diff --git a/core/core-ui.el b/core/core-ui.el
index 2ec0907da..d55f455c6 100644
--- a/core/core-ui.el
+++ b/core/core-ui.el
@@ -77,6 +77,15 @@ shorter major mode name in the mode-line. See `doom|set-mode-name'.")
 (fset #'yes-or-no-p #'y-or-n-p) ; y/n instead of yes/no
 
 
+;;
+;; Shims
+;;
+
+(unless (fboundp 'define-fringe-bitmap)
+  ;; doesn't exist in terminal Emacs; define it to prevent errors
+  (defun define-fringe-bitmap (&rest _)))
+
+
 ;;
 ;; Modeline library
 ;;
@@ -162,13 +171,6 @@ DEFAULT is non-nil, set the default mode-line for all buffers."
                 all-the-icons-wicon all-the-icons-alltheicon))
     (advice-add fn :around #'doom*disable-all-the-icons-in-tty)))
 
-(def-package! fringe-helper
-  :commands (fringe-helper-define fringe-helper-convert)
-  :init
-  (unless (fboundp 'define-fringe-bitmap)
-    ;; doesn't exist in terminal Emacs; define it to prevent errors
-    (defun define-fringe-bitmap (&rest _))))
-
 (def-package! hideshow ; built-in
   :commands (hs-minor-mode hs-toggle-hiding hs-already-hidden-p)
   :config (setq hs-hide-comments-when-hiding-all nil))
diff --git a/core/packages.el b/core/packages.el
index 8b66296d0..2d563103f 100644
--- a/core/packages.el
+++ b/core/packages.el
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 
 ;; core-ui.el
 (package! all-the-icons)
-(package! fringe-helper)
 (package! hide-mode-line)
 (package! highlight-indentation)
 (package! highlight-numbers)
diff --git a/modules/ui/doom/config.el b/modules/ui/doom/config.el
index 015219684..98f47b203 100644
--- a/modules/ui/doom/config.el
+++ b/modules/ui/doom/config.el
@@ -90,26 +90,17 @@
   ;; because git-gutter is in the left fringe
   (setq flycheck-indication-mode 'right-fringe)
   ;; A non-descript, left-pointing arrow
-  (fringe-helper-define 'flycheck-fringe-bitmap-double-arrow 'center
-    "...X...."
-    "..XX...."
-    ".XXX...."
-    "XXXX...."
-    ".XXX...."
-    "..XX...."
-    "...X...."))
+  (define-fringe-bitmap 'flycheck-fringe-bitmap-double-arrow
+    [16 48 112 240 112 48 16] nil nil 'center))
 
 ;; subtle diff indicators in the fringe
 (after! git-gutter-fringe
   ;; places the git gutter outside the margins.
   (setq-default fringes-outside-margins t)
   ;; thin fringe bitmaps
-  (fringe-helper-define 'git-gutter-fr:added '(center repeated)
-    "XXX.....")
-  (fringe-helper-define 'git-gutter-fr:modified '(center repeated)
-    "XXX.....")
-  (fringe-helper-define 'git-gutter-fr:deleted 'bottom
-    "X......."
-    "XX......"
-    "XXX....."
-    "XXXX...."))
+  (define-fringe-bitmap 'git-gutter-fr:added [224]
+    nil nil '(center repeated))
+  (define-fringe-bitmap 'git-gutter-fr:modified [224]
+    nil nil '(center repeated))
+  (define-fringe-bitmap 'git-gutter-fr:deleted [128 192 224 240]
+    nil nil 'bottom))