diff --git a/doc/NERD_commenter.txt b/doc/NERD_commenter.txt
index ca04a54..5285604 100644
--- a/doc/NERD_commenter.txt
+++ b/doc/NERD_commenter.txt
@@ -751,11 +751,11 @@ again.
 
 If you want the NERD commenter to use the alternative delimiters for a
 specific filetype by default then put a line of this form into your vimrc: >
-    let NERD_<filetype>_alt_style=1
+    let g:NERD_<filetype>_alt_style=1
 <
 Example: java uses // style comments by default, but you want it to default to
 /* */ style comments instead. You would put this line in your vimrc: >
-    let NERD_java_alt_style=1
+    let g:NERD_java_alt_style=1
 <
 
 See |NERDComAltDelim| for switching commenting styles at runtime.
diff --git a/plugin/NERD_commenter.vim b/plugin/NERD_commenter.vim
index c303f64..c630655 100644
--- a/plugin/NERD_commenter.vim
+++ b/plugin/NERD_commenter.vim
@@ -514,6 +514,12 @@ function s:SetUpForNewFiletype(filetype, forceReset)
                 let b:NERDCommenterDelims[i] = 0
             endif
         endfor
+        " if g:NERD_<filetype>_alt_style is defined, use the alternate style
+        let b:NERDCommenterFirstInit = getbufvar(1,"NERDCommenterFirstInit",0)
+        if exists('g:NERD_'.ft.'_alt_style') && eval('g:NERD_'.ft.'_alt_style') && !b:NERDCommenterFirstInit
+            call s:SwitchToAlternativeDelimiters(0)
+            let b:NERDCommenterFirstInit = 1
+        endif
     else
         let b:NERDCommenterDelims = s:CreateDelimMapFromCms()
     endif