diff --git a/after/ftplugin/c_snips.vim b/after/ftplugin/c_snips.vim
index 3061755..8693cdb 100644
--- a/after/ftplugin/c_snips.vim
+++ b/after/ftplugin/c_snips.vim
@@ -13,13 +13,10 @@ exe 'Snipp Inc #include "${1:`Filename("$1.h")`}"${2}'
 " #ifndef ... #define ... #endif
 exe "Snipp def #ifndef $1\n#define ${1:SYMBOL} ${2:value}\n#endif${3}"
 " Header Include-Guard
-" (the randomizer code is taken directly from TextMate; I don't know how to do
-" it in vim script, it could probably be cleaner)
+" (the randomizer code is taken directly from TextMate; it could probably be 
+" cleaner, I don't know how to do it in vim script)
 exe "Snipp once #ifndef ${1:`toupper(Filename('', 'UNTITLED').'_'.system(\"/usr/bin/ruby -e 'print (rand * 2821109907455).round.to_s(36)'\"))`}\n"
 	\ ."#define $1\n\n${2}\n\n#endif /* end of include guard: $1 */"
-" Read File Into Vector
-exe "Snipp readfile std::vector<char> v;\nif (FILE *${2:fp} = fopen(${1:\"filename\"}, \"r\")) {\n\tchar buf[1024];\n\twhile (size_t len = "
-	\ ."fread(buf, 1, sizeof(buf), $2))\n\t\tv.insert(v.end(), buf, buf + len);\n\tfclose($2);\n}${3}"
 " If Condition
 exe "Snipp if if (${1:/* condition */}) {\n\t${2:/* code */}\n}"
 exe "Snipp el else {\n\t${1}\n}"
@@ -41,14 +38,6 @@ exe 'Snipp td typedef ${1:int} ${2:MyCustomType};'
 exe "Snipp st struct ${1:`Filename('$1_t', 'name')`} {\n\t${2:/* data */}\n}${3: /* optional variable list */};${4}"
 " Typedef struct
 exe "Snipp tds typedef struct ${2:$1 }{\n\t${3:/* data */}\n} ${1:`Filename('$1_t', 'name')`};"
-" Class
-exe "Snipp cl class ${1:`Filename('$1_t', 'name')`} {\npublic:\n\t$1 (${2:arguments});\n\tvirtual ~$1 ();\n\nprivate:\n\t${3:/* data */}\n};"
-" Namespace
-exe "Snipp ns namespace ${1:`Filename('', 'my')`} {\n\t${2}\n} /* $1 */"
-" std::map
-exe "Snipp map std::map<${1:key}, ${2:value}> map${3};"
-" std::vector
-exe "Snipp vector std::vector<${1:char}> v${2};"
 " printf
 " unfortunately version this isn't as nice as TextMates's, given the lack of a
 " dynamic `...`
diff --git a/after/ftplugin/cpp_snips.vim b/after/ftplugin/cpp_snips.vim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f54f592
--- /dev/null
+++ b/after/ftplugin/cpp_snips.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+if !exists('g:loaded_snips') || exists('s:did_cpp_snips')
+	 finish
+endif
+let s:did_cpp_snips = 1
+
+" Read File Into Vector
+exe "Snipp readfile std::vector<char> v;\nif (FILE *${2:fp} = fopen(${1:\"filename\"}, \"r\")) {\n\tchar buf[1024];\n\twhile (size_t len = "
+	\ ."fread(buf, 1, sizeof(buf), $2))\n\t\tv.insert(v.end(), buf, buf + len);\n\tfclose($2);\n}${3}"
+" std::map
+exe "Snipp map std::map<${1:key}, ${2:value}> map${3};"
+" std::vector
+exe "Snipp vector std::vector<${1:char}> v${2};"
+" Namespace
+exe "Snipp ns namespace ${1:`Filename('', 'my')`} {\n\t${2}\n} /* $1 */"
+" Class
+exe "Snipp cl class ${1:`Filename('$1_t', 'name')`} {\npublic:\n\t$1 (${2:arguments});\n\tvirtual ~$1 ();\n\nprivate:\n\t${3:/* data */}\n};"
diff --git a/after/ftplugin/vim_snips.vim b/after/ftplugin/vim_snips.vim
index 6342c98..edd68ae 100644
--- a/after/ftplugin/vim_snips.vim
+++ b/after/ftplugin/vim_snips.vim
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ exe 'Snipp snip exe "Snipp ${1:trigger}"${2}'
 exe "Snipp snipp exe 'Snipp ${1:trigger}'${2}"
 exe 'Snipp gsnip exe "GlobalSnip ${1:trigger}"${2}'
 exe "Snipp gsnipp exe 'GlobalSnip ${1:trigger}'${2}"
+exe "Snipp guard if !exists('g:loaded_snips') || exists('s:did_".
+			\ "${1:`substitute(expand(\"%:t:r\"), \"_snips\", \"\", \"\")`}_snips')\n\t"
+			\ "finish\nendif\nlet s:did_$1_snips = 1${2}"
 
 exe "Snipp f fun ${1:function_name}()\n\t${2:\" code}\nendfun"
 exe "Snipp for for ${1:needle} in ${2:haystack}\n\t${3:\" code}\nendfor"
diff --git a/doc/snipMate.txt b/doc/snipMate.txt
index 7e0edd1..0616f3a 100644
--- a/doc/snipMate.txt
+++ b/doc/snipMate.txt
@@ -105,14 +105,16 @@ To create a create a snippet with multiple matches using file-based snippets,
 simply place all the snippets in a subdirectory with the trigger name, i.e.
 'snippets/<filetype>/<trigger>/<name>.snippet'.
 
-To ensure snipMate.vim is loaded and 'compatible' is not set, make sure
-to add: >
+To ensure snipMate.vim is loaded, 'compatible' is not set, and your snippet
+file is only loaded once make sure to add: >
 
- if !exists('g:loaded_snips')
-     fini
- en
+ if !exists('g:loaded_snips') || exists('s:did_my_snips')
+     finish
+ endif
+ let s:did_my_snips = 1
 
-to the top of your snippets files.
+to the top of your snippets files. The snippet "guard" comes with snipMate to
+automate this if you'd rather not type it all out.
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------