+--- a/edit/syntax.c
++++ b/edit/syntax.c
+@@ -1193,10 +1193,7 @@ edit_load_syntax (WEdit *edit, char ***p
+ r = edit_read_syntax_file (edit, pnames, f, edit ? edit->filename : 0,
+ get_first_editor_line (edit), type);
+ if (r == -1) {
+- edit_free_syntax_rules (edit);
+- message (D_ERROR, _(" Load syntax file "),
+- _(" Cannot open file %s \n %s "), f,
+- unix_error_string (errno));
++ /* missing syntax file */
+ } else if (r) {
+ edit_free_syntax_rules (edit);
+ message (D_ERROR, _(" Load syntax file "),