diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions.vim
index 5c202ccf..00e10776 100755
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions.vim
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ function! airline#extensions#load()
   endif
 
   if (get(g:, 'airline#extensions#branch#enabled', 1) && get(g:, 'airline_enable_branch', 1))
-        \ && (get(g:, 'loaded_fugitive', 0) || get(g:, 'loaded_lawrencium', 0))
+        \ && (exists('*fugitive#head') || exists('*lawrencium#statusline'))
     call airline#extensions#branch#init(s:ext)
   endif