diff --git a/syntax/json.vim b/syntax/json.vim
index 8d35609..07cddc2 100644
--- a/syntax/json.vim
+++ b/syntax/json.vim
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@
 " Maintainer:	Eli Parra <eli@elzr.com> https://github.com/elzr/vim-json
 " Last Change:	2014-12-20 Load ftplugin/json.vim
 
-" Reload the definition of g:vim_json_syntax_conceal
-" see https://github.com/elzr/vim-json/issues/42
-runtime! ftplugin/json.vim
-
 if !exists("main_syntax")
   if version < 600
     syntax clear
@@ -23,7 +19,7 @@ syntax match   jsonNoise           /\%(:\|,\)/
 " Syntax: Strings
 " Separated into a match and region because a region by itself is always greedy
 syn match  jsonStringMatch /"\([^"]\|\\\"\)\+"\ze[[:blank:]\r\n]*[,}\]]/ contains=jsonString
-if has('conceal') && g:vim_json_syntax_conceal == 1
+if has('conceal') && (!exists('g:vim_json_syntax_conceal') || g:vim_json_syntax_conceal == 1)
 	syn region  jsonString oneline matchgroup=jsonQuote start=/"/  skip=/\\\\\|\\"/  end=/"/ concealends contains=jsonEscape contained
 else
 	syn region  jsonString oneline matchgroup=jsonQuote start=/"/  skip=/\\\\\|\\"/  end=/"/ contains=jsonEscape contained
@@ -35,7 +31,7 @@ syn region  jsonStringSQError oneline  start=+'+  skip=+\\\\\|\\"+  end=+'+
 " Syntax: JSON Keywords
 " Separated into a match and region because a region by itself is always greedy
 syn match  jsonKeywordMatch /"\([^"]\|\\\"\)\+"[[:blank:]\r\n]*\:/ contains=jsonKeyword
-if has('conceal') && g:vim_json_syntax_conceal == 1
+if has('conceal') && (!exists('g:vim_json_syntax_conceal') || g:vim_json_syntax_conceal == 1)
    syn region  jsonKeyword matchgroup=jsonQuote start=/"/  end=/"\ze[[:blank:]\r\n]*\:/ concealends contains=jsonEscape contained
 else
    syn region  jsonKeyword matchgroup=jsonQuote start=/"/  end=/"\ze[[:blank:]\r\n]*\:/ contains=jsonEscape contained