diff --git a/tmux/.config/tmux/tmux.conf b/tmux/.config/tmux/tmux.conf
index e59682e..db63b7d 100644
--- a/tmux/.config/tmux/tmux.conf
+++ b/tmux/.config/tmux/tmux.conf
@@ -22,11 +22,10 @@ set -g mouse on            # enable mouse mode
 #  VISUAL CHANGES   #
 #####################
 # general
-set -g status-position top         # status bar at top
-set -g status-fg colour6           # default foreground colour
-set -g status-bg black             # default background colour
-set -g window-status-separator ' ' # status separator - space
-set -g status-left ""              # left status bar not used
+set -g status-position top                # status bar at top
+set -g status-style "fg=colour6,bg=black" # {fore,back}ground colours
+set -g window-status-separator " "        # status separator - space
+set -g status-left ""                     # left status bar not used
 
 # right status bar - prefix/copy status - iso8601 date + time
 set -g status-right "#{prefix_highlight} #[fg=black,bg=colour6] %y-%m-%d #[bg=black] #[fg=black,bg=colour4] %H:%M "
@@ -38,14 +37,11 @@ set -g window-status-current-format "#[fg=black,bg=colour4] #I #[fg=colour4,bg=c
 set -g window-status-format "#[fg=colour6,bg=colour238] #I #[fg=colour6,bg=colour238] #W "
 
 # panes
-set -g pane-active-border-fg colour4   # border foreground colour of active pane
-set -g pane-active-border-bg colour236 # border background colour of active pane
-set -g pane-border-fg colour238        # border foreground colour of inactive pane(s)
-set -g pane-border-bg colour236        # border background colour of inactive pane(s)
+set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=colour4,bg=colour236" # active pane style
+set -g pane-border-style "fg=colour238,bg=colour236"      # inactive pane style
 
 # messages
-set -g message-fg black   # foreground colour of messages
-set -g message-bg colour5 # background colour of messages
+set -g message-style "fg=black,bg=colour5"
 
 # prefix highlight
 set -g @prefix_highlight_fg black                          # highlight foreground