diff --git a/autoload/airline.vim b/autoload/airline.vim
index d7b2b13a..5f2b540a 100644
--- a/autoload/airline.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline.vim
@@ -122,18 +122,24 @@ function! airline#check_mode(winnr)
   if g:airline_detect_modified
     if &modified
       call add(l:mode, 'modified')
-      let colors = g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette.inactive_modified.airline_c
+      let colors = exists('g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette.inactive_modified.airline_c')
+            \ ? g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette.inactive_modified.airline_c
+            \ : []
     else
-      let colors = g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette.inactive.airline_c
+      let colors = exists('g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette.inactive.airline_c')
+            \ ? g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette.inactive.airline_c
+            \ : []
     endif
 
-    for winnr in range(1, winnr('$'))
-      if winnr != a:winnr
-            \ && has_key(s:contexts, winnr)
-            \ && s:contexts[winnr].bufnr == context.bufnr
-        call airline#highlighter#exec('airline_c'.(context.bufnr).'_inactive', colors)
-      endif
-    endfor
+    if !empty(colors)
+      for winnr in range(1, winnr('$'))
+        if winnr != a:winnr
+              \ && has_key(s:contexts, winnr)
+              \ && s:contexts[winnr].bufnr == context.bufnr
+          call airline#highlighter#exec('airline_c'.(context.bufnr).'_inactive', colors)
+        endif
+      endfor
+    endif
   endif
 
   if g:airline_detect_paste && &paste