diff --git a/examples/codeeditor.cpp b/examples/codeeditor.cpp
--- a/examples/codeeditor.cpp
+++ b/examples/codeeditor.cpp
@@ -129,11 +129,7 @@
     auto hlActionGroup = new QActionGroup(menu);
     hlActionGroup->setExclusive(true);
     auto hlGroupMenu = menu->addMenu(QStringLiteral("Syntax"));
-    auto noHlAction = hlGroupMenu->addAction(QStringLiteral("None"));
-    noHlAction->setCheckable(true);
-    hlActionGroup->addAction(noHlAction);
-    noHlAction->setChecked(!m_highlighter->definition().isValid());
-    QMenu *hlSubMenu = nullptr;
+    QMenu *hlSubMenu = hlGroupMenu;
     QString currentGroup;
     foreach (const auto &def, m_repository.definitions()) {
         if (def.isHidden())
diff --git a/src/lib/definition_p.h b/src/lib/definition_p.h
--- a/src/lib/definition_p.h
+++ b/src/lib/definition_p.h
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
     QStringList foldingIgnoreList;
 
     QString fileName;
-    QString name;
+    QString name = QStringLiteral(QT_TRANSLATE_NOOP("Syntax highlighting", "None"));
     QString section;
     QString style;
     QString indenter;
diff --git a/src/lib/repository.cpp b/src/lib/repository.cpp
--- a/src/lib/repository.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/repository.cpp
@@ -122,6 +122,9 @@
 
 void RepositoryPrivate::load(Repository *repo)
 {
+    // always add invalid default "None" highlighting
+    addDefinition(Definition());
+
     auto dirs = QStandardPaths::locateAll(QStandardPaths::GenericDataLocation, QStringLiteral("org.kde.syntax-highlighting/syntax"), QStandardPaths::LocateDirectory);
     foreach (const auto &dir, dirs)
         loadSyntaxFolder(repo, dir);