diff --git a/data/core/commands/doc.lua b/data/core/commands/doc.lua
index 7b3389c..2e22baf 100644
--- a/data/core/commands/doc.lua
+++ b/data/core/commands/doc.lua
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ local commands = {
   end,
 
   ["doc:toggle-line-comments"] = function()
-    local comment = doc().highlighter.syntax.comment
+    local comment = doc().syntax.comment
     if not comment then return end
     local comment_text = comment .. " "
     local line1, _, line2 = doc():get_selection(true)
diff --git a/data/core/doc/highlighter.lua b/data/core/doc/highlighter.lua
index fbd67d7..a7bd4c9 100644
--- a/data/core/doc/highlighter.lua
+++ b/data/core/doc/highlighter.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 local core = require "core"
-local syntax = require "core.syntax"
 local config = require "core.config"
 local tokenizer = require "core.tokenizer"
 local Object = require "core.object"
@@ -10,7 +9,9 @@ local Highlighter = Object:extend()
 
 function Highlighter:new(doc)
   self.doc = doc
-  self:reset_syntax()
+  self.lines = {}
+  self.last_valid_line = 1
+  self.max_wanted_line = 0
 
   -- init incremental syntax highlighting
   core.add_thread(function()
@@ -39,28 +40,17 @@ function Highlighter:new(doc)
 end
 
 
-function Highlighter:reset_syntax()
-  local syn = syntax.get(self.doc.filename or "")
-  if self.syntax ~= syn then
-    self.syntax = syn
-    self.lines = {}
-    self.last_valid_line = 1
-    self.max_wanted_line = 0
-  end
-end
-
-
 function Highlighter:invalidate(idx)
   self.last_valid_line = idx
 end
 
 
 function Highlighter:tokenize_line(idx, state)
-  local line = {}
-  line.init_state = state
-  line.text = self.doc.lines[idx]
-  line.tokens, line.state = tokenizer.tokenize(self.syntax, line.text, state)
-  return line
+  local res = {}
+  res.init_state = state
+  res.text = self.doc.lines[idx]
+  res.tokens, res.state = tokenizer.tokenize(self.doc.syntax, res.text, state)
+  return res
 end
 
 
diff --git a/data/core/doc/init.lua b/data/core/doc/init.lua
index ab16b2f..0000ead 100644
--- a/data/core/doc/init.lua
+++ b/data/core/doc/init.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 local Object = require "core.object"
 local Highlighter = require "core.doc.highlighter"
+local syntax = require "core.syntax"
 local config = require "core.config"
 local common = require "core.common"
 
@@ -50,6 +51,16 @@ function Doc:reset()
   self.redo_stack = { idx = 1 }
   self.clean_change_id = 1
   self.highlighter = Highlighter(self)
+  self:reset_syntax()
+end
+
+
+function Doc:reset_syntax()
+  local syn = syntax.get(self.filename or "")
+  if self.syntax ~= syn then
+    self.syntax = syn
+    self.highlighter:invalidate(1)
+  end
 end
 
 
@@ -69,7 +80,7 @@ function Doc:load(filename)
     table.insert(self.lines, "\n")
   end
   fp:close()
-  self.highlighter:reset_syntax()
+  self:reset_syntax()
 end
 
 
@@ -82,7 +93,7 @@ function Doc:save(filename)
   end
   fp:close()
   self.filename = filename or self.filename
-  self.highlighter:reset_syntax()
+  self:reset_syntax()
   self:clean()
 end