diff --git a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
index 89577ffaae..bd3723e7bb 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ if !exists("g:vimsyn_noerror") && !exists("g:vimsyn_novimfunctionerror")
  syn match	vimBufnrWarn	/\<bufnr\s*(\s*["']\.['"]\s*)/
 endif
 
-syn match vimNotFunc	"\<if\>\|\<el\%[seif]\>\|\<retu\%[rn]\>\|\<while\>"	skipwhite nextgroup=vimOper,vimOperParen,vimVar,vimFunc,vimNotation
+syn match vimNotFunc	"\<if\>\|\<el\%[seif]\>\|\<retu\%[rn]\>\|\<while\>"	skipwhite nextgroup=@vimExprList,vimNotation
 
 " Match: {{{2
 " =====