diff --git a/lua/cosmic/core/pluginsInit.lua b/lua/cosmic/core/pluginsInit.lua
index 857fe1e..1f2a560 100644
--- a/lua/cosmic/core/pluginsInit.lua
+++ b/lua/cosmic/core/pluginsInit.lua
@@ -173,7 +173,6 @@ return packer.startup(function()
     event = 'BufWinEnter',
     config = function()
       require('cosmic.plugins.terminal')
-      require('cosmic.plugins.terminal.mappings')
     end,
     disable = vim.tbl_contains(user_plugins.disable, 'terminal'),
   })
diff --git a/lua/cosmic/plugins/galaxyline/init.lua b/lua/cosmic/plugins/galaxyline/init.lua
index a81bb45..6db7676 100644
--- a/lua/cosmic/plugins/galaxyline/init.lua
+++ b/lua/cosmic/plugins/galaxyline/init.lua
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ local condition = require('galaxyline.condition')
 local fileinfo = require('galaxyline.providers.fileinfo')
 local utils = require('cosmic.utils')
 local colors = require('cosmic.theme.colors')
-local highlight = require('cosmic.theme.utils').highlight
+local set_highlight = require('cosmic.theme.utils').set_highlight
 local icons = require('cosmic.theme.icons')
 local config = require('cosmic.config')
 local get_highlight = require('cosmic.theme.utils').get_highlight
@@ -150,22 +150,51 @@ gls.left = {
         end
 
         local label, mode_color, mode_nested = unpack(m)
-        highlight('GalaxyViMode', mode_color, mode_nested)
-        highlight('GalaxyViModeInv', mode_nested, mode_color)
-        highlight('GalaxyViModeNested', mode_nested, 'StatusLine')
-        highlight('GalaxyViModeNestedInv', 'StatusLine', mode_nested)
-        highlight('GalaxyPercentBracket', 'StatusLine', mode_color)
-        highlight('GalaxyText', 'StatusLine', mode_color)
-
-        highlight('GalaxyGitLCBracket', mode_nested, mode_color)
+        set_highlight('GalaxyViMode', {
+          guibg = mode_color,
+          guifg = mode_nested,
+        })
+        set_highlight('GalaxyViModeInv', {
+          guibg = mode_nested,
+          guifg = mode_color,
+        })
+        set_highlight('GalaxyViModeNested', {
+          guibg = mode_nested,
+          guifg = 'StatusLine',
+        })
+        set_highlight('GalaxyViModeNestedInv', {
+          guibg = 'StatusLine',
+          guifg = mode_nested,
+        })
+        set_highlight('GalaxyPercentBracket', {
+          guibg = 'StatusLine',
+          guifg = mode_color,
+        })
+        set_highlight('GalaxyText', {
+          guibg = 'StatusLine',
+          guifg = mode_color,
+        })
+        set_highlight('GalaxyGitLCBracket', {
+          guibg = mode_nested,
+          guifg = mode_color,
+        })
 
         if condition.buffer_not_empty() then
-          highlight('GalaxyViModeBracket', mode_nested, mode_color)
+          set_highlight('GalaxyViModeBracket', {
+            guibg = mode_nested,
+            guifg = mode_color,
+          })
         else
           if condition.check_git_workspace() then
-            highlight('GalaxyGitLCBracket', 'StatusLine', mode_color)
+            set_highlight('GalaxyGitLCBracket', {
+              guibg = 'StatusLine',
+              guifg = mode_color,
+            })
           end
-          highlight('GalaxyViModeBracket', 'StatusLine', mode_color)
+          set_highlight('GalaxyViModeBracket', {
+            guibg = 'StatusLine',
+            guifg = mode_color,
+          })
         end
         return '  ' .. label .. ' '
       end,
diff --git a/lua/cosmic/plugins/notify/highlights.lua b/lua/cosmic/plugins/notify/highlights.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da6c991
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/cosmic/plugins/notify/highlights.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+local _, colors = pcall(require, 'cosmic.theme.colors')
+if not colors then
+  return
+end
+
+local set_highlight = require('cosmic.theme.utils').set_highlight
+-- notification highlights
+set_highlight('NotifyINFOBorder', {
+  guifg = colors.hint,
+})
+set_highlight('NotifyINFOTitle', {
+  guifg = colors.hint,
+})
+set_highlight('NotifyINFOIcon', {
+  guifg = colors.hint,
+})
+set_highlight('NotifyWARNBorder', {
+  guifg = colors.warn,
+})
+set_highlight('NotifyWARNTitle', {
+  guifg = colors.warn,
+})
+set_highlight('NotifyWARNIcon', {
+  guifg = colors.warn,
+})
+set_highlight('NotifyERRORBorder', {
+  guifg = colors.error,
+})
+set_highlight('NotifyERRORTitle', {
+  guifg = colors.error,
+})
+set_highlight('NotifyERRORIcon', {
+  guifg = colors.error,
+})
+set_highlight('NotifyTRACEBorder', {
+  guifg = colors.trace,
+})
+set_highlight('NotifyTRACETitle', {
+  guifg = colors.trace,
+})
+set_highlight('NotifyTRACEIcon', {
+  guifg = colors.trace,
+})
diff --git a/lua/cosmic/plugins/notify/init.lua b/lua/cosmic/plugins/notify/init.lua
index 84231af..4e126e6 100644
--- a/lua/cosmic/plugins/notify/init.lua
+++ b/lua/cosmic/plugins/notify/init.lua
@@ -15,3 +15,5 @@ require('notify').setup(utils.merge({
 }, config.notify or {}))
 
 vim.notify = require('notify')
+
+require('cosmic.plugins.notify.highlights')
diff --git a/lua/cosmic/plugins/terminal/highlights.lua b/lua/cosmic/plugins/terminal/highlights.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb27d28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/cosmic/plugins/terminal/highlights.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+local set_highlight = require('cosmic.theme.utils').set_highlight
+
+-- terminal highlights
+set_highlight('FloatBorder', {
+  guibg = 'None',
+})
+
+vim.cmd('hi! link FloatermBorder FloatBorder')
diff --git a/lua/cosmic/plugins/terminal/init.lua b/lua/cosmic/plugins/terminal/init.lua
index cc7845e..6c1c544 100644
--- a/lua/cosmic/plugins/terminal/init.lua
+++ b/lua/cosmic/plugins/terminal/init.lua
@@ -6,3 +6,6 @@ g.floaterm_height = 0.8
 g.floaterm_title = '[' .. title .. ']:($1/$2)'
 g.floaterm_borderchars = '─│─│╭╮╯╰'
 g.floaterm_opener = 'vsplit'
+
+require('cosmic.plugins.terminal.mappings')
+require('cosmic.plugins.terminal.highlights')
diff --git a/lua/cosmic/theme/init.lua b/lua/cosmic/theme/init.lua
index ef5a38a..27dacc9 100644
--- a/lua/cosmic/theme/init.lua
+++ b/lua/cosmic/theme/init.lua
@@ -2,61 +2,31 @@ local _, colors = pcall(require, 'cosmic.theme.colors')
 if not colors then
   return
 end
-local highlight = require('cosmic.theme.utils').highlight
+
 local get_highlight = require('cosmic.theme.utils').get_highlight
 local set_highlight = require('cosmic.theme.utils').set_highlight
-local utils = require('cosmic.utils')
-
 local statusline_colors = get_highlight('StatusLine')
 local error_colors = get_highlight('DiagnosticError')
-set_highlight(
-  'DiagnosticErrorInv',
-  utils.merge(error_colors, {
-    guibg = error_colors.guifg,
-    guifg = statusline_colors.guibg,
-  })
-)
-
 local warning_colors = get_highlight('DiagnosticWarn')
-set_highlight(
-  'DiagnosticWarnInv',
-  utils.merge(warning_colors, {
-    guibg = warning_colors.guifg,
-    guifg = statusline_colors.guibg,
-  })
-)
-
 local hint_colors = get_highlight('DiagnosticHint')
-set_highlight(
-  'DiagnosticHintInv',
-  utils.merge(hint_colors, {
-    guibg = hint_colors.guifg,
-    guifg = statusline_colors.guibg,
-  })
-)
-
 local info_colors = get_highlight('DiagnosticInfo')
-set_highlight(
-  'DiagnosticInfoInv',
-  utils.merge(info_colors, {
-    guibg = info_colors.guifg,
-    guifg = statusline_colors.guibg,
-  })
-)
 
--- notification highlights
-highlight('NotifyINFOBorder', nil, colors.hint)
-highlight('NotifyINFOTitle', nil, colors.hint)
-highlight('NotifyINFOIcon', nil, colors.hint)
-highlight('NotifyWARNBorder', nil, colors.warn)
-highlight('NotifyWARNTitle', nil, colors.warn)
-highlight('NotifyWARNIcon', nil, colors.warn)
-highlight('NotifyERRORBorder', nil, colors.error)
-highlight('NotifyERRORTitle', nil, colors.error)
-highlight('NotifyERRORIcon', nil, colors.error)
-highlight('NotifyTRACEBorder', nil, colors.trace)
-highlight('NotifyTRACETitle', nil, colors.trace)
-highlight('NotifyTRACEIcon', nil, colors.trace)
+set_highlight('DiagnosticErrorInv', {
+  guibg = error_colors.guifg,
+  guifg = statusline_colors.guibg,
+})
 
-vim.cmd('hi FloatBorder guibg=None')
-vim.cmd('hi! link FloatermBorder FloatBorder')
+set_highlight('DiagnosticWarnInv', {
+  guibg = warning_colors.guifg,
+  guifg = statusline_colors.guibg,
+})
+
+set_highlight('DiagnosticHintInv', {
+  guibg = hint_colors.guifg,
+  guifg = statusline_colors.guibg,
+})
+
+set_highlight('DiagnosticInfoInv', {
+  guibg = info_colors.guifg,
+  guifg = statusline_colors.guibg,
+})
diff --git a/lua/cosmic/theme/utils.lua b/lua/cosmic/theme/utils.lua
index 7cb6c73..f83f96c 100644
--- a/lua/cosmic/theme/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/cosmic/theme/utils.lua
@@ -1,17 +1,5 @@
 local M = {}
 
-M.highlight = function(group, bg, fg, gui)
-  if gui ~= nil and gui ~= '' then
-    vim.api.nvim_command(('hi %s guibg=%s guifg=%s gui=%s'):format(group, bg, fg, gui))
-  elseif bg == nil then
-    vim.api.nvim_command(('hi %s guifg=%s'):format(group, fg))
-  elseif fg == nil then
-    vim.api.nvim_command(('hi %s guibg=%s'):format(group, bg))
-  else
-    vim.api.nvim_command(('hi %s guibg=%s guifg=%s'):format(group, bg, fg))
-  end
-end
-
 M.set_highlight = function(hi, colors)
   local hi_str = ''