diff --git a/ide/che-core-orion-editor/src/main/java/org/eclipse/che/ide/editor/orion/client/OrionContentTypeRegistrant.java b/ide/che-core-orion-editor/src/main/java/org/eclipse/che/ide/editor/orion/client/OrionContentTypeRegistrant.java
index 6d293044219..4af427b81b8 100644
--- a/ide/che-core-orion-editor/src/main/java/org/eclipse/che/ide/editor/orion/client/OrionContentTypeRegistrant.java
+++ b/ide/che-core-orion-editor/src/main/java/org/eclipse/che/ide/editor/orion/client/OrionContentTypeRegistrant.java
@@ -66,8 +66,10 @@ public void apply(Void arg) throws OperationException {
                     "orion.core.contenttype",
                     JavaScriptObject.createObject(),
                     contentType.toServiceObject());
-                serviceRegistry.doRegisterService(
-                    "orion.edit.highlighter", JavaScriptObject.createObject(), config);
+                if (config.getPatterns() != null || config.getPatterns().length() != 0) {
+                  serviceRegistry.doRegisterService(
+                      "orion.edit.highlighter", JavaScriptObject.createObject(), config);
+                }
               }
             });
   }
diff --git a/ide/che-core-orion-editor/src/main/java/org/eclipse/che/ide/editor/orion/client/jso/OrionHighlightingConfigurationOverlay.java b/ide/che-core-orion-editor/src/main/java/org/eclipse/che/ide/editor/orion/client/jso/OrionHighlightingConfigurationOverlay.java
index 2e546edb9e0..2051d8e14fe 100644
--- a/ide/che-core-orion-editor/src/main/java/org/eclipse/che/ide/editor/orion/client/jso/OrionHighlightingConfigurationOverlay.java
+++ b/ide/che-core-orion-editor/src/main/java/org/eclipse/che/ide/editor/orion/client/jso/OrionHighlightingConfigurationOverlay.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 package org.eclipse.che.ide.editor.orion.client.jso;
 
 import com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject;
+import com.google.gwt.core.client.JsArray;
 import com.google.gwt.core.client.JsArrayString;
 
 /**
@@ -53,5 +54,9 @@ protected final native void setContentTypes(JsArrayString theContentTypes) /*-{
    */
   public final native void setPatterns(String patternsAsJsonArray) /*-{
         this.patterns = eval(patternsAsJsonArray);
-    }-*/;
+  }-*/;
+
+  public final native JsArray<JavaScriptObject> getPatterns() /*-{
+      return this.patterns;
+  }-*/;
 }