diff --git a/autoload/airline.vim b/autoload/airline.vim
index 7d091815..070e98e2 100644
--- a/autoload/airline.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline.vim
@@ -115,6 +115,14 @@ function! airline#update_statusline()
   call s:invoke_funcrefs(context, g:airline_statusline_funcrefs)
 endfunction
 
+function! airline#update_statusline_focuslost()
+  if get(g:, 'airline_focuslost_inactive', 0)
+    let bufnr=bufnr('%')
+    call airline#highlighter#highlight_modified_inactive(bufnr)
+    call airline#highlighter#highlight(['inactive'], bufnr)
+    call airline#update_statusline_inactive(range(1, winnr('$')))
+  endif
+endfunction
 function! airline#update_statusline_inactive(range)
   if airline#util#getwinvar(winnr(), 'airline_disabled', 0)
     return
diff --git a/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim b/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
index 6333e16e..2b898c3d 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
@@ -223,11 +223,6 @@ function! airline#highlighter#highlight(modes, ...)
   let mapped = map(a:modes, 'v:val == a:modes[0] ? v:val : a:modes[0]."_".v:val')
   let suffix = a:modes[0] == 'inactive' ? '_inactive' : ''
   for mode in mapped
-    if mode == 'inactive' && winnr('$') == 1
-      " there exist no inactive windows, don't need to create all those
-      " highlighting groups
-      continue
-    endif
     if exists('g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette[mode]')
       let dict = g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette[mode]
       for kvp in items(dict)
diff --git a/plugin/airline.vim b/plugin/airline.vim
index d9307b91..4c752c8f 100644
--- a/plugin/airline.vim
+++ b/plugin/airline.vim
@@ -106,9 +106,7 @@ function! s:airline_toggle()
         autocmd TerminalOpen * call <sid>on_colorscheme_changed()
       endif
       " Set all statuslines to inactive
-      autocmd FocusLost * if get(g:, 'airline_focuslost_inactive', 0)|
-            \ call airline#update_statusline_inactive(range(1, winnr('$')))|
-            \ endif
+      autocmd FocusLost * call airline#update_statusline_focuslost()
       " Refresh airline for :syntax off
       autocmd SourcePre */syntax/syntax.vim
             \ call airline#extensions#tabline#buffers#invalidate()