diff --git a/lua/dapui/config/highlights.lua b/lua/dapui/config/highlights.lua
index a7bdd6d..8760604 100644
--- a/lua/dapui/config/highlights.lua
+++ b/lua/dapui/config/highlights.lua
@@ -5,84 +5,64 @@ local control_hl_groups = {
   "DapUIStepOver", "DapUIStepInto", "DapUIStepBack", "DapUIStepOut",
 }
 
----Applies the background color from the template highlight group to all
----control icon highlight groups.
----@return nil
-local function patch_background()
-  -- API function 'nvim_get_hl_by_name' and the ability to pass a table to
-  -- 'vim.cmd' only exist for >= 0.8
-  if not vim.fn.has("nvim-0.8") then return end
-
-  for _, suffix in pairs({"", "NC"}) do
-    local template_group = string.format("WinBar%s", suffix)
-    local exists, hl = pcall(vim.api.nvim_get_hl_by_name, template_group, true)
-
-    if exists then
-      local guibg = hl.background and string.format("guibg=#%06x", hl.background) or "guibg=NONE"
-
-      for _, hl_group in ipairs(control_hl_groups) do
-        vim.cmd {
-          cmd = "highlight",
-          args = {string.format("%s%s", hl_group, suffix), guibg}
-        }
-      end
-    end
-  end
-end
-
 function M.setup()
-  vim.cmd("hi default link DapUIVariable Normal")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIScope guifg=#00F1F5")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIType guifg=#D484FF")
-  vim.cmd("hi default link DapUIValue Normal")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIModifiedValue guifg=#00F1F5 gui=bold")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIDecoration guifg=#00F1F5")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIThread guifg=#A9FF68")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIStoppedThread guifg=#00f1f5")
-  vim.cmd("hi default link DapUIFrameName Normal")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUISource guifg=#D484FF")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUILineNumber guifg=#00f1f5")
-  vim.cmd("hi default link DapUIFloatNormal NormalFloat")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIFloatBorder guifg=#00F1F5")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIWatchesEmpty guifg=#F70067")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIWatchesValue guifg=#A9FF68")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIWatchesError guifg=#F70067")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIBreakpointsPath guifg=#00F1F5")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIBreakpointsInfo guifg=#A9FF68")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIBreakpointsCurrentLine guifg=#A9FF68 gui=bold")
-  vim.cmd("hi default link DapUIBreakpointsLine DapUILineNumber")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIBreakpointsDisabledLine guifg=#424242")
-  vim.cmd("hi default link DapUICurrentFrameName DapUIBreakpointsCurrentLine")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIStepOver guifg=#00f1f5")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIStepInto guifg=#00f1f5")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIStepBack guifg=#00f1f5")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIStepOut guifg=#00f1f5")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIStop guifg=#F70067")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIPlayPause guifg=#A9FF68")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIRestart guifg=#A9FF68")
-  vim.cmd("hi default DapUIUnavailable guifg=#424242")
+  vim.cmd([[
+  hi default link DapUIVariable Normal
+  hi default DapUIScope guifg=#00F1F5
+  hi default DapUIType guifg=#D484FF
+  hi default link DapUIValue Normal
+  hi default DapUIModifiedValue guifg=#00F1F5 gui=bold
+  hi default DapUIDecoration guifg=#00F1F5
+  hi default DapUIThread guifg=#A9FF68
+  hi default DapUIStoppedThread guifg=#00f1f5
+  hi default link DapUIFrameName Normal
+  hi default DapUISource guifg=#D484FF
+  hi default DapUILineNumber guifg=#00f1f5
+  hi default link DapUIFloatNormal NormalFloat
+  hi default DapUIFloatBorder guifg=#00F1F5
+  hi default DapUIWatchesEmpty guifg=#F70067
+  hi default DapUIWatchesValue guifg=#A9FF68
+  hi default DapUIWatchesError guifg=#F70067
+  hi default DapUIBreakpointsPath guifg=#00F1F5
+  hi default DapUIBreakpointsInfo guifg=#A9FF68
+  hi default DapUIBreakpointsCurrentLine guifg=#A9FF68 gui=bold
+  hi default link DapUIBreakpointsLine DapUILineNumber
+  hi default DapUIBreakpointsDisabledLine guifg=#424242
+  hi default link DapUICurrentFrameName DapUIBreakpointsCurrentLine
+  hi default DapUIStepOver guifg=#00f1f5
+  hi default DapUIStepInto guifg=#00f1f5
+  hi default DapUIStepBack guifg=#00f1f5
+  hi default DapUIStepOut guifg=#00f1f5
+  hi default DapUIStop guifg=#F70067
+  hi default DapUIPlayPause guifg=#A9FF68
+  hi default DapUIRestart guifg=#A9FF68
+  hi default DapUIUnavailable guifg=#424242
+  ]])
 
   -- Generate *NC variants of the control highlight groups
   if vim.fn.has("nvim-0.8") == 1 then
+    local bg, bgNC
+    local exists, hl = pcall(vim.api.nvim_get_hl_by_name, "WinBar", true)
+    if exists then bg = hl.background end
+    exists, hl = pcall(vim.api.nvim_get_hl_by_name, "WinBarNC", true)
+    if exists then bgNC = hl.background end
+
     for _, hl_group in pairs(control_hl_groups) do
-      local guifg = vim.api.nvim_get_hl_by_name(hl_group, true).foreground
-      vim.cmd {
-        cmd = "highlight",
-        args = {
-          "default",
-          string.format("%sNC", hl_group),
-          string.format("guifg=#%06x", guifg)}
-      }
+      local gui = vim.api.nvim_get_hl_by_name(hl_group, true)
+      if gui.background ~= bg then
+        gui.bg = bg
+        vim.api.nvim_set_hl(0, hl_group, gui)
+      end
+      gui.bg = bgNC
+      vim.api.nvim_set_hl(0, hl_group .. "NC", gui)
     end
-    patch_background()
   else
     for _, hl_group in pairs(control_hl_groups) do
-      vim.cmd(string.format("hi default link %sNC %s", hl_group))
+      vim.cmd(string.format("hi default link %sNC %s", hl_group, hl_group))
     end
   end
 end
 
-
 vim.cmd([[
   augroup DAPUIRefreshHighlights
     autocmd!