diff --git a/mousepad/mousepad-view.c b/mousepad/mousepad-view.c
index 03f46094f..12eacb7b2 100644
--- a/mousepad/mousepad-view.c
+++ b/mousepad/mousepad-view.c
@@ -255,12 +255,21 @@ mousepad_view_buffer_changed (MousepadView *view,
     {
       GtkSourceStyleSchemeManager *manager;
       GtkSourceStyleScheme        *scheme;
+      const gchar *scheme_id;
+      gboolean disable_highlight;
 
       manager = gtk_source_style_scheme_manager_get_default ();
       scheme = gtk_source_style_scheme_manager_get_scheme (manager,
         view->color_scheme ? view->color_scheme : "");
-      gtk_source_buffer_set_style_scheme (buffer, scheme);
+      scheme_id = GTK_SOURCE_IS_STYLE_SCHEME (scheme) ?
+        gtk_source_style_scheme_get_id (scheme) : "none";
+
+      disable_highlight = (g_strcmp0 (scheme_id, "none") == 0);
+      if (disable_highlight)
+        scheme = gtk_source_style_scheme_manager_get_scheme (manager, "classic");
 
+      gtk_source_buffer_set_style_scheme (buffer, scheme);
+      gtk_source_buffer_set_highlight_syntax (buffer, !disable_highlight);
       gtk_source_buffer_set_highlight_matching_brackets (buffer, view->match_braces);
     }
 }
@@ -1097,7 +1106,7 @@ mousepad_view_selection_draw (MousepadView *view,
               /* calculate line coordinates */
               gtk_text_view_buffer_to_window_coords(textview,GTK_TEXT_WINDOW_TEXT,
                                                     rect.x,rect.y, &line_x,&line_y);
-                                                    
+
               /* draw a line in front of the iter */
               gdk_draw_line (GDK_DRAWABLE (window),
                              gtk_widget_get_style(GTK_WIDGET (view))->base_gc[GTK_STATE_SELECTED],