diff --git a/rc/core/asciidoc.kak b/rc/core/asciidoc.kak
index ffc7471c..6855e7fc 100644
--- a/rc/core/asciidoc.kak
+++ b/rc/core/asciidoc.kak
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ add-highlighter shared/asciidoc/ regex ^:[-\w]+: 0:meta
 
 # Initialization
 # ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
-#
-hook -group asciidoc-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=asciidoc %{ add-highlighter window/asciidoc ref asciidoc }
-hook -group asciidoc-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!asciidoc).* %{ remove-highlighter window/asciidoc }
+
+hook -group asciidoc-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=asciidoc %{
+    add-highlighter window/asciidoc ref asciidoc
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!asciidoc).* %{ remove-highlighter window/asciidoc }
+}
diff --git a/rc/core/c-family.kak b/rc/core/c-family.kak
index e485568e..c80dc230 100644
--- a/rc/core/c-family.kak
+++ b/rc/core/c-family.kak
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ hook global BufCreate .*\.(cc|cpp|cxx|C|hh|hpp|hxx|H)$ %{
 }
 
 hook global BufSetOption filetype=c\+\+ %{
-    set-option buffer filetype cpp
+    hook -once buffer NormalIdle '' "set-option buffer filetype cpp"
 }
 
 hook global BufCreate .*\.c$ %{
@@ -318,34 +318,37 @@ evaluate-commands %sh{
 }
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=(c|cpp|objc) %[
-    try %{ # we might be switching from one c-family language to another
-        remove-hooks window c-family-.+
-    }
-
-    hook -group c-family-indent window ModeChange insert:.* c-family-trim-autoindent
-    hook -group c-family-insert window InsertChar \n c-family-insert-on-newline
-    hook -group c-family-indent window InsertChar \n c-family-indent-on-newline
-    hook -group c-family-indent window InsertChar \{ c-family-indent-on-opening-curly-brace
-    hook -group c-family-indent window InsertChar \} c-family-indent-on-closing-curly-brace
-    hook -group c-family-insert window InsertChar \} c-family-insert-on-closing-curly-brace
+    hook -group "%val{hook_param_capture_1}-family-indent" window ModeChange insert:.* c-family-trim-autoindent
+    hook -group "%val{hook_param_capture_1}-family-insert" window InsertChar \n c-family-insert-on-newline
+    hook -group "%val{hook_param_capture_1}-family-indent" window InsertChar \n c-family-indent-on-newline
+    hook -group "%val{hook_param_capture_1}-family-indent" window InsertChar \{ c-family-indent-on-opening-curly-brace
+    hook -group "%val{hook_param_capture_1}-family-indent" window InsertChar \} c-family-indent-on-closing-curly-brace
+    hook -group "%val{hook_param_capture_1}-family-insert" window InsertChar \} c-family-insert-on-closing-curly-brace
 
     alias window alt c-family-alternative-file
+
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption "filetype=(?!%val{hook_param_capture_1}).*" "
+        remove-hooks window c-family-.+
+    "
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!c)(?!cpp)(?!objc).* %{
+        unalias window alt c-family-alternative-file
+    }
 ]
 
-hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!c)(?!cpp)(?!objc).* %[
-    remove-hooks window c-family-.+
+hook -group c-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=c %{
+    add-highlighter window/c ref c
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!c).* %{ remove-highlighter window/c }
+}
 
-    unalias window alt c-family-alternative-file
-]
+hook -group cpp-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=cpp %{
+    add-highlighter window/cpp ref cpp
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!cpp).* %{ remove-highlighter window/cpp }
+}
 
-hook -group c-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=c %[ add-highlighter window/c ref c ]
-hook -group c-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!c).* %[ remove-highlighter window/c ]
-
-hook -group cpp-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=cpp %[ add-highlighter window/cpp ref cpp ]
-hook -group cpp-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!cpp).* %[ remove-highlighter window/cpp ]
-
-hook -group objc-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=objc %[ add-highlighter window/objc ref objc ]
-hook -group objc-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!objc).* %[ remove-highlighter window/objc ]
+hook -group objc-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=objc %{
+    add-highlighter window/objc ref objc
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!objc).* %{ remove-highlighter window/objc }
+}
 
 declare-option -docstring %{control the type of include guard to be inserted in empty headers
 Can be one of the following:
diff --git a/rc/core/diff.kak b/rc/core/diff.kak
index e8b7c25a..51612c74 100644
--- a/rc/core/diff.kak
+++ b/rc/core/diff.kak
@@ -7,5 +7,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/diff/ regex "^\+[^\n]*\n" 0:green,default
 add-highlighter shared/diff/ regex "^-[^\n]*\n" 0:red,default
 add-highlighter shared/diff/ regex "^@@[^\n]*@@" 0:cyan,default
 
-hook -group diff-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=diff %{ add-highlighter window/diff ref diff }
-hook -group diff-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!diff).* %{ remove-highlighter window/diff }
+hook -group diff-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=diff %{
+    add-highlighter window/diff ref diff
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!diff).* %{ remove-highlighter window/diff }
+}
diff --git a/rc/core/grep.kak b/rc/core/grep.kak
index b36ca618..6e0dcb56 100644
--- a/rc/core/grep.kak
+++ b/rc/core/grep.kak
@@ -28,16 +28,12 @@ hook -group grep-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=grep %{
     add-highlighter window/grep group
     add-highlighter window/grep/ regex "^((?:\w:)?[^:\n]+):(\d+):(\d+)?" 1:cyan 2:green 3:green
     add-highlighter window/grep/ line %{%opt{grep_current_line}} default+b
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!grep).* %{ remove-highlighter window/grep }
 }
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=grep %{
     hook buffer -group grep-hooks NormalKey <ret> grep-jump
-}
-
-hook -group grep-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!grep).* %{ remove-highlighter window/grep }
-
-hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!grep).* %{
-    remove-hooks buffer grep-hooks
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!grep).* %{ remove-hooks buffer grep-hooks }
 }
 
 declare-option -docstring "name of the client in which all source code jumps will be executed" \
diff --git a/rc/core/kakrc.kak b/rc/core/kakrc.kak
index 5115a9e9..caab485a 100644
--- a/rc/core/kakrc.kak
+++ b/rc/core/kakrc.kak
@@ -92,7 +92,10 @@ define-command -hidden kak-indent-on-closing-char %{
 # Initialization
 # ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
 
-hook -group kak-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=kak %{ add-highlighter window/kakrc ref kakrc }
+hook -group kak-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=kak %{
+    add-highlighter window/kakrc ref kakrc
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!kak).* %{ remove-highlighter window/kakrc }
+}
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=kak %~
     hook window InsertChar \n -group kak-indent kak-indent-on-new-line
@@ -101,7 +104,6 @@ hook global WinSetOption filetype=kak %~
     # cleanup trailing whitespaces on current line insert end
     hook window ModeChange insert:.* -group kak-indent %{ try %{ execute-keys -draft \; <a-x> s ^\h+$ <ret> d } }
     set-option buffer extra_word_chars '_' '-'
-~
 
-hook -group kak-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!kak).* %{ remove-highlighter window/kakrc }
-hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!kak).* %{ remove-hooks window kak-indent }
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!kak).* %{ remove-hooks window kak-.+ }
+~
diff --git a/rc/core/make.kak b/rc/core/make.kak
index d47083bb..f9ed68cc 100644
--- a/rc/core/make.kak
+++ b/rc/core/make.kak
@@ -28,16 +28,14 @@ add-highlighter shared/make/ regex "^((?:\w:)?[^:\n]+):(\d+):(?:(\d+):)?\h+(?:((
 add-highlighter shared/make/ regex "^\h*(~*(?:(\^)~*)?)$" 1:green 2:cyan+b
 add-highlighter shared/make/ line '%opt{make_current_error_line}' default+b
 
-hook -group make-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=make %{ add-highlighter window/make ref make }
+hook -group make-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=make %{
+    add-highlighter window/make ref make
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!make).* %{ remove-highlighter window/make }
+}
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=make %{
     hook buffer -group make-hooks NormalKey <ret> make-jump
-}
-
-hook -group make-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!make).* %{ remove-highlighter window/make }
-
-hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!make).* %{
-    remove-hooks buffer make-hooks
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!make).* %{ remove-hooks buffer make-hooks }
 }
 
 declare-option -docstring "name of the client in which all source code jumps will be executed" \
diff --git a/rc/core/makefile.kak b/rc/core/makefile.kak
index 564231ff..ff1fa26c 100644
--- a/rc/core/makefile.kak
+++ b/rc/core/makefile.kak
@@ -49,14 +49,12 @@ define-command -hidden makefile-indent-on-new-line %{
 # Initialization
 # ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
 
-hook -group makefile-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=makefile %{ add-highlighter window/makefile ref makefile }
+hook -group makefile-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=makefile %{
+    add-highlighter window/makefile ref makefile
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!makefile).* %{ remove-highlighter window/makefile }
+}
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=makefile %{
     hook window InsertChar \n -group makefile-indent makefile-indent-on-new-line
-}
-
-hook -group makefile-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!makefile).* %{ remove-highlighter window/makefile }
-
-hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!makefile).* %{
-    remove-hooks window makefile-indent
+	hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!makefile).* %{ remove-hooks window makefile-.+ }
 }
diff --git a/rc/core/man.kak b/rc/core/man.kak
index 660f184c..8ce66b95 100644
--- a/rc/core/man.kak
+++ b/rc/core/man.kak
@@ -13,18 +13,13 @@ hook -group man-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=man %{
     add-highlighter window/man-highlight/ regex '^ {7}-[^\s,]+(,\s+-[^\s,]+)*' 0:yellow
     # References to other manpages
     add-highlighter window/man-highlight/ regex [-a-zA-Z0-9_.]+\([a-z0-9]+\) 0:green
+
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!man).* %{ remove-highlighter window/man-highlight }
 }
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=man %{
-    hook -group man-hooks window WinResize .* %{
-        man-impl %val{bufname} %opt{manpage}
-    }
-}
-
-hook -group man-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!man).* %{ remove-highlighter window/man-highlight }
-
-hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!man).* %{
-    remove-hooks window man-hooks
+    hook -group man-hooks window WinResize .* %{ man-impl %val{bufname} %opt{manpage} }
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!man).* %{ remove-hooks window man-hooks }
 }
 
 define-command -hidden -params 2..3 man-impl %{ evaluate-commands %sh{
diff --git a/rc/core/python.kak b/rc/core/python.kak
index a91f0364..8563423d 100644
--- a/rc/core/python.kak
+++ b/rc/core/python.kak
@@ -135,16 +135,14 @@ define-command -hidden python-indent-on-new-line %{
 # Initialization
 # ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
 
-hook -group python-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=python %{ add-highlighter window/python ref python }
+hook -group python-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=python %{
+    add-highlighter window/python ref python
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!python).* %{ remove-highlighter window/python }
+}
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=python %{
     hook window InsertChar \n -group python-indent python-indent-on-new-line
     # cleanup trailing whitespaces on current line insert end
     hook window ModeChange insert:.* -group python-indent %{ try %{ execute-keys -draft \; <a-x> s ^\h+$ <ret> d } }
-}
-
-hook -group python-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!python).* %{ remove-highlighter window/python }
-
-hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!python).* %{
-    remove-hooks window python-indent
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!python).* %{ remove-hooks window python-.+ }
 }
diff --git a/rc/core/sh.kak b/rc/core/sh.kak
index 0840c4f0..47085cf8 100644
--- a/rc/core/sh.kak
+++ b/rc/core/sh.kak
@@ -37,5 +37,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/sh/code/function regex ^\h*(\w+)\h*\(\) 1:function
 add-highlighter shared/sh/code/expansion regex \$(\w+|\{.+?\}|#|@|\?|\$|!|-|\*) 0:value
 add-highlighter shared/sh/double_string/expansion regex \$(\w+|\{.+?\}) 0:value
 
-hook -group sh-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=sh %{ add-highlighter window/sh ref sh }
-hook -group sh-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=(?!sh).* %{ remove-highlighter window/sh }
+hook -group sh-highlight global WinSetOption filetype=sh %{
+    add-highlighter window/sh ref sh
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=(?!sh).* %{ remove-highlighter window/sh }
+}