diff --git a/src/syntax.c b/src/syntax.c
index 6025889..2245dc6 100644
--- a/src/syntax.c
+++ b/src/syntax.c
@@ -3869,9 +3869,14 @@
 		msg_puts(_("no syncing"));
 	    else
 	    {
-		msg_puts(_("syncing starts "));
-		msg_outnum(curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_minlines);
-		msg_puts(_(" lines before top line"));
+		if (curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_minlines == MAXLNUM)
+		    msg_puts(_("syncing starts at the first line"));
+		else
+		{
+		    msg_puts(_("syncing starts "));
+		    msg_outnum(curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_minlines);
+		    msg_puts(_(" lines before top line"));
+		}
 		syn_match_msg();
 	    }
 	    return;
@@ -3935,19 +3940,24 @@
 				      || curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_minlines > 0)
     {
 	msg_puts("; ");
-	if (curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_minlines > 0)
+	if (curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_minlines == MAXLNUM)
+	    msg_puts(_("from the first line"));
+	else
 	{
-	    msg_puts(_("minimal "));
-	    msg_outnum(curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_minlines);
-	    if (curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_maxlines)
-		msg_puts(", ");
+	    if (curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_minlines > 0)
+	    {
+		msg_puts(_("minimal "));
+		msg_outnum(curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_minlines);
+		if (curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_maxlines)
+		    msg_puts(", ");
+	    }
+	    if (curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_maxlines > 0)
+	    {
+		msg_puts(_("maximal "));
+		msg_outnum(curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_maxlines);
+	    }
+	    msg_puts(_(" lines before top line"));
 	}
-	if (curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_maxlines > 0)
-	{
-	    msg_puts(_("maximal "));
-	    msg_outnum(curwin->w_s->b_syn_sync_maxlines);
-	}
-	msg_puts(_(" lines before top line"));
     }
 }