diff --git a/runtime/syntax/eiffel.vim b/runtime/syntax/eiffel.vim
index 0ee5ea0..c663487 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/eiffel.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/eiffel.vim
@@ -139,59 +139,57 @@
 
 " Define the default highlighting.
 " Only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
-command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
 
-HiLink eiffelKeyword		Statement
-HiLink eiffelProperty		Statement
-HiLink eiffelInheritClause	Statement
-HiLink eiffelStatement	Statement
-HiLink eiffelDeclaration	Statement
-HiLink eiffelAssertion	Statement
-HiLink eiffelDebug		Statement
-HiLink eiffelException	Statement
-HiLink eiffelGenericCreate	Statement
+hi def link eiffelKeyword		Statement
+hi def link eiffelProperty		Statement
+hi def link eiffelInheritClause	Statement
+hi def link eiffelStatement	Statement
+hi def link eiffelDeclaration	Statement
+hi def link eiffelAssertion	Statement
+hi def link eiffelDebug		Statement
+hi def link eiffelException	Statement
+hi def link eiffelGenericCreate	Statement
 
-HiLink eiffelAgent		Statement
-HiLink eiffelConvert		Statement
+hi def link eiffelAgent		Statement
+hi def link eiffelConvert		Statement
 
-HiLink eiffelTopStruct	PreProc
+hi def link eiffelTopStruct	PreProc
 
-HiLink eiffelAll		Special
-HiLink eiffelAnchored		Special
-HiLink eiffelBitType		Special
+hi def link eiffelAll		Special
+hi def link eiffelAnchored		Special
+hi def link eiffelBitType		Special
 
 
-HiLink eiffelBool		Boolean
-HiLink eiffelString		String
-HiLink eiffelCharacter	Character
-HiLink eiffelClassName	Type
-HiLink eiffelNumber		Number
+hi def link eiffelBool		Boolean
+hi def link eiffelString		String
+hi def link eiffelCharacter	Character
+hi def link eiffelClassName	Type
+hi def link eiffelNumber		Number
 
-HiLink eiffelStringEscape	Special
+hi def link eiffelStringEscape	Special
 
-HiLink eiffelOperator		Special
-HiLink eiffelArray		Special
-HiLink eiffelExport		Special
-HiLink eiffelCreation		Special
-HiLink eiffelBrackets		Special
-HiLink eiffelGeneric		Special
-HiLink eiffelGenericDecl	Special
-HiLink eiffelConstraint	Special
-HiLink eiffelCreate		Special
+hi def link eiffelOperator		Special
+hi def link eiffelArray		Special
+hi def link eiffelExport		Special
+hi def link eiffelCreation		Special
+hi def link eiffelBrackets		Special
+hi def link eiffelGeneric		Special
+hi def link eiffelGenericDecl	Special
+hi def link eiffelConstraint	Special
+hi def link eiffelCreate		Special
 
-HiLink eiffelPredefined	Constant
+hi def link eiffelPredefined	Constant
 
-HiLink eiffelComment		Comment
+hi def link eiffelComment		Comment
 
-HiLink eiffelError		Error
-HiLink eiffelBadConstant	Error
-HiLink eiffelStringError	Error
-HiLink eiffelParenError	Error
-HiLink eiffelBracketError	Error
+hi def link eiffelError		Error
+hi def link eiffelBadConstant	Error
+hi def link eiffelStringError	Error
+hi def link eiffelParenError	Error
+hi def link eiffelBracketError	Error
 
-HiLink eiffelTodo		Todo
+hi def link eiffelTodo		Todo
 
-delcommand HiLink
 
 let b:current_syntax = "eiffel"