diff --git a/runtime/autoload/spellfile.vim b/runtime/autoload/spellfile.vim
index a5ffa514ea..fe7113b9a4 100644
--- a/runtime/autoload/spellfile.vim
+++ b/runtime/autoload/spellfile.vim
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ function! spellfile#LoadFile(lang)
         endif
       endif
       if newbufnr == winbufnr(0)
-        " We are back the old buffer, remove any (half-finished) download.
-        g/^/d_
+        " We are back to the old buffer, remove any (half-finished) download.
+        keeppatterns g/^/d_
       else
         let newbufnr = winbufnr(0)
       endif
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ function! spellfile#LoadFile(lang)
       exe "write " . dirname . '/' . fname
 
       " Also download the .sug file.
-      g/^/d_
+      keeppatterns g/^/d_
       let fname = substitute(fname, '\.spl$', '.sug', '')
       echo 'Downloading ' . fname . '...'
       call spellfile#Nread(fname)