diff --git a/runtime/syntax/icon.vim b/runtime/syntax/icon.vim
index 1bd12d3..179d75c 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/icon.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/icon.vim
@@ -155,47 +155,45 @@
 " Define the default highlighting.
 
 " Only when an item doesn't have highlighting
-command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
 
 " The default methods for highlighting.  Can be overridden later
 
-" HiLink iconSpecialCharacter	iconSpecial
+" hi def link iconSpecialCharacter	iconSpecial
 
-HiLink iconOctalError		iconError
-HiLink iconParenError		iconError
-HiLink iconInParen		iconError
-HiLink iconCommentError	iconError
-HiLink iconSpaceError		iconError
-HiLink iconCommentError	iconError
-HiLink iconIncluded		iconString
-HiLink iconCommentString	iconString
-HiLink iconComment2String	iconString
-HiLink iconCommentSkip	iconComment
+hi def link iconOctalError		iconError
+hi def link iconParenError		iconError
+hi def link iconInParen		iconError
+hi def link iconCommentError	iconError
+hi def link iconSpaceError		iconError
+hi def link iconCommentError	iconError
+hi def link iconIncluded		iconString
+hi def link iconCommentString	iconString
+hi def link iconComment2String	iconString
+hi def link iconCommentSkip	iconComment
 
-HiLink iconUserLabel		Label
-HiLink iconCharacter		Character
-HiLink iconNumber			Number
-HiLink iconRadix			Number
-HiLink iconFloat			Float
-HiLink iconInclude		Include
-HiLink iconPreProc		PreProc
-HiLink iconDefine			Macro
-HiLink iconError			Error
-HiLink iconStatement		Statement
-HiLink iconPreCondit		PreCondit
-HiLink iconString			String
-HiLink iconCset			String
-HiLink iconComment		Comment
-HiLink iconSpecial		SpecialChar
-HiLink iconTodo			Todo
-HiLink iconStorageClass	StorageClass
-HiLink iconFunction		Statement
-HiLink iconReserved		Label
-HiLink iconKeyword		Operator
+hi def link iconUserLabel		Label
+hi def link iconCharacter		Character
+hi def link iconNumber			Number
+hi def link iconRadix			Number
+hi def link iconFloat			Float
+hi def link iconInclude		Include
+hi def link iconPreProc		PreProc
+hi def link iconDefine			Macro
+hi def link iconError			Error
+hi def link iconStatement		Statement
+hi def link iconPreCondit		PreCondit
+hi def link iconString			String
+hi def link iconCset			String
+hi def link iconComment		Comment
+hi def link iconSpecial		SpecialChar
+hi def link iconTodo			Todo
+hi def link iconStorageClass	StorageClass
+hi def link iconFunction		Statement
+hi def link iconReserved		Label
+hi def link iconKeyword		Operator
 
-"HiLink iconIdentifier	Identifier
+"hi def link iconIdentifier	Identifier
 
-delcommand HiLink
 
 let b:current_syntax = "icon"