diff --git a/runtime/syntax/spec.vim b/runtime/syntax/spec.vim
index edfdf43..3a7dc9e 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/spec.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/spec.vim
@@ -157,68 +157,66 @@
 
 " Define the default highlighting.
 " Only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
-command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
 
 "main types color definitions
-HiLink specSection			Structure
-HiLink specSectionMacro		Macro
-HiLink specWWWlink			PreProc
-HiLink specOpts			Operator
+hi def link specSection			Structure
+hi def link specSectionMacro		Macro
+hi def link specWWWlink			PreProc
+hi def link specOpts			Operator
 
 "yes, it's ugly, but white is sooo cool
 if &background == "dark"
 hi def specGlobalMacro		ctermfg=white
 else
-HiLink specGlobalMacro		Identifier
+hi def link specGlobalMacro		Identifier
 endif
 
 "sh colors
-HiLink shComment			Comment
-HiLink shIf				Statement
-HiLink shOperator			Special
-HiLink shQuote1			String
-HiLink shQuote2			String
-HiLink shQuoteDelim			Statement
+hi def link shComment			Comment
+hi def link shIf				Statement
+hi def link shOperator			Special
+hi def link shQuote1			String
+hi def link shQuote2			String
+hi def link shQuoteDelim			Statement
 
 "spec colors
-HiLink specBlock			Function
-HiLink specColon			Special
-HiLink specCommand			Statement
-HiLink specCommandOpts		specOpts
-HiLink specCommandSpecial		Special
-HiLink specComment			Comment
-HiLink specConfigure			specCommand
-HiLink specDate			String
-HiLink specDescriptionOpts		specOpts
-HiLink specEmail			specWWWlink
-HiLink specError			Error
-HiLink specFilesDirective		specSectionMacro
-HiLink specFilesOpts			specOpts
-HiLink specLicense			String
-HiLink specMacroNameLocal		specGlobalMacro
-HiLink specMacroNameOther		specGlobalMacro
-HiLink specManpageFile		NONE
-HiLink specMonth			specDate
-HiLink specNoNumberHilite		NONE
-HiLink specNumber			Number
-HiLink specPackageOpts		specOpts
-HiLink specPercent			Special
-HiLink specSpecialChar		Special
-HiLink specSpecialVariables		specGlobalMacro
-HiLink specSpecialVariablesNames	specGlobalMacro
-HiLink specTarCommand			specCommand
-HiLink specURL			specWWWlink
-HiLink specURLMacro			specWWWlink
-HiLink specVariables			Identifier
-HiLink specWeekday			specDate
-HiLink specListedFilesBin		Statement
-HiLink specListedFilesDoc		Statement
-HiLink specListedFilesEtc		Statement
-HiLink specListedFilesLib		Statement
-HiLink specListedFilesPrefix		Statement
-HiLink specListedFilesShare		Statement
+hi def link specBlock			Function
+hi def link specColon			Special
+hi def link specCommand			Statement
+hi def link specCommandOpts		specOpts
+hi def link specCommandSpecial		Special
+hi def link specComment			Comment
+hi def link specConfigure			specCommand
+hi def link specDate			String
+hi def link specDescriptionOpts		specOpts
+hi def link specEmail			specWWWlink
+hi def link specError			Error
+hi def link specFilesDirective		specSectionMacro
+hi def link specFilesOpts			specOpts
+hi def link specLicense			String
+hi def link specMacroNameLocal		specGlobalMacro
+hi def link specMacroNameOther		specGlobalMacro
+hi def link specManpageFile		NONE
+hi def link specMonth			specDate
+hi def link specNoNumberHilite		NONE
+hi def link specNumber			Number
+hi def link specPackageOpts		specOpts
+hi def link specPercent			Special
+hi def link specSpecialChar		Special
+hi def link specSpecialVariables		specGlobalMacro
+hi def link specSpecialVariablesNames	specGlobalMacro
+hi def link specTarCommand			specCommand
+hi def link specURL			specWWWlink
+hi def link specURLMacro			specWWWlink
+hi def link specVariables			Identifier
+hi def link specWeekday			specDate
+hi def link specListedFilesBin		Statement
+hi def link specListedFilesDoc		Statement
+hi def link specListedFilesEtc		Statement
+hi def link specListedFilesLib		Statement
+hi def link specListedFilesPrefix		Statement
+hi def link specListedFilesShare		Statement
 
-delcommand HiLink
 
 let b:current_syntax = "spec"