diff --git a/autoload/gitgutter.vim b/autoload/gitgutter.vim
index 79ce660..6e8ca57 100644
--- a/autoload/gitgutter.vim
+++ b/autoload/gitgutter.vim
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ endfunction
 function! gitgutter#handle_diff(diff) abort
   call gitgutter#debug#log(a:diff)
 
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(gitgutter#utility#bufnr(), 'gitgutter_tracked', 1)
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(gitgutter#utility#bufnr(), 'tracked', 1)
 
   call gitgutter#hunk#set_hunks(gitgutter#diff#parse_diff(a:diff))
   let modified_lines = gitgutter#diff#process_hunks(gitgutter#hunk#hunks())
diff --git a/autoload/gitgutter/diff.vim b/autoload/gitgutter/diff.vim
index 3f0a7dd..c321aa9 100644
--- a/autoload/gitgutter/diff.vim
+++ b/autoload/gitgutter/diff.vim
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ function! gitgutter#diff#run_diff(realtime, preserve_full_diff) abort
   let cmd = '('
 
   let bufnr = gitgutter#utility#bufnr()
-  let tracked = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_tracked', 0)  " i.e. tracked by git
+  let tracked = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'tracked', 0)  " i.e. tracked by git
   if !tracked
     " Don't bother trying to realtime-diff an untracked file.
     " NOTE: perhaps we should pull this guard up to the caller?
diff --git a/autoload/gitgutter/hunk.vim b/autoload/gitgutter/hunk.vim
index 63d81bc..fefd91c 100644
--- a/autoload/gitgutter/hunk.vim
+++ b/autoload/gitgutter/hunk.vim
@@ -1,45 +1,45 @@
 function! gitgutter#hunk#set_hunks(hunks) abort
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(gitgutter#utility#bufnr(), 'gitgutter_hunks', a:hunks)
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(gitgutter#utility#bufnr(), 'hunks', a:hunks)
   call s:reset_summary()
 endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#hunk#hunks() abort
-  return gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(gitgutter#utility#bufnr(), 'gitgutter_hunks', [])
+  return gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(gitgutter#utility#bufnr(), 'hunks', [])
 endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#hunk#reset() abort
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(gitgutter#utility#bufnr(), 'gitgutter_hunks', [])
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(gitgutter#utility#bufnr(), 'hunks', [])
   call s:reset_summary()
 endfunction
 
 
 function! gitgutter#hunk#summary(bufnr) abort
-  return gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(a:bufnr, 'gitgutter_summary', [0,0,0])
+  return gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(a:bufnr, 'summary', [0,0,0])
 endfunction
 
 function! s:reset_summary() abort
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(gitgutter#utility#bufnr(), 'gitgutter_summary', [0,0,0])
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(gitgutter#utility#bufnr(), 'summary', [0,0,0])
 endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#hunk#increment_lines_added(count) abort
   let bufnr = gitgutter#utility#bufnr()
   let summary = gitgutter#hunk#summary(bufnr)
   let summary[0] += a:count
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_summary', summary)
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'summary', summary)
 endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#hunk#increment_lines_modified(count) abort
   let bufnr = gitgutter#utility#bufnr()
   let summary = gitgutter#hunk#summary(bufnr)
   let summary[1] += a:count
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_summary', summary)
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'summary', summary)
 endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#hunk#increment_lines_removed(count) abort
   let bufnr = gitgutter#utility#bufnr()
   let summary = gitgutter#hunk#summary(bufnr)
   let summary[2] += a:count
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_summary', summary)
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'summary', summary)
 endfunction
 
 
diff --git a/autoload/gitgutter/sign.vim b/autoload/gitgutter/sign.vim
index c92c2ba..cab3d65 100644
--- a/autoload/gitgutter/sign.vim
+++ b/autoload/gitgutter/sign.vim
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ function! gitgutter#sign#clear_signs() abort
   let bufnr = gitgutter#utility#bufnr()
   call gitgutter#sign#find_current_signs()
 
-  let sign_ids = map(values(gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_gitgutter_signs')), 'v:val.id')
+  let sign_ids = map(values(gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_signs')), 'v:val.id')
   call gitgutter#sign#remove_signs(sign_ids, 1)
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_gitgutter_signs', {})
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_signs', {})
 endfunction
 
 
@@ -47,17 +47,17 @@ endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#sign#add_dummy_sign() abort
   let bufnr = gitgutter#utility#bufnr()
-  if !gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_dummy_sign')
+  if !gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'dummy_sign')
     execute "sign place" s:dummy_sign_id "line=" . 9999 "name=GitGutterDummy buffer=" . bufnr
-    call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_dummy_sign', 1)
+    call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'dummy_sign', 1)
   endif
 endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#sign#remove_dummy_sign(force) abort
   let bufnr = gitgutter#utility#bufnr()
-  if gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_dummy_sign') && (a:force || !g:gitgutter_sign_column_always)
+  if gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'dummy_sign') && (a:force || !g:gitgutter_sign_column_always)
     execute "sign unplace" s:dummy_sign_id "buffer=" . bufnr
-    call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_dummy_sign', 0)
+    call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'dummy_sign', 0)
   endif
 endfunction
 
@@ -101,9 +101,9 @@ function! gitgutter#sign#find_current_signs() abort
     end
   endfor
 
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_dummy_sign', dummy_sign_placed)
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_gitgutter_signs', gitgutter_signs)
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_other_signs', other_signs)
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'dummy_sign', dummy_sign_placed)
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_signs', gitgutter_signs)
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(bufnr, 'other_signs', other_signs)
 endfunction
 
 
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ function! gitgutter#sign#obsolete_gitgutter_signs_to_remove(new_gitgutter_signs_
   let bufnr = gitgutter#utility#bufnr()
   let signs_to_remove = []  " list of [<id (number)>, ...]
   let remove_all_signs = 1
-  let old_gitgutter_signs = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_gitgutter_signs')
+  let old_gitgutter_signs = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_signs')
   for line_number in keys(old_gitgutter_signs)
     if index(a:new_gitgutter_signs_line_numbers, str2nr(line_number)) == -1
       call add(signs_to_remove, old_gitgutter_signs[line_number].id)
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#sign#remove_signs(sign_ids, all_signs) abort
   let bufnr = gitgutter#utility#bufnr()
-  if a:all_signs && s:supports_star && empty(gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_other_signs'))
-    let dummy_sign_present = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_dummy_sign')
+  if a:all_signs && s:supports_star && empty(gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'other_signs'))
+    let dummy_sign_present = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'dummy_sign')
     execute "sign unplace * buffer=" . bufnr
     if dummy_sign_present
       execute "sign place" s:dummy_sign_id "line=" . 9999 "name=GitGutterDummy buffer=" . bufnr
@@ -144,8 +144,8 @@ endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#sign#upsert_new_gitgutter_signs(modified_lines) abort
   let bufnr = gitgutter#utility#bufnr()
-  let other_signs         = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_other_signs')
-  let old_gitgutter_signs = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_gitgutter_signs')
+  let other_signs         = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'other_signs')
+  let old_gitgutter_signs = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(bufnr, 'gitgutter_signs')
 
   for line in a:modified_lines
     let line_number = line[0]  " <number>
diff --git a/autoload/gitgutter/utility.vim b/autoload/gitgutter/utility.vim
index eaf9ee0..b32e701 100644
--- a/autoload/gitgutter/utility.vim
+++ b/autoload/gitgutter/utility.vim
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@ let s:using_xolox_shell = -1
 let s:exit_code = 0
 
 function! gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(buffer, varname, val)
-  call setbufvar(a:buffer, a:varname, a:val)
+  call setbufvar(a:buffer, 'gitgutter_'.a:varname, a:val)
 endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(buffer, varname, ...)
   if a:0
-    return get(getbufvar(a:buffer, ''), a:varname, a:1)
+    return get(getbufvar(a:buffer, ''), 'gitgutter_'.a:varname, a:1)
   else
-    return getbufvar(a:buffer, a:varname)
+    return getbufvar(a:buffer, 'gitgutter_'.a:varname)
   endif
 endfunction
 
@@ -104,11 +104,11 @@ function! gitgutter#utility#has_unsaved_changes() abort
 endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#utility#has_fresh_changes() abort
-  return getbufvar(s:bufnr, 'changedtick') != gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(s:bufnr, 'gitgutter_last_tick')
+  return getbufvar(s:bufnr, 'changedtick') != gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(s:bufnr, 'last_tick')
 endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#utility#save_last_seen_change() abort
-  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(s:bufnr, 'gitgutter_last_tick', getbufvar(s:bufnr, 'changedtick'))
+  call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(s:bufnr, 'last_tick', getbufvar(s:bufnr, 'changedtick'))
 endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#utility#shell_error() abort
@@ -148,12 +148,12 @@ function! gitgutter#utility#system(cmd, ...) abort
 endfunction
 
 function! gitgutter#utility#file_relative_to_repo_root() abort
-  let file_path_relative_to_repo_root = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(s:bufnr, 'gitgutter_repo_relative_path')
+  let file_path_relative_to_repo_root = gitgutter#utility#getbufvar(s:bufnr, 'repo_relative_path')
   if empty(file_path_relative_to_repo_root)
     let dir_path_relative_to_repo_root = gitgutter#utility#system(gitgutter#utility#command_in_directory_of_file(g:gitgutter_git_executable.' rev-parse --show-prefix'))
     let dir_path_relative_to_repo_root = gitgutter#utility#strip_trailing_new_line(dir_path_relative_to_repo_root)
     let file_path_relative_to_repo_root = dir_path_relative_to_repo_root . gitgutter#utility#filename()
-    call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(s:bufnr, 'gitgutter_repo_relative_path', file_path_relative_to_repo_root)
+    call gitgutter#utility#setbufvar(s:bufnr, 'repo_relative_path', file_path_relative_to_repo_root)
   endif
   return file_path_relative_to_repo_root
 endfunction