Before: Save &l:statusline let b:funky_command_created = 0 " We will test for the existence of this command, so create one if needed. if !exists(':CtrlPFunky') command CtrlPFunky echo let b:funky_command_created = 1 endif After: if b:funky_command_created delcommand CtrlPFunky let b:funky_command_created = 0 endif unlet! b:funky_command_created Restore Execute(ALE shouldn't do much of anything for ctrlp-funky buffers): Assert !ale#ShouldDoNothing(bufnr('')), 'The preliminary check failed' let &l:statusline = '%#CtrlPMode2# prt %*%#CtrlPMode1# line %* ={%#CtrlPMode1# funky %*}= <-> %=%<%#CtrlPMode2# %{getcwd()} %*' Assert ale#ShouldDoNothing(bufnr(''))