diff --git a/runtime/defaults.vim b/runtime/defaults.vim
index 2460fd8..43ff1e0 100644
--- a/runtime/defaults.vim
+++ b/runtime/defaults.vim
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 " The default vimrc file.
 "
 " Maintainer:	Bram Moolenaar <Bram@vim.org>
-" Last change:	2016 Aug 28
+" Last change:	2016 Sep 02
 "
 " This is loaded if no vimrc file was found.
 " Except when Vim is run with "-u NONE" or "-C".
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@
   finish
 endif
 
+" Bail out if something that ran earlier, e.g. a system wide vimrc, does not
+" want Vim to use these default values.
+if exists('skip_defaults_vim')
+  finish
+endif
+
 " Use Vim settings, rather than Vi settings (much better!).
 " This must be first, because it changes other options as a side effect.
 set nocompatible