diff --git a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
index 85eb742f48..12b4fc5564 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
@@ -175,12 +175,14 @@ endif
 
 " Behave! {{{2
 " =======
-syn match   vimBehave	"\<be\%[have]\>" skipwhite nextgroup=vimBehaveModel,vimBehaveError
-syn keyword vimBehaveModel contained	mswin	xterm
 if !exists("g:vimsyn_noerror") && !exists("g:vimsyn_nobehaveerror")
  syn match   vimBehaveError contained	"[^ ]\+"
 endif
+syn match   vimBehave	"\<be\%[have]\>"	nextgroup=vimBehaveBang,vimBehaveModel,vimBehaveError skipwhite
+syn match   vimBehaveBang	contained	"\a\@1<=!" nextgroup=vimBehaveModel skipwhite
+syn keyword vimBehaveModel	contained	mswin	xterm
 
+hi def link vimBehaveBang vimBang
 " Filetypes {{{2
 " =========
 syn match   vimFiletype	"\<filet\%[ype]\(\s\+\I\i*\)*"	skipwhite contains=vimFTCmd,vimFTOption,vimFTError
@@ -926,6 +928,7 @@ if !exists("skip_vim_syntax_inits")
  hi def link vimAutoCmdMod	Special
  hi def link vimAutoSet	vimCommand
  hi def link vimBang	vimOper
+  hi def link vimBehaveBang	vimBang
  hi def link vimBehaveModel	vimBehave
  hi def link vimBehave	vimCommand
  hi def link vimBracket	Delimiter