diff --git a/session.vim b/session.vim
index ec603efed..33950b8f8 100644
--- a/session.vim
+++ b/session.vim
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 " Scan the following dirs recursively for tags
 let g:project_tags_dirs = ['kitty', 'kittens']
-let g:ale_linters = {'python': ['mypy', 'flake8'], }
+if exists('g:ale_linters')
+    let g:ale_linters['python'] = ['mypy', 'flake8']
+else
+    let g:ale_linters = {'python': ['mypy', 'flake8']}
+endif
 let g:ale_python_mypy_executable = './mypy-editor-integration'
 let g:ycm_python_binary_path = 'python3'
 set wildignore+==template.py