diff --git a/autoload/go/fmt.vim b/autoload/go/fmt.vim
index 4d03daf2c0..411e1a283f 100644
--- a/autoload/go/fmt.vim
+++ b/autoload/go/fmt.vim
@@ -129,17 +129,19 @@ function! go#fmt#update_file(source, target)
 
   " the title information was introduced with 7.4-2200
   " https://github.com/vim/vim/commit/d823fa910cca43fec3c31c030ee908a14c272640
-  if !has('patch-7.4-2200')
-    return
-  endif
-
-  " clean up previous list
-  let l:listtype = go#list#Type("GoFmt")
-  if l:listtype == "quickfix"
-    let l:list_title = getqflist({'title': 1})
+  if has('patch-7.4-2200')
+    " clean up previous list
+    let l:listtype = go#list#Type("GoFmt")
+    if l:listtype == "quickfix"
+      let l:list_title = getqflist({'title': 1})
+    else
+      let l:list_title = getloclist(0, {'title': 1})
+    endif
   else
-    let l:list_title = getloclist(0, {'title': 1})
+    " can't check the title, so assume that the list was for go fmt.
+    let l:list_title = {'title': 'Format'}
   endif
+
   if has_key(l:list_title, "title") && l:list_title['title'] == "Format"
     call go#list#Clean(l:listtype)
     call go#list#Window(l:listtype)