diff --git a/runtime/syntax/ratpoison.vim b/runtime/syntax/ratpoison.vim
index 9fc59be..30cf369 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/ratpoison.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/ratpoison.vim
@@ -5,11 +5,8 @@
 " Last Change:	2011 Apr 11
 " Previous Maintainer:	Doug Kearns <djkea2@gus.gscit.monash.edu.au>
 
-" 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
 
@@ -247,33 +244,25 @@
 syn match   ratpoisonVoidCommand	"^\s*\zswindows\ze\s*$"
 
 " 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_ratpoison_syn_inits")
-  if version < 508
-    let did_ratpoison_syn_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 ratpoisonBooleanArg	Boolean
-  HiLink ratpoisonCommandArg	Keyword
-  HiLink ratpoisonComment	Comment
-  HiLink ratpoisonDefCommand	Identifier
-  HiLink ratpoisonGravityArg	Constant
-  HiLink ratpoisonKeySeqArg	Special
-  HiLink ratpoisonNumberArg	Number
-  HiLink ratpoisonSetArg	Keyword
-  HiLink ratpoisonStringCommand	Identifier
-  HiLink ratpoisonTodo		Todo
-  HiLink ratpoisonVoidCommand	Identifier
-  HiLink ratpoisonWinFmtArg	Special
-  HiLink ratpoisonWinNameArg	Constant
-  HiLink ratpoisonWinListArg	Constant
+HiLink ratpoisonBooleanArg	Boolean
+HiLink ratpoisonCommandArg	Keyword
+HiLink ratpoisonComment	Comment
+HiLink ratpoisonDefCommand	Identifier
+HiLink ratpoisonGravityArg	Constant
+HiLink ratpoisonKeySeqArg	Special
+HiLink ratpoisonNumberArg	Number
+HiLink ratpoisonSetArg	Keyword
+HiLink ratpoisonStringCommand	Identifier
+HiLink ratpoisonTodo		Todo
+HiLink ratpoisonVoidCommand	Identifier
+HiLink ratpoisonWinFmtArg	Special
+HiLink ratpoisonWinNameArg	Constant
+HiLink ratpoisonWinListArg	Constant
 
-  delcommand HiLink
-endif
+delcommand HiLink
 
 let b:current_syntax = "ratpoison"