diff --git a/powerline/__init__.py b/powerline/__init__.py
index 93e0194b..c5dbc19f 100644
--- a/powerline/__init__.py
+++ b/powerline/__init__.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class Powerline(object):
 			'common_config': common_config,
 			'segment_info': self.get_segment_info(),
 			}
-		local_themes = self.get_local_themes(ext_config.get('local_themes', {}))
+		local_themes = self.get_local_themes(ext_config.get('local_themes'))
 
 		# Load and initialize extension renderer
 		renderer_module_name = renderer_module or ext
@@ -125,14 +125,15 @@ class Powerline(object):
 		required.
 
 		:param dict local_themes:
-			Usually accepts ``{matcher_name : theme_name}``.
+			Usually accepts ``{matcher_name : theme_name}``. May also receive 
+			None in case there is no local_themes configuration.
 
 		:return:
 			anything accepted by ``self.renderer.get_theme`` and processable by 
 			``self.renderer.add_local_theme``. Renderer module is determined by 
 			``__init__`` arguments, refer to its documentation.
 		'''
-		return {}
+		return None
 
 	@staticmethod
 	def get_segment_info():
diff --git a/powerline/renderer.py b/powerline/renderer.py
index dbaa04fc..e91be682 100644
--- a/powerline/renderer.py
+++ b/powerline/renderer.py
@@ -18,20 +18,8 @@ class Renderer(object):
 		self.theme_kwargs = theme_kwargs
 		self.colorscheme = colorscheme
 
-	def add_local_theme(self, matcher, theme):
-		if matcher in self.local_themes:
-			raise KeyError('There is already a local theme with given matcher')
-		self.local_themes[matcher] = theme
-
 	def get_theme(self, matcher_info):
-		for matcher in self.local_themes.keys():
-			if matcher(matcher_info):
-				match = self.local_themes[matcher]
-				if 'config' in match:
-					match['theme'] = Theme(theme_config=match.pop('config'), top_theme_config=self.theme_config, **self.theme_kwargs)
-				return match['theme']
-		else:
-			return self.theme
+		return self.theme
 
 	def get_highlighting(self, segment, mode):
 		segment['highlight'] = self.colorscheme.get_highlighting(segment['highlight_group'], mode, segment.get('gradient_level'))
diff --git a/powerline/renderers/vim.py b/powerline/renderers/vim.py
index 90047751..5099e4dc 100644
--- a/powerline/renderers/vim.py
+++ b/powerline/renderers/vim.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 from powerline.bindings.vim import vim_get_func
 from powerline.renderer import Renderer
 from powerline.colorscheme import ATTR_BOLD, ATTR_ITALIC, ATTR_UNDERLINE
+from powerline.theme import Theme
 
 import vim
 
@@ -24,6 +25,21 @@ class VimRenderer(Renderer):
 		super(VimRenderer, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 		self.hl_groups = {}
 
+	def add_local_theme(self, matcher, theme):
+		if matcher in self.local_themes:
+			raise KeyError('There is already a local theme with given matcher')
+		self.local_themes[matcher] = theme
+
+	def get_theme(self, matcher_info):
+		for matcher in self.local_themes.keys():
+			if matcher(matcher_info):
+				match = self.local_themes[matcher]
+				if 'config' in match:
+					match['theme'] = Theme(theme_config=match.pop('config'), top_theme_config=self.theme_config, **self.theme_kwargs)
+				return match['theme']
+		else:
+			return self.theme
+
 	def render(self, window_id, winidx, current):
 		'''Render all segments.
 
diff --git a/powerline/vim.py b/powerline/vim.py
index 6fda5575..b0610baf 100644
--- a/powerline/vim.py
+++ b/powerline/vim.py
@@ -65,12 +65,12 @@ class VimPowerline(Powerline):
 						'g:powerline_theme_overrides__' + name)
 
 	def get_local_themes(self, local_themes):
+		if not local_themes:
+			return {}
+
 		self.get_matcher = gen_matcher_getter(self.ext, self.import_paths)
-		r = {}
-		for key, local_theme_name in local_themes.items():
-			key = self.get_matcher(key)
-			r[key] = {'config': self.load_theme_config(local_theme_name)}
-		return r
+		return dict(((self.get_matcher(key), {'config': self.load_theme_config(val)})
+					for key, val in local_themes.items()))
 
 	def get_config_paths(self):
 		if vim_exists('g:powerline_config_path'):