diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions.vim
index 3d2d5ab1..ab9e1073 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions.vim
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ function! airline#extensions#load()
     call airline#extensions#paste#init()
   endif
 
-  if g:airline_detect_iminsert
+  if get(g:, 'airline#extensions#iminsert#enabled', 0) || get(g:, 'airline_detect_iminsert', 0)
     call airline#extensions#iminsert#init()
   endif
 
diff --git a/plugin/airline.vim b/plugin/airline.vim
index 2b5310c1..ca66691e 100644
--- a/plugin/airline.vim
+++ b/plugin/airline.vim
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ call s:check_defined('g:airline_left_sep', get(g:, 'airline_powerline_fonts', 0)
 call s:check_defined('g:airline_left_alt_sep', get(g:, 'airline_powerline_fonts', 0)?"":">")
 call s:check_defined('g:airline_right_sep', get(g:, 'airline_powerline_fonts', 0)?"":"<")
 call s:check_defined('g:airline_right_alt_sep', get(g:, 'airline_powerline_fonts', 0)?"":"<")
-call s:check_defined('g:airline_detect_iminsert', 0)
 call s:check_defined('g:airline_detect_modified', 1)
 call s:check_defined('g:airline_detect_paste', 1)
 call s:check_defined('g:airline_linecolumn_prefix', get(g:, 'airline_powerline_fonts', 0)?' ':':')