diff --git a/runtime/syntax/haskell.vim b/runtime/syntax/haskell.vim
index 8afca04..86d554b 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/haskell.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/haskell.vim
@@ -32,10 +32,8 @@
 "	       to attribution of work.
 " 2008 Dec 15: Added comments as contained element in import statements
 
-" Remove any old syntax stuff hanging around
-if version < 600
-  syn clear
-elseif exists("b:current_syntax")
+" quit when a syntax file was already loaded
+if exists("b:current_syntax")
   finish
 endif
 
@@ -127,67 +125,59 @@
 syn region	cCppString	start=+L\="+ skip=+\\\\\|\\"\|\\$+ excludenl end=+"+ end='$' contains=cSpecial contained
 
 " 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_hs_syntax_inits")
-  if version < 508
-    let did_hs_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 hsModule			  hsStructure
-  HiLink hsImport			  Include
-  HiLink hsImportMod			  hsImport
-  HiLink hsInfix			  PreProc
-  HiLink hsStructure			  Structure
-  HiLink hsStatement			  Statement
-  HiLink hsConditional			  Conditional
-  HiLink hsSpecialChar			  SpecialChar
-  HiLink hsTypedef			  Typedef
-  HiLink hsVarSym			  hsOperator
-  HiLink hsConSym			  hsOperator
-  HiLink hsOperator			  Operator
-  if exists("hs_highlight_delimiters")
-    " Some people find this highlighting distracting.
-    HiLink hsDelimiter			  Delimiter
-  endif
-  HiLink hsSpecialCharError		  Error
-  HiLink hsString			  String
-  HiLink hsCharacter			  Character
-  HiLink hsNumber			  Number
-  HiLink hsFloat			  Float
-  HiLink hsConditional			  Conditional
-  HiLink hsLiterateComment		  hsComment
-  HiLink hsBlockComment		  hsComment
-  HiLink hsLineComment			  hsComment
-  HiLink hsComment			  Comment
-  HiLink hsPragma			  SpecialComment
-  HiLink hsBoolean			  Boolean
-  HiLink hsType			  Type
-  HiLink hsMaybe			  hsEnumConst
-  HiLink hsOrdering			  hsEnumConst
-  HiLink hsEnumConst			  Constant
-  HiLink hsDebug			  Debug
-
-  HiLink cCppString		hsString
-  HiLink cCommentStart		hsComment
-  HiLink cCommentError		hsError
-  HiLink cCommentStartError	hsError
-  HiLink cInclude		Include
-  HiLink cPreProc		PreProc
-  HiLink cDefine		Macro
-  HiLink cIncluded		hsString
-  HiLink cError			Error
-  HiLink cPreCondit		PreCondit
-  HiLink cComment		Comment
-  HiLink cCppSkip		cCppOut
-  HiLink cCppOut2		cCppOut
-  HiLink cCppOut		Comment
-
-  delcommand HiLink
+HiLink hsModule			  hsStructure
+HiLink hsImport			  Include
+HiLink hsImportMod			  hsImport
+HiLink hsInfix			  PreProc
+HiLink hsStructure			  Structure
+HiLink hsStatement			  Statement
+HiLink hsConditional			  Conditional
+HiLink hsSpecialChar			  SpecialChar
+HiLink hsTypedef			  Typedef
+HiLink hsVarSym			  hsOperator
+HiLink hsConSym			  hsOperator
+HiLink hsOperator			  Operator
+if exists("hs_highlight_delimiters")
+" Some people find this highlighting distracting.
+HiLink hsDelimiter			  Delimiter
 endif
+HiLink hsSpecialCharError		  Error
+HiLink hsString			  String
+HiLink hsCharacter			  Character
+HiLink hsNumber			  Number
+HiLink hsFloat			  Float
+HiLink hsConditional			  Conditional
+HiLink hsLiterateComment		  hsComment
+HiLink hsBlockComment		  hsComment
+HiLink hsLineComment			  hsComment
+HiLink hsComment			  Comment
+HiLink hsPragma			  SpecialComment
+HiLink hsBoolean			  Boolean
+HiLink hsType			  Type
+HiLink hsMaybe			  hsEnumConst
+HiLink hsOrdering			  hsEnumConst
+HiLink hsEnumConst			  Constant
+HiLink hsDebug			  Debug
+
+HiLink cCppString		hsString
+HiLink cCommentStart		hsComment
+HiLink cCommentError		hsError
+HiLink cCommentStartError	hsError
+HiLink cInclude		Include
+HiLink cPreProc		PreProc
+HiLink cDefine		Macro
+HiLink cIncluded		hsString
+HiLink cError			Error
+HiLink cPreCondit		PreCondit
+HiLink cComment		Comment
+HiLink cCppSkip		cCppOut
+HiLink cCppOut2		cCppOut
+HiLink cCppOut		Comment
+
+delcommand HiLink
 
 let b:current_syntax = "haskell"