diff --git a/autoload/airline/themes/simple.vim b/autoload/airline/themes/simple.vim
index 57281726..8d36dbe0 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/themes/simple.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/themes/simple.vim
@@ -1,16 +1,18 @@
 let s:bg = 233
+let s:sepc = 236
+let s:sepg = '#303030'
 
 let s:N1 = [ '#00dfff' , '#080808' , 45  , s:bg ]
 let s:N2 = [ '#ff5f00' , '#080808' , 202 , s:bg ]
 let s:N3 = [ '#767676' , '#080808' , 243 , s:bg ]
 let g:airline#themes#simple#normal = {
       \ 'mode':           [ s:N1[0]   , s:N1[1]   , s:N1[2] , s:N1[3] , 'bold' ] ,
-      \ 'mode_separator': [ s:N1[1]   , s:N2[1]   , s:N1[3] , s:N2[3] , 'bold' ] ,
+      \ 'mode_separator': [ s:sepg    , s:N2[1]   , s:sepc  , s:N2[3] , 'bold' ] ,
       \ 'info':           [ s:N2[0]   , s:N2[1]   , s:N2[2] , s:N2[3] , ''     ] ,
-      \ 'info_separator': [ s:N2[1]   , s:N3[1]   , s:N2[3] , s:N3[3] , 'bold' ] ,
+      \ 'info_separator': [ s:sepg    , s:N3[1]   , s:sepc  , s:N3[3] , 'bold' ] ,
       \ 'statusline':     [ s:N3[0]   , s:N3[1]   , s:N3[2] , s:N3[3] , ''     ] ,
-      \ 'file':           [ '#ff0000' , '#080808' , 160     , s:bg     , ''     ] ,
-      \ 'inactive':       [ '#4e4e4e' , '#080808' , 239     , s:bg     , ''     ] ,
+      \ 'file':           [ '#ff0000' , '#080808' , 160     , s:bg    , ''     ] ,
+      \ 'inactive':       [ '#4e4e4e' , '#080808' , 239     , s:bg    , ''     ] ,
       \ }
 let g:airline#themes#simple#normal_modified = copy(g:airline#themes#simple#normal)
 let g:airline#themes#simple#normal_modified.info_separator = [ '#080808' , '#080808' , s:bg , s:bg , '' ]
@@ -20,11 +22,11 @@ let s:I1 = [ '#5fff00' , '#080808' , 82  , s:bg ]
 let s:I2 = [ '#ff5f00' , '#080808' , 202 , s:bg ]
 let s:I3 = [ '#767676' , '#080808' , 243 , s:bg ]
 let g:airline#themes#simple#insert = {
-      \ 'mode':           [ s:I1[0]   , s:I1[1]   , s:I1[2] , s:I1[3] , 'bold' ] ,
-      \ 'mode_separator': [ s:I1[1]   , s:I2[1]   , s:I1[3] , s:I2[3] , 'bold' ] ,
-      \ 'info':           [ s:I2[0]   , s:I2[1]   , s:I2[2] , s:I2[3] , ''     ] ,
-      \ 'info_separator': [ s:I2[1]   , s:I3[1]   , s:I2[3] , s:I3[3] , 'bold' ] ,
-      \ 'statusline':     [ s:I3[0]   , s:I3[1]   , s:I3[2] , s:I3[3] , ''     ] ,
+      \ 'mode':           [ s:I1[0] , s:I1[1] , s:I1[2] , s:I1[3] , 'bold' ] ,
+      \ 'mode_separator': [ s:sepg  , s:I2[1] , s:sepc  , s:I2[3] , 'bold' ] ,
+      \ 'info':           [ s:I2[0] , s:I2[1] , s:I2[2] , s:I2[3] , ''     ] ,
+      \ 'info_separator': [ s:sepg  , s:I3[1] , s:sepc  , s:I3[3] , 'bold' ] ,
+      \ 'statusline':     [ s:I3[0] , s:I3[1] , s:I3[2] , s:I3[3] , ''     ] ,
       \ }
 let g:airline#themes#simple#insert_modified = copy(g:airline#themes#simple#normal_modified)
 
@@ -32,10 +34,10 @@ let s:V1 = [ '#dfdf00' , '#080808' , 184 , s:bg ]
 let s:V2 = [ '#ff5f00' , '#080808' , 202 , s:bg ]
 let s:V3 = [ '#767676' , '#080808' , 243 , s:bg ]
 let g:airline#themes#simple#visual = {
-      \ 'mode':           [ s:V1[0]   , s:V1[1]   , s:V1[2] , s:V1[3] , 'bold' ] ,
-      \ 'mode_separator': [ s:V1[1]   , s:V2[1]   , s:V1[3] , s:V2[3] , 'bold' ] ,
-      \ 'info':           [ s:V2[0]   , s:V2[1]   , s:V2[2] , s:V2[3] , ''     ] ,
-      \ 'info_separator': [ s:V2[1]   , s:V3[1]   , s:V2[3] , s:V3[3] , 'bold' ] ,
-      \ 'statusline':     [ s:V3[0]   , s:V3[1]   , s:V3[2] , s:V3[3] , ''     ] ,
+      \ 'mode':           [ s:V1[0] , s:V1[1] , s:V1[2] , s:V1[3] , 'bold' ] ,
+      \ 'mode_separator': [ s:sepg  , s:V2[1] , s:sepc  , s:V2[3] , 'bold' ] ,
+      \ 'info':           [ s:V2[0] , s:V2[1] , s:V2[2] , s:V2[3] , ''     ] ,
+      \ 'info_separator': [ s:sepg  , s:V3[1] , s:sepc  , s:V3[3] , 'bold' ] ,
+      \ 'statusline':     [ s:V3[0] , s:V3[1] , s:V3[2] , s:V3[3] , ''     ] ,
       \ }
 let g:airline#themes#simple#visual_modified = copy(g:airline#themes#simple#normal_modified)
diff --git a/plugin/airline.vim b/plugin/airline.vim
index cec9f7c5..a0706753 100644
--- a/plugin/airline.vim
+++ b/plugin/airline.vim
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ function! s:update_statusline(active)
   let sl = l:mode_color
   let sl.= a:active
         \ ? '%{AirlineUpdateHighlight()} '.g:airline_section_a.' '.l:mode_sep_color
-        \ : '        %9*'
+        \ : '        %#Al9#'
   let sl.='%{g:airline_left_sep}'.l:info_color
   let sl.=' '.g:airline_section_b.' '
   let sl.=l:info_sep_color.g:airline_left_sep