diff --git a/doc/airline.txt b/doc/airline.txt
index 66aa6d4e..7449c39c 100644
--- a/doc/airline.txt
+++ b/doc/airline.txt
@@ -14,16 +14,17 @@ CONTENTS                                                  *airline-contents*
    03. Name ................................................. |airline-name|
    04. Configuration ............................... |airline-configuration|
    05. Commands ......................................... |airline-commands|
-   06. Customization ............................... |airline-customization|
-   07. Extensions ..................................... |airline-extensions|
-   08. Advanced Customization ............. |airline-advanced-customization|
-   09. Funcrefs ......................................... |airline-funcrefs|
-   10. Pipeline ......................................... |airline-pipeline|
-   11. Writing Extensions ..................... |airline-writing-extensions|
-   12. Writing Themes ..................................... |airline-themes|
-   13. Troubleshooting ........................... |airline-troubleshooting|
-   14. Contributions ............................... |airline-contributions|
-   15. License ........................................... |airline-license|
+   06. Autocommands ................................. |airline-autocommands|
+   07. Customization ............................... |airline-customization|
+   08. Extensions ..................................... |airline-extensions|
+   09. Advanced Customization ............. |airline-advanced-customization|
+   10. Funcrefs ......................................... |airline-funcrefs|
+   11. Pipeline ......................................... |airline-pipeline|
+   12. Writing Extensions ..................... |airline-writing-extensions|
+   13. Writing Themes ..................................... |airline-themes|
+   14. Troubleshooting ........................... |airline-troubleshooting|
+   15. Contributions ............................... |airline-contributions|
+   16. License ........................................... |airline-license|
 
 ==============================================================================
 INTRODUCTION                                                 *airline-intro*
@@ -146,6 +147,17 @@ COMMANDS                                                  *airline-commands*
 :AirlineRefresh                                            *:AirlineRefresh*
   Refreshes all highlight groups and redraws the statusline.
 
+==============================================================================
+AUTOCOMMANDS                                          *airline-autocommands*
+
+Airline comes with some user-defined autocommands.
+
+|AirlineAfterInit|     after plugin is initialized, but before the statusline
+                    is replaced
+|AirlineToggledOn|    after airline is activated and replaced the statusline
+|AirlineToggledOff|   after airline is deactivated and the statusline is
+                    restored to the original
+
 ==============================================================================
 CUSTOMIZATION                                        *airline-customization*
 
@@ -616,7 +628,7 @@ define a section like this: >
     let g:airline_section_b = airline#section#create_left(['ffenc','file'])
     let g:airline_section_c = airline#section#create(['%{getcwd()}'])
   endfunction
-  autocmd VimEnter * call AirlineInit()
+  autocmd User AirlineAfterInit call AirlineInit()
 <
 This will create a section with the `mode`, followed by a space, and our `foo`
 part in section `a`. Section `b` will have two parts with a left-side
diff --git a/plugin/airline.vim b/plugin/airline.vim
index 3b1a7430..98400529 100644
--- a/plugin/airline.vim
+++ b/plugin/airline.vim
@@ -6,36 +6,30 @@ if &cp || v:version < 702 || (exists('g:loaded_airline') && g:loaded_airline)
 endif
 let g:loaded_airline = 1
 
-autocmd VimEnter * call airline#deprecation#check()
-
-let s:airline_initialized = 0
 let s:airline_theme_defined = 0
 function! s:init()
-  if !s:airline_initialized
-    let s:airline_initialized = 1
+  call airline#init#bootstrap()
+  call airline#extensions#load()
+  call airline#init#sections()
 
-    call airline#init#bootstrap()
-    call airline#extensions#load()
-    call airline#init#sections()
-
-    let s:airline_theme_defined = exists('g:airline_theme')
-    if s:airline_theme_defined || !airline#switch_matching_theme()
-      let g:airline_theme = get(g:, 'airline_theme', 'dark')
-      call airline#switch_theme(g:airline_theme)
-    endif
+  let s:airline_theme_defined = exists('g:airline_theme')
+  if s:airline_theme_defined || !airline#switch_matching_theme()
+    let g:airline_theme = get(g:, 'airline_theme', 'dark')
+    call airline#switch_theme(g:airline_theme)
   endif
+
+  silent doautocmd User AirlineAfterInit
+  call s:airline_toggle()
 endfunction
 
 function! s:on_window_changed()
   if pumvisible()
     return
   endif
-  call <sid>init()
   call airline#update_statusline()
 endfunction
 
 function! s:on_colorscheme_changed()
-  call <sid>init()
   if !s:airline_theme_defined
     if airline#switch_matching_theme()
       return
@@ -81,11 +75,8 @@ function! s:airline_toggle()
             \ | call airline#load_theme()
     augroup END
 
+    call <sid>on_window_changed()
     silent doautocmd User AirlineToggledOn
-
-    if s:airline_initialized
-      call <sid>on_window_changed()
-    endif
   endif
 endfunction
 
@@ -93,6 +84,7 @@ function! s:get_airline_themes(a, l, p)
   let files = split(globpath(&rtp, 'autoload/airline/themes/'.a:a.'*'), "\n")
   return map(files, 'fnamemodify(v:val, ":t:r")')
 endfunction
+
 function! s:airline_theme(...)
   if a:0
     call airline#switch_theme(a:1)
@@ -100,10 +92,12 @@ function! s:airline_theme(...)
     echo g:airline_theme
   endif
 endfunction
+
 command! -nargs=? -complete=customlist,<sid>get_airline_themes AirlineTheme call <sid>airline_theme(<f-args>)
 command! AirlineToggleWhitespace call airline#extensions#whitespace#toggle()
 command! AirlineToggle call <sid>airline_toggle()
 command! AirlineRefresh call airline#load_theme() | call airline#update_statusline()
 
-call <sid>airline_toggle()
+autocmd VimEnter * call airline#deprecation#check()
+autocmd VimEnter * call s:init()