&|t|e|r|m|f|g|=+0#0000000&|C+0#e000002&|y|a|n| +0#0000000&@54
 @6|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|g+0#00e0003&|u|i|f|g|=+0#0000000&|#+0#e000002&|8|0|a|0|f@1| +0#0000000&@53
 @6|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|g+0#00e0003&|u|i|=+0#0000000&|b+0#e000e06&|o|l|d| +0#0000000&@58
 @75
@@ -12,9 +17,4 @@
 @6|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|c+0#00e0003&|t|e|r|m|f|g|=+0#0000000&|C+0#e000002&|y|a|n| +0#0000000&@54
 @6|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|g+0#00e0003&|u|i|f|g|=+0#0000000&|#+0#e000002&|8|0|a|0|f@1| +0#0000000&@53
 @6|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|g+0#00e0003&|u|i|=+0#0000000&|b+0#e000e06&|o|l|d| +0#0000000&||| |e+0#af5f00255&|c|h|o| +0#0000000&|"+0#e000002&|F|o@1|"| +0#0000000&@45
-@75
-|h+0#af5f00255&|i| +0#0000000&|C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&|t+0#00e0003&|e|r|m|=+0#0000000&|b+0#e000e06&|o|l|d| +0#0000000&|c+0#00e0003&|t|e|r|m|f|g|=+0#0000000&|C+0#e000002&|y|a|n| +0#0000000&|g+0#00e0003&|u|i|f|g|=+0#0000000&|#+0#e000002&|8|0|a|0|f@1| +0#0000000&|g+0#00e0003&|u|i|=+0#0000000&|b+0#e000e06&|o|l|d| +0#0000000&||| |e+0#af5f00255&|c|h|o| +0#0000000&|"+0#e000002&|F|o@1|"| +0#0000000&@5
-@75
-|h+0#af5f00255&|i| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&@59
-@6|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| @63
-@57|3|7|,|7| @9|8|6|%| 
+@57|3|7|,|0|-|1| @7|7|5|%| 
diff --git a/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_03.dump b/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_03.dump
index 0ba712e..e306443 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_03.dump
+++ b/runtime/syntax/testdir/dumps/vim_ex_highlight_03.dump
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
-| +0&#ffffff0@5|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| @63
+| +0&#ffffff0@5|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|g+0#00e0003&|u|i|=+0#0000000&|b+0#e000e06&|o|l|d| +0#0000000&||| |e+0#af5f00255&|c|h|o| +0#0000000&|"+0#e000002&|F|o@1|"| +0#0000000&@45
+@75
+|h+0#af5f00255&|i| +0#0000000&|C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&|t+0#00e0003&|e|r|m|=+0#0000000&|b+0#e000e06&|o|l|d| +0#0000000&|c+0#00e0003&|t|e|r|m|f|g|=+0#0000000&|C+0#e000002&|y|a|n| +0#0000000&|g+0#00e0003&|u|i|f|g|=+0#0000000&|#+0#e000002&|8|0|a|0|f@1| +0#0000000&|g+0#00e0003&|u|i|=+0#0000000&|b+0#e000e06&|o|l|d| +0#0000000&||| |e+0#af5f00255&|c|h|o| +0#0000000&|"+0#e000002&|F|o@1|"| +0#0000000&@5
+@75
+|h+0#af5f00255&|i| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&@59
+@6>\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| @63
 @6|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&@59
 @75
 |h+0#af5f00255&|i| +0#0000000&|d+0#00e0003&|e|f|a|u|l|t| |l|i|n|k| +0#0000000&@59
 @6|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|F|o@1| @63
-@6>\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&||| |e+0#af5f00255&|c|h|o| +0#0000000&|"+0#e000002&|F|o@1|"| +0#0000000&@46
+@6|\+0#e000e06&| +0#0000000&|C+0#00e0003&|o|m@1|e|n|t| +0#0000000&||| |e+0#af5f00255&|c|h|o| +0#0000000&|"+0#e000002&|F|o@1|"| +0#0000000&@46
 |~+0#4040ff13&| @73
 |~| @73
 |~| @73
@@ -12,9 +17,4 @@
 |~| @73
 |~| @73
 |~| @73
-|~| @73
-|~| @73
-|~| @73
-|~| @73
-|~| @73
 | +0#0000000&@56|5@1|,|7| @9|B|o|t| 
diff --git a/runtime/syntax/testdir/input/vim_ex_highlight.vim b/runtime/syntax/testdir/input/vim_ex_highlight.vim
index e23968a..ecfea4a 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/testdir/input/vim_ex_highlight.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/testdir/input/vim_ex_highlight.vim
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 " disable
 highlight clear Comment
+highlight clear ErrorMsg
 highlight Comment NONE
 
 " add/modify
@@ -20,12 +21,16 @@
 highlight! link Foo Comment
 highlight link Foo NONE
 highlight! link Foo NONE
+highlight link Foo ErrorMsg
+highlight! link Foo ErrorMsg
 
 " default link
 highlight default link Foo Comment
 highlight! default link Foo Comment
 highlight default link Foo NONE
 highlight! default link Foo NONE
+highlight default link Foo ErrorMsg
+highlight! default link Foo ErrorMsg
 
 
 " line continuation and command separator
diff --git a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
index 3eafe1e..2d7493a 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
@@ -1622,7 +1622,7 @@
 syn match	vimHiGuiRgb	contained	"#\x\{6}"
 
 " Highlighting: hi group key=arg ... {{{2
-syn cluster	vimHiCluster contains=vimGroup,vimHiGroup,vimHiNone,vimHiTerm,vimHiCTerm,vimHiStartStop,vimHiCtermFgBg,vimHiCtermul,vimHiCtermfont,vimHiGui,vimHiGuiFont,vimHiGuiFgBg,vimHiKeyError,vimNotation,vimComment,vim9comment
+syn cluster	vimHiCluster contains=vimGroup,vimHLGroup,vimHiGroup,vimHiNone,vimHiTerm,vimHiCTerm,vimHiStartStop,vimHiCtermFgBg,vimHiCtermul,vimHiCtermfont,vimHiGui,vimHiGuiFont,vimHiGuiFgBg,vimHiKeyError,vimNotation,vimComment,vim9comment
 syn region	vimHiKeyList	contained 	start="\i\+" skip=+\\\\\|\\|\|\n\s*\\\|\n\s*"\\ + matchgroup=vimCmdSep end="|" excludenl end="$" contains=@vimContinue,@vimHiCluster
 if !exists("g:vimsyn_noerror") && !exists("g:vimsyn_vimhikeyerror")
  syn match	vimHiKeyError	contained	"\i\+="he=e-1
@@ -1640,7 +1640,7 @@
 syn match	vimHiNmbr	contained	'\d\+'
 
 " Highlight: clear {{{2
-syn keyword	vimHiClear	contained	clear	skipwhite nextgroup=vimGroup,vimHiGroup
+syn keyword	vimHiClear	contained	clear	skipwhite nextgroup=vimGroup,vimHLGroup,vimHiGroup
 
 " Highlight: link {{{2
 " see tst24 (hi def vs hi) (Jul 06, 2018)