diff --git a/autoload/airline.vim b/autoload/airline.vim
index 013a446..14a061e 100644
--- a/autoload/airline.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline.vim
@@ -1,21 +1,20 @@
 " MIT License. Copyright (c) 2013 Bailey Ling.
-" vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2 fdm=indent
+" vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2
 
 let s:sections = ['a','b','c','gutter','x','y','z','warning']
 let s:highlighter = airline#highlighter#new()
 
-function! airline#reload_highlight()
-  call s:highlighter.highlight(['inactive'])
-  call s:highlighter.highlight(['normal'])
+function! airline#load_theme()
+  call s:highlighter.load_theme()
   call airline#extensions#load_theme()
 endfunction
 
-function! airline#load_theme(name)
+function! airline#switch_theme(name)
   let g:airline_theme = a:name
   let inactive_colors = g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#inactive "also lazy loads the theme
   let w:airline_lastmode = ''
   call airline#update_statusline()
-  call airline#reload_highlight()
+  call airline#load_theme()
   call airline#check_mode()
 endfunction
 
@@ -109,3 +108,4 @@ function! airline#check_mode()
   endif
   return ''
 endfunction
+
diff --git a/autoload/airline/debug.vim b/autoload/airline/debug.vim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e13e9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autoload/airline/debug.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+" MIT License. Copyright (c) 2013 Bailey Ling.
+" vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2
+
+function! airline#debug#profile()
+  profile start airline-profile.log
+  profile func *
+  profile file *
+  split
+  for i in range(1, 50)
+    wincmd w
+    redrawstatus
+  endfor
+  profile pause
+  noautocmd qall!
+endfunction
diff --git a/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim b/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
index 016192e..f985e8d 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-" MIT license. Copyright (c) 2013 Bailey Ling.
-" vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2 fdm=indent
+" MIT License. Copyright (c) 2013 Bailey Ling.
+" vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2
 
 let s:is_win32term = (has('win32') || has('win64')) && !has('gui_running')
 
@@ -19,20 +19,25 @@ function! airline#highlighter#exec(group, colors)
         \ get(colors, 4, '') != '' ? 'term='.colors[4] : '')
 endfunction
 
-function! airline#highlighter#exec_separator(from, to)
-  if a:from == a:to
-    return a:from
-  endif
+function! airline#highlighter#exec_separator(dict, from, to)
   let l:from = airline#themes#get_highlight(a:from)
   let l:to = airline#themes#get_highlight(a:to)
   let group = a:from.'_to_'.a:to
-  call airline#highlighter#exec(group, [ l:to[1], l:from[1], l:to[3], l:from[3] ])
-  return group
+  let colors = [ l:to[1], l:from[1], l:to[3], l:from[3] ]
+  let a:dict[group] = colors
+  call airline#highlighter#exec(group, colors)
 endfunction
 
 function! airline#highlighter#new()
   let highlighter = {}
   let highlighter._separators = []
+  let highlighter._init_separators = {}
+
+  function! highlighter.load_theme()
+    let self._init_separators = {}
+    call self.highlight(['inactive'])
+    call self.highlight(['normal'])
+  endfunction
 
   function! highlighter.add_separator(from, to)
     call add(self._separators, [a:from, a:to])
@@ -44,16 +49,19 @@ function! airline#highlighter#new()
     let suffix = a:modes[0] == 'inactive' ? '_inactive' : ''
     for mode in mapped
       if exists('g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#{mode}')
-        for key in keys(g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#{mode})
-          let colors = g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#{mode}[key]
-          call airline#highlighter#exec(key.suffix, colors)
+        let dict = g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#{mode}
+        for kvp in items(dict)
+          call airline#highlighter#exec(kvp[0].suffix, kvp[1])
         endfor
-      endif
-    endfor
 
-    " synchronize separator colors
-    for sep in self._separators
-      call airline#highlighter#exec_separator(sep[0].suffix, sep[1].suffix)
+        " initialize separator colors for this mode if necessary
+        if !has_key(self._init_separators, mode)
+          let self._init_separators[mode] = 1
+          for sep in self._separators
+            call airline#highlighter#exec_separator(dict, sep[0].suffix, sep[1].suffix)
+          endfor
+        endif
+      endif
     endfor
   endfunction
 
diff --git a/autoload/airline/themes/solarized.vim b/autoload/airline/themes/solarized.vim
index f600922..57c82d3 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/themes/solarized.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/themes/solarized.vim
@@ -166,5 +166,5 @@ endfunction
 call s:generate()
 augroup airline_solarized
   autocmd!
-  autocmd ColorScheme * call <sid>generate() | call airline#reload_highlight()
+  autocmd ColorScheme * call <sid>generate() | call airline#load_theme()
 augroup END
diff --git a/autoload/airline/themes/tomorrow.vim b/autoload/airline/themes/tomorrow.vim
index 41b90eb..b1f86b8 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/themes/tomorrow.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/themes/tomorrow.vim
@@ -39,5 +39,5 @@ endfunction
 call s:generate()
 augroup airline_tomorrow
   autocmd!
-  autocmd ColorScheme * call <sid>generate() | call airline#reload_highlight()
+  autocmd ColorScheme * call <sid>generate() | call airline#load_theme()
 augroup END
diff --git a/autoload/airline/util.vim b/autoload/airline/util.vim
index 8372d99..daa3ea8 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/util.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/util.vim
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-" MIT license. Copyright (c) 2013 Bailey Ling.
-" vim: ts=2 sts=2 sw=2 fdm=indent
+" MIT License. Copyright (c) 2013 Bailey Ling.
+" vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2
 
 " for 7.2 compatibility
 function! airline#util#getwinvar(winnr, key, ...)
@@ -22,3 +22,4 @@ function! airline#util#exec_funcrefs(list, break_early)
   endfor
   return 0
 endfunction
+
diff --git a/plugin/airline.vim b/plugin/airline.vim
index a9eda5a..5f8755d 100644
--- a/plugin/airline.vim
+++ b/plugin/airline.vim
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 " MIT License. Copyright (c) 2013 Bailey Ling.
-" vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2 fdm=indent
+" vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2
 
 if &cp || v:version < 702 || (exists('g:loaded_airline') && g:loaded_airline)
   finish
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ let s:airline_initialized = 0
 function! s:on_window_changed()
   if !s:airline_initialized
     call airline#extensions#load()
-    call airline#load_theme(g:airline_theme)
+    call airline#switch_theme(g:airline_theme)
     let s:airline_initialized = 1
   endif
   call airline#update_statusline()
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ function! s:airline_toggle()
             \ | call <sid>on_window_changed()
       autocmd CmdwinLeave * call remove(g:airline_statusline_funcrefs, -1)
 
-      autocmd ColorScheme * call airline#reload_highlight()
+      autocmd ColorScheme * call airline#load_theme()
       autocmd WinEnter,BufWinEnter,FileType,BufUnload,ShellCmdPost *
             \ call <sid>on_window_changed()
     augroup END
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ function! s:get_airline_themes(a, l, p)
 endfunction
 function! s:airline_theme(...)
   if a:0
-    call airline#load_theme(a:1)
+    call airline#switch_theme(a:1)
   else
     echo g:airline_theme
   endif
@@ -121,3 +121,4 @@ command! AirlineToggleWhitespace call airline#extensions#whitespace#toggle()
 command! AirlineToggle call <sid>airline_toggle()
 
 call <sid>airline_toggle()
+