diff --git a/runtime/syntax/pod.vim b/runtime/syntax/pod.vim
index b9f2e08..c545141 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/pod.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/pod.vim
@@ -19,11 +19,8 @@
 
 " Remove any old syntax stuff hanging around (this is suppressed
 " automatically by ":syn include" if necessary).
-" 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
 
@@ -67,28 +64,20 @@
 syn match  podEscape2	"\d\+>"me=e-1 contained contains=@NoSpell
 
 " 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_pod_syntax_inits")
-  if version < 508
-    let did_pod_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 podCommand		Statement
-  HiLink podCmdText		String
-  HiLink podOverIndent		Number
-  HiLink podForKeywd		Identifier
-  HiLink podFormat		Identifier
-  HiLink podVerbatimLine	PreProc
-  HiLink podSpecial		Identifier
-  HiLink podEscape		String
-  HiLink podEscape2		Number
+HiLink podCommand		Statement
+HiLink podCmdText		String
+HiLink podOverIndent		Number
+HiLink podForKeywd		Identifier
+HiLink podFormat		Identifier
+HiLink podVerbatimLine	PreProc
+HiLink podSpecial		Identifier
+HiLink podEscape		String
+HiLink podEscape2		Number
 
-  delcommand HiLink
-endif
+delcommand HiLink
 
 if exists("perl_pod_spellcheck_headings")
   " Spell-check headings