diff --git a/runtime/syntax/clipper.vim b/runtime/syntax/clipper.vim
index 1a10a2d..30fdd7b 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/clipper.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/clipper.vim
@@ -4,11 +4,8 @@
 " Some things based on c.vim by Bram Moolenaar and pascal.vim by Mario Eusebio
 " Last Change:	2011 Dec 29 by Thilo Six
 
-" For version 5.x: Clear all syntax items
-" For version 6.x: Quit when a syntax file was already loaded
-if version < 600
-  syntax clear
-elseif exists("b:current_syntax")
+" quit when a syntax file was already loaded
+if exists("b:current_syntax")
   finish
 endif
 
@@ -114,32 +111,24 @@
 
 
 " Define the default highlighting.
-" For version 5.7 and earlier: only when not done already
-" For version 5.8 and later: only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
-if version >= 508 || !exists("did_clipper_syntax_inits")
-  if version < 508
-    let did_clipper_syntax_inits = 1
-    command -nargs=+ HiLink hi link <args>
-  else
-    command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
-  endif
+" Only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
+command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
 
-  HiLink clipperConditional		Conditional
-  HiLink clipperRepeat			Repeat
-  HiLink clipperNumber			Number
-  HiLink clipperInclude		Include
-  HiLink clipperComment		Comment
-  HiLink clipperOperator		Operator
-  HiLink clipperStorageClass		StorageClass
-  HiLink clipperStatement		Statement
-  HiLink clipperString			String
-  HiLink clipperFunction		Function
-  HiLink clipperLineContinuation	Special
-  HiLink clipperDelimiters		Delimiter
-  HiLink clipperUserVariable		Identifier
+HiLink clipperConditional		Conditional
+HiLink clipperRepeat			Repeat
+HiLink clipperNumber			Number
+HiLink clipperInclude		Include
+HiLink clipperComment		Comment
+HiLink clipperOperator		Operator
+HiLink clipperStorageClass		StorageClass
+HiLink clipperStatement		Statement
+HiLink clipperString			String
+HiLink clipperFunction		Function
+HiLink clipperLineContinuation	Special
+HiLink clipperDelimiters		Delimiter
+HiLink clipperUserVariable		Identifier
 
-  delcommand HiLink
-endif
+delcommand HiLink
 
 let b:current_syntax = "clipper"