diff --git a/ale_linters/vim/vint.vim b/ale_linters/vim/vint.vim
index 2f506c20..18ae2e4c 100644
--- a/ale_linters/vim/vint.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/vim/vint.vim
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@ let g:ale_vim_vint_show_style_issues =
 \   get(g:, 'ale_vim_vint_show_style_issues', 1)
 let s:enable_neovim = has('nvim') ? ' --enable-neovim ' : ''
 let s:format = '-f "{file_path}:{line_number}:{column_number}: {severity}: {description} (see {reference})"'
+let s:vint_version = []
 
 function! ale_linters#vim#vint#VersionCommand(buffer) abort
-    if !exists('s:vint_version')
+    if empty(s:vint_version)
         " Check the Vint version if we haven't checked it already.
         return 'vint --version'
     endif
@@ -17,13 +18,13 @@ function! ale_linters#vim#vint#VersionCommand(buffer) abort
 endfunction
 
 function! ale_linters#vim#vint#GetCommand(buffer, version_output) abort
-    if !empty(a:version_output)
+    if empty(s:vint_version) && !empty(a:version_output)
         " Parse the version out of the --version output.
         let s:vint_version = ale#semver#Parse(join(a:version_output, "\n"))
     endif
 
-    let l:can_use_no_color_flag = exists('s:vint_version')
-    \   && ale#semver#GreaterOrEqual(s:vint_version, [0, 3, 7])
+    let l:can_use_no_color_flag = empty(s:vint_version)
+    \   || ale#semver#GreaterOrEqual(s:vint_version, [0, 3, 7])
 
     let l:warning_flag = ale#Var(a:buffer, 'vim_vint_show_style_issues') ? '-s' : '-w'