diff --git a/autoload/startify.vim b/autoload/startify.vim
index 024a5bf..4c9d009 100644
--- a/autoload/startify.vim
+++ b/autoload/startify.vim
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ function! startify#insane_in_the_membrane(on_vimenter) abort
     setlocal statusline=\ startify
   endif
 
+  let s:padding_left = startify#get_padding()
+  let s:fixed_column = len(s:padding_left) + 2
+
   " Must be global so that it can be read by syntax/startify.vim.
   let g:startify_header = exists('g:startify_custom_header')
         \ ? s:set_custom_section(g:startify_custom_header)
@@ -429,6 +432,13 @@ function! startify#open_buffers(...) abort
   endif
 endfunction
 
+" Function: #get_padding {{{1
+function! startify#get_padding() abort
+  return repeat(' ', exists('g:startify_center')
+        \ ? winwidth('%')/2 - g:startify_center/2
+        \ : get(g:, 'startify_padding_left', 3))
+endfunction
+
 " Function: #pad {{{1
 function! startify#pad(lines) abort
   return map(copy(a:lines), 's:padding_left . v:val')
diff --git a/syntax/startify.vim b/syntax/startify.vim
index aa0e118..381f666 100644
--- a/syntax/startify.vim
+++ b/syntax/startify.vim
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@ if exists("b:current_syntax")
 endif
 
 let s:sep = startify#get_separator()
-let s:padding_left = repeat(' ', get(g:, 'startify_padding_left', 3))
+let s:pad = startify#get_padding()
 
 syntax sync fromstart
 
-execute 'syntax match StartifyBracket /.*\%'. (len(s:padding_left) + 6) .'c/ contains=
+execute 'syntax match StartifyBracket /.*\%'. (len(s:pad) + 6) .'c/ contains=
       \ StartifyNumber,
       \ StartifySelect'
 syntax match StartifySpecial /\V<empty buffer>\|<quit>/
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ syntax match StartifyFile    /.*/ contains=
       \ StartifySpecial,
 
 execute 'syntax match StartifySlash /\'. s:sep .'/'
-execute 'syntax match StartifyPath /\%'. (len(s:padding_left) + 6) .'c.*\'. s:sep .'/ contains=StartifySlash,StartifyVar'
+execute 'syntax match StartifyPath /\%'. (len(s:pad) + 6) .'c.*\'. s:sep .'/ contains=StartifySlash,StartifyVar'
 
 execute 'syntax region StartifyHeader start=/\%1l/ end=/\%'. (len(g:startify_header) + 2) .'l/'