diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/syntax/base.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/syntax/base.py
index 1911c145b0..3e59729762 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/syntax/base.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/syntax/base.py
@@ -10,8 +10,30 @@ from PyQt4.Qt import (QSyntaxHighlighter, QApplication, QCursor, Qt)
 
 from ..themes import highlight_to_char_format
 
+class SimpleState(object):
+
+    def __init__(self, value):
+        self.parse = value
+
+    @property
+    def value(self):
+        return self.parse
+
+def run_loop(state, state_map, set_format, formats, text):
+    i = 0
+    while i < len(text):
+        fmt = state_map[state.parse](state, text, i, formats)
+        for num, f in fmt:
+            if f is not None:
+                set_format(i, num, f)
+            i += num
+
 class SyntaxHighlighter(QSyntaxHighlighter):
 
+    state_class = SimpleState
+    state_map = {0:lambda state, text, i, formats:[(len(text), None)]}
+    formats = {}
+
     def rehighlight(self):
         self.outlineexplorer_data = {}
         QApplication.setOverrideCursor(QCursor(Qt.WaitCursor))
@@ -31,22 +53,10 @@ class SyntaxHighlighter(QSyntaxHighlighter):
             state = self.previousBlockState()
             if state == -1:
                 state = 0
-            self.do_highlight(state, unicode(text))
+            state = self.state_class(state)
+            run_loop(state, self.state_map, self.setFormat, self.formats, unicode(text))
+            self.setCurrentBlockState(state.value)
         except:
             import traceback
             traceback.print_exc()
 
-    def do_highlight(self, state, text):
-        state = self.state_class(state)
-
-        i = 0
-        while i < len(text):
-            fmt = self.state_map[state.parse](state, text, i, self.formats)
-            for num, f in fmt:
-                if f is not None:
-                    self.setFormat(i, num, f)
-                i += num
-
-        self.setCurrentBlockState(state.value)
-
-