diff --git a/runtime/syntax/rc.vim b/runtime/syntax/rc.vim
index 13900b3..4c6856b 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/rc.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/rc.vim
@@ -146,33 +146,32 @@
 
 " Define the default highlighting.
 " Only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
-command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
 
-HiLink rcCharacter	Character
-HiLink rcSpecialCharacter rcSpecial
-HiLink rcNumber	Number
-HiLink rcFloat	Float
-HiLink rcOctalError	rcError
-HiLink rcParenError	rcError
-HiLink rcInParen	rcError
-HiLink rcCommentError	rcError
-HiLink rcInclude	Include
-HiLink rcPreProc	PreProc
-HiLink rcDefine	Macro
-HiLink rcIncluded	rcString
-HiLink rcError	Error
-HiLink rcPreCondit	PreCondit
-HiLink rcCommentString rcString
-HiLink rcComment2String rcString
-HiLink rcCommentSkip	rcComment
-HiLink rcString	String
-HiLink rcComment	Comment
-HiLink rcSpecial	SpecialChar
-HiLink rcTodo	Todo
+hi def link rcCharacter	Character
+hi def link rcSpecialCharacter rcSpecial
+hi def link rcNumber	Number
+hi def link rcFloat	Float
+hi def link rcOctalError	rcError
+hi def link rcParenError	rcError
+hi def link rcInParen	rcError
+hi def link rcCommentError	rcError
+hi def link rcInclude	Include
+hi def link rcPreProc	PreProc
+hi def link rcDefine	Macro
+hi def link rcIncluded	rcString
+hi def link rcError	Error
+hi def link rcPreCondit	PreCondit
+hi def link rcCommentString rcString
+hi def link rcComment2String rcString
+hi def link rcCommentSkip	rcComment
+hi def link rcString	String
+hi def link rcComment	Comment
+hi def link rcSpecial	SpecialChar
+hi def link rcTodo	Todo
 
-HiLink rcAttribute	rcCommonAttribute
-HiLink rcStdId	rcStatement
-HiLink rcStatement	Statement
+hi def link rcAttribute	rcCommonAttribute
+hi def link rcStdId	rcStatement
+hi def link rcStatement	Statement
 
 " Default color overrides
 hi def rcLanguage	term=reverse ctermbg=Red ctermfg=Yellow guibg=Red guifg=Yellow
@@ -183,9 +182,8 @@
 hi def rcStatement	ctermfg=DarkGreen guifg=DarkGreen
 hi def rcCommonAttribute	ctermfg=Brown guifg=Brown
 
-"HiLink rcIdentifier	Identifier
+"hi def link rcIdentifier	Identifier
 
-delcommand HiLink
 
 let b:current_syntax = "rc"