diff --git a/autoload/airline.vim b/autoload/airline.vim
index 2093cbe3..8a07d99d 100644
--- a/autoload/airline.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline.vim
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ function! airline#check_mode(winnr)
   let mode_string = join(l:mode)
   if get(w:, 'airline_lastmode', '') != mode_string
     call airline#highlighter#highlight_modified_inactive(context.bufnr)
-    call airline#highlighter#highlight(l:mode)
+    call airline#highlighter#highlight(l:mode, context.bufnr)
     let w:airline_lastmode = mode_string
   endif
 
diff --git a/autoload/airline/builder.vim b/autoload/airline/builder.vim
index 08c383c1..a4ba474f 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/builder.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/builder.vim
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ function! s:prototype.build()
     let contents = section[1]
     let pgroup = prev_group
     let prev_group = s:get_prev_group(self._sections, i)
+    if group ==# 'airline_c' && !self._context.active
+      let group = 'airline_c'. self._context.bufnr
+    endif
     if is_empty
       let prev_group = pgroup
     endif
@@ -87,6 +90,7 @@ function! s:prototype.build()
   endwhile
 
   if !self._context.active
+    "let line = substitute(line, '%#airline_c#', '%#airline_c'.self._context.bufnr.'#', '')
     let line = substitute(line, '%#.\{-}\ze#', '\0_inactive', 'g')
   endif
   return line
diff --git a/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim b/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
index 2b24068d..58a481b9 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
@@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ function! airline#highlighter#highlight_modified_inactive(bufnr)
   endif
 endfunction
 
-function! airline#highlighter#highlight(modes)
+function! airline#highlighter#highlight(modes, ...)
+  let bufnr = a:0 ? a:1 : ''
   let p = g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette
 
   " draw the base mode, followed by any overrides
@@ -147,7 +148,11 @@ function! airline#highlighter#highlight(modes)
       let dict = g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette[mode]
       for kvp in items(dict)
         let mode_colors = kvp[1]
-        call airline#highlighter#exec(kvp[0].suffix, mode_colors)
+        let name = kvp[0]
+        if name is# 'airline_c' && !empty(bufnr) && suffix is# '_inactive'
+          let name = 'airline_c'.bufnr
+        endif
+        call airline#highlighter#exec(name.suffix, mode_colors)
 
         for accent in keys(s:accents)
           if !has_key(p.accents, accent)
@@ -165,7 +170,7 @@ function! airline#highlighter#highlight(modes)
           else
             call add(colors, get(p.accents[accent], 4, ''))
           endif
-          call airline#highlighter#exec(kvp[0].suffix.'_'.accent, colors)
+          call airline#highlighter#exec(name.suffix.'_'.accent, colors)
         endfor
       endfor