diff --git a/autoload/vimwiki/base.vim b/autoload/vimwiki/base.vim
index 0d18377..2a68ac6 100644
--- a/autoload/vimwiki/base.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimwiki/base.vim
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ function! vimwiki#base#find_wiki(path) "{{{
       return idx
     endif
     let idx += 1
-  endwhile
+  endfor
 
   " an orphan page has been detected
   return -1
@@ -1128,7 +1128,7 @@ endfunction " }}}
 " vimwiki#base#go_back_link
 function! vimwiki#base#go_back_link() "{{{
   let prev_link = vimwiki#vars#get_bufferlocal('prev_link')
-  if prev_link !=# ''
+  if !empty(prev_link)
     " go back to saved wiki link
     execute ":e ".substitute(prev_link[0], '\s', '\\\0', 'g')
     call setpos('.', prev_link[1])
diff --git a/autoload/vimwiki/html.vim b/autoload/vimwiki/html.vim
index 72b946a..a6a1f63 100644
--- a/autoload/vimwiki/html.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimwiki/html.vim
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ function! s:process_tags_typefaces(line, header_ids) "{{{
   let line = a:line
   let line = s:make_tag(line, vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('rxItalic'), 's:tag_em')
   let line = s:make_tag(line, vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('rxBold'), 's:tag_strong', a:header_ids)
-  let line = s:make_tag(line, vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('rxTodo'), 's:tag_todo')
+  let line = s:make_tag(line, vimwiki#vars#get_global('rxTodo'), 's:tag_todo')
   let line = s:make_tag(line, vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('rxDelText'), 's:tag_strike')
   let line = s:make_tag(line, vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('rxSuperScript'), 's:tag_super')
   let line = s:make_tag(line, vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('rxSubScript'), 's:tag_sub')
diff --git a/autoload/vimwiki/markdown_base.vim b/autoload/vimwiki/markdown_base.vim
index f0ee7a3..a207f53 100644
--- a/autoload/vimwiki/markdown_base.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimwiki/markdown_base.vim
@@ -6,11 +6,6 @@
 
 " MISC helper functions {{{
 
-" vimwiki#markdown_base#reset_mkd_refs
-function! vimwiki#markdown_base#reset_mkd_refs() "{{{
-  call vimwiki#vars#set_bufferlocal('markdown_refs', {})
-endfunction "}}}
-
 " vimwiki#markdown_base#scan_reflinks
 function! vimwiki#markdown_base#scan_reflinks() " {{{
   let mkd_refs = {}
@@ -35,29 +30,12 @@ function! vimwiki#markdown_base#scan_reflinks() " {{{
 endfunction "}}}
 
 
-" vimwiki#markdown_base#get_reflinks
-function! vimwiki#markdown_base#get_reflinks() " {{{
-  let done = 1
-  try
-    let mkd_refs = vimwiki#vars#get_bufferlocal('markdown_refs')
-  catch
-    " work-around hack
-    let done = 0
-    " ... the following command does not work inside catch block !?
-    " > let mkd_refs = vimwiki#markdown_base#scan_reflinks()
-  endtry
-  if !done
-    let mkd_refs = vimwiki#markdown_base#scan_reflinks()
-  endif
-  return mkd_refs
-endfunction "}}}
-
 " vimwiki#markdown_base#open_reflink
 " try markdown reference links
 function! vimwiki#markdown_base#open_reflink(link) " {{{
   " echom "vimwiki#markdown_base#open_reflink"
   let link = a:link
-  let mkd_refs = vimwiki#markdown_base#get_reflinks()
+  let mkd_refs = vimwiki#vars#get_bufferlocal('markdown_refs')
   if has_key(mkd_refs, link)
     let url = mkd_refs[link]
     call vimwiki#base#system_open_link(url)
diff --git a/autoload/vimwiki/vars.vim b/autoload/vimwiki/vars.vim
index e4a6b72..c088106 100644
--- a/autoload/vimwiki/vars.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimwiki/vars.vim
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ function! s:populate_extra_markdown_vars()
   " 0b) match URL within [[URL|DESCRIPTION]]
   let mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink0MatchUrl = mkd_syntax.rxWikiLinkMatchUrl
   " 0c) match DESCRIPTION within [[URL|DESCRIPTION]]
-  let mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink0MatchDescr = g:vimwiki_global_vars.rxWikiLinkMatchDescr
+  let mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink0MatchDescr = mkd_syntax.rxWikiLinkMatchDescr
 
   let wikilink_md_prefix = '['
   let wikilink_md_suffix = ']'
@@ -423,25 +423,25 @@ function! s:populate_extra_markdown_vars()
 
   " 1. match [URL][], [DESCRIPTION][URL]
   let mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1 = mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_prefix.
-        \ mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Url. mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_separator.
+        \ mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Url. rx_wikilink_md_separator.
         \ mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_suffix.
         \ '\|'. mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_prefix.
-        \ mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Descr . mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_separator.
+        \ mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Descr . rx_wikilink_md_separator.
         \ mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Url . mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_suffix
   " 2. match URL within [URL][], [DESCRIPTION][URL]
   let mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1MatchUrl = mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_prefix.
-        \ '\zs'. mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Url. '\ze'. mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_separator.
+        \ '\zs'. mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Url. '\ze'. rx_wikilink_md_separator.
         \ mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_suffix.
         \ '\|'. mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_prefix.
-        \ mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Descr. mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_separator.
+        \ mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Descr. rx_wikilink_md_separator.
         \ '\zs'. mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Url. '\ze'. mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_suffix
   " 3. match DESCRIPTION within [DESCRIPTION][URL]
   let mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1MatchDescr = mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_prefix.
-        \ '\zs'. mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Descr.'\ze'. mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_separator.
+        \ '\zs'. mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Descr.'\ze'. rx_wikilink_md_separator.
         \ mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Url . mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_suffix
 
   let mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Prefix1 = mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_prefix
-  let mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Suffix1 = mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_separator.
+  let mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Suffix1 = rx_wikilink_md_separator.
         \ mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink1Url . mkd_syntax.rx_wikilink_md_suffix
 
   " 1. match ANY wikilink
@@ -508,14 +508,14 @@ function! s:populate_extra_markdown_vars()
         \ mkd_syntax.rxWeblink1MatchDescr.'\|'.
         \ mkd_syntax.rxWeblinkMatchDescr0
 
-  let g:vimwiki_rxAnyLink = g:vimwiki_rxWikiLink.'\|'.
-        \ g:vimwiki_rxWikiIncl.'\|'.mkd_syntax.rxWeblink
+  let mkd_syntax.rxAnyLink = mkd_syntax.rxWikiLink.'\|'.
+        \ g:vimwiki_global_vars.rxWikiIncl.'\|'.mkd_syntax.rxWeblink
 
   let mkd_syntax.rxMkdRef = '\['.g:vimwiki_global_vars.rxWikiLinkDescr.']:\%(\s\+\|\n\)'.
         \ mkd_syntax.rxWeblink0
-  let g:vimwiki_rxMkdRefMatchDescr = '\[\zs'.g:vimwiki_global_vars.rxWikiLinkDescr.'\ze]:\%(\s\+\|\n\)'.
+  let mkd_syntax.rxMkdRefMatchDescr = '\[\zs'.g:vimwiki_global_vars.rxWikiLinkDescr.'\ze]:\%(\s\+\|\n\)'.
         \ mkd_syntax.rxWeblink0
-  let g:vimwiki_rxMkdRefMatchUrl = '\['.g:vimwiki_global_vars.rxWikiLinkDescr.']:\%(\s\+\|\n\)\zs'.
+  let mkd_syntax.rxMkdRefMatchUrl = '\['.g:vimwiki_global_vars.rxWikiLinkDescr.']:\%(\s\+\|\n\)\zs'.
         \ mkd_syntax.rxWeblink0.'\ze'
 endfunction
 
@@ -562,9 +562,13 @@ function! vimwiki#vars#get_bufferlocal(key, ...)
     call setbufvar(buffer, 'vimwiki_existing_wikidirs',
         \ vimwiki#base#get_wiki_directories(vimwiki#vars#get_bufferlocal('wiki_nr')))
   elseif a:key ==# 'prev_link'
-    call setbufvar(buffer, 'vimwiki_prev_link', '')
+    call setbufvar(buffer, 'vimwiki_prev_link', [])
   elseif a:key ==# 'fs_rescan'
     call setbufvar(buffer, 'vimwiki_fs_rescan', 0)
+  elseif a:key ==# 'markdown_refs'
+    call setbufvar(buffer, 'vimwiki_markdown_refs', vimwiki#markdown_base#scan_reflinks())
+  else
+    echoerr 'Vimwiki Error: unknown buffer variable ' . string(a:key)
   endif
 
   return getbufvar(buffer, 'vimwiki_'.a:key)
diff --git a/syntax/vimwiki_markdown_custom.vim b/syntax/vimwiki_markdown_custom.vim
index 7f3cc15..4f19b24 100644
--- a/syntax/vimwiki_markdown_custom.vim
+++ b/syntax/vimwiki_markdown_custom.vim
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ function! s:wrap_wikilink1_rx(target) "{{{
 endfunction "}}}
 
 function! s:existing_mkd_refs() "{{{
-  call vimwiki#markdown_base#reset_mkd_refs()
-  return keys(vimwiki#markdown_base#get_reflinks())
+  return keys(vimwiki#markdown_base#scan_reflinks())
 endfunction "}}}
 
 function! s:highlight_existing_links() "{{{
@@ -121,7 +120,7 @@ call s:add_target_syntax_ON(s:wrap_wikilink1_rx(s:target), 'VimwikiWikiLink1')
 
 " Header levels, 1-6
 for s:i in range(1,6)
-  execute 'syntax match VimwikiHeader'.s:i.' /'.vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocalg('rxH'.s:i).'/ contains=VimwikiTodo,VimwikiHeaderChar,VimwikiNoExistsLink,VimwikiCode,VimwikiLink,VimwikiWeblink1,VimwikiWikiLink1,@Spell'
+  execute 'syntax match VimwikiHeader'.s:i.' /'.vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('rxH'.s:i).'/ contains=VimwikiTodo,VimwikiHeaderChar,VimwikiNoExistsLink,VimwikiCode,VimwikiLink,VimwikiWeblink1,VimwikiWikiLink1,@Spell'
 endfor
 
 " }}}