diff --git a/src/color.c b/src/color.c
index 53f04481..fa9cc99b 100644
--- a/src/color.c
+++ b/src/color.c
@@ -231,12 +231,6 @@ void find_and_prime_applicable_syntax(void)
 	openfile->syntax = sntx;
 }
 
-/* Allocate and initialize (for the given line) the cache for multiline info. */
-void set_up_multicache(linestruct *line)
-{
-	line->multidata = nmalloc(openfile->syntax->nmultis * sizeof(short));
-}
-
 /* Determine whether the matches of multiline regexes are still the same,
  * and if not, schedule a screen refresh, so things will be repainted. */
 void check_the_multis(linestruct *line)
@@ -308,7 +302,7 @@ void precalc_multicolorinfo(void)
 
 	/* For each line, allocate cache space for the multiline-regex info. */
 	for (line = openfile->filetop; line != NULL; line = line->next)
-		set_up_multicache(line);
+		line->multidata = nmalloc(openfile->syntax->nmultis * sizeof(short));
 
 	for (ink = openfile->syntax->color; ink != NULL; ink = ink->next) {
 		/* If this is not a multi-line regex, skip it. */
diff --git a/src/prototypes.h b/src/prototypes.h
index 86d46840..18a2fca5 100644
--- a/src/prototypes.h
+++ b/src/prototypes.h
@@ -239,7 +239,6 @@ bool is_valid_unicode(wchar_t wc);
 void set_interface_colorpairs(void);
 void prepare_palette(void);
 void find_and_prime_applicable_syntax(void);
-void set_up_multicache(linestruct *line);
 void check_the_multis(linestruct *line);
 void precalc_multicolorinfo(void);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/winio.c b/src/winio.c
index 1aaee53e..0b0db015 100644
--- a/src/winio.c
+++ b/src/winio.c
@@ -2482,9 +2482,9 @@ void draw_row(int row, const char *converted, linestruct *line, size_t from_col)
 	if (openfile->syntax && !ISSET(NO_SYNTAX)) {
 		const colortype *varnish = openfile->syntax->color;
 
-		/* If there are multiline regexes, make sure there is a cache. */
+		/* If there are multiline regexes, make sure this line has a cache. */
 		if (openfile->syntax->nmultis > 0 && line->multidata == NULL)
-			set_up_multicache(line);
+			line->multidata = nmalloc(openfile->syntax->nmultis * sizeof(short));
 
 		/* Iterate through all the coloring regexes. */
 		for (; varnish != NULL; varnish = varnish->next) {