diff --git a/core/core-defuns.el b/core/core-defuns.el
index ed7cfee32..67d854575 100644
--- a/core/core-defuns.el
+++ b/core/core-defuns.el
@@ -104,11 +104,11 @@ Examples:
 
 (after! evil
   ;; Register keywords for proper indentation (see `bind!')
-  (put ':prefix 'lisp-indent-function 'defun)
-  (put ':map 'lisp-indent-function 'defun)
-  (put ':after 'lisp-indent-function 'defun)
-  (put ':when 'lisp-indent-function 'defun)
-  (put ':unless 'lisp-indent-function 'defun)
+  (put ':prefix  'lisp-indent-function 'defun)
+  (put ':map     'lisp-indent-function 'defun)
+  (put ':after   'lisp-indent-function 'defun)
+  (put ':when    'lisp-indent-function 'defun)
+  (put ':unless  'lisp-indent-function 'defun)
 
   (defmacro bind! (&rest rest)
     (let ((i 0)
@@ -204,7 +204,8 @@ Examples:
   (turn-on-auto-fill))
 
 (defun narf|enable-tab-width-2 ()
-  (setq tab-width 2 evil-shift-width 2))
+  (setq tab-width 2 evil-shift-width 2)
+  (highlight-indentation-set-offset 2))
 
 (defun narf|enable-tab-width-4 ()
   (setq tab-width 4 evil-shift-width 4))
diff --git a/core/core-evil.el b/core/core-evil.el
index 71523424c..932e76d7c 100644
--- a/core/core-evil.el
+++ b/core/core-evil.el
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ See https://bitbucket.org/lyro/evil/issue/527"
     (defadvice evil-force-normal-state (before evil-esc-quit activate)
       (ignore-errors
         (popwin:close-popup-window)                 ; close popups, if any
-        (evil-search-highlight-persist-remove-all)  ; turn off highlights
         (evil-ex-nohighlight)
         ;; Exit minibuffer if alive
         (if (minibuffer-window-active-p (minibuffer-window))
@@ -100,7 +99,7 @@ See https://bitbucket.org/lyro/evil/issue/527"
 (use-package evil-exchange
   :commands evil-exchange
   :config
-  (advice-add 'evil-force-normal :after 'narf*evil-exchange-off))
+  (advice-add 'evil-force-normal-state :after 'narf*evil-exchange-off))
 
 (use-package evil-iedit-state
   :functions (iedit-current-occurrence-string iedit-restrict-region)
@@ -139,7 +138,9 @@ See https://bitbucket.org/lyro/evil/issue/527"
              evil-numbers/dec-at-pt))
 
 (use-package evil-search-highlight-persist
-  :config (global-evil-search-highlight-persist t))
+  :config
+  (global-evil-search-highlight-persist t)
+  (advice-add 'evil-force-normal-state :after 'evil-search-highlight-persist-remove-all))
 
 (use-package evil-snipe
   :diminish evil-snipe-mode
diff --git a/core/core-vars.el b/core/core-vars.el
index b2693243d..44aa0c111 100644
--- a/core/core-vars.el
+++ b/core/core-vars.el
@@ -15,20 +15,7 @@
 `auto-mode-alist'. All elements of this alist are checked, meaning you can
 enable multiple minor modes for the same regexp.")
 
-(defvar narf-unreal-buffers '("^ \\*"
-                              "^\\*scratch\\*"
-                              "^\\*Backtrace\\*$"
-                              "^\\*Warnings\\*$"
-                              "^\\*Compile-Log\\*$"
-                              "^\\*compilation\\*$"
-                              "^\\*Ediff.*\\*$"
-                              "^\\*helm.*\\*$"
-                              "^\\*eval\\*$"
-                              "^\\*Shell Command Output\\*$"
-                              "^\\*Async Shell Command\\*$"
-                              "^\\*WoMan-Log\\*$"
-                              "^\\*Completions\\*$"
-                              help-mode
+(defvar narf-unreal-buffers '("^ ?\\*.+\\*"
                               image-mode
                               dired-mode
                               reb-mode
@@ -43,7 +30,8 @@ buffer to display.")
 (defvar narf-ignore-buffers '("*Completions*" "*Compile-Log*" "*inferior-lisp*"
                               "*Fuzzy Completions*" "*Apropos*" "*Help*" "*cvs*"
                               "*Buffer List*" "*Ibuffer*" "*esh command on file*"
-                              "*helm*" "*WoMan-Log*" "*compilation*")
+                              "*helm*" "*WoMan-Log*" "*compilation*" "*use-package*"
+                              "*quickrun*")
   "List of buffer names to ignore when using `winner-undo', or `winner-redo'")
 
 (defvar narf-cleanup-processes-alist '(("pry" . ruby-mode)
diff --git a/core/core-vcs.el b/core/core-vcs.el
index 2911403ac..e364890cf 100644
--- a/core/core-vcs.el
+++ b/core/core-vcs.el
@@ -1,28 +1,27 @@
 ;;; core-vcs.el --- version control awareness
 
 (use-package git-commit-mode            ;
-  :mode (("/COMMIT_EDITMSG\\'"       . git-commit-mode)
-         ("/NOTES_EDITMSG\\'"        . git-commit-mode)
-         ("/MERGE_MSG\\'"            . git-commit-mode)
-         ("/TAG_EDITMSG\\'"          . git-commit-mode)
-         ("/PULLREQ_EDITMSG\\'"      . git-commit-mode))
+  :mode ("/COMMIT_EDITMSG\\'"
+         "/NOTES_EDITMSG\\'"
+         "/MERGE_MSG\\'"
+         "/TAG_EDITMSG\\'"
+         "/PULLREQ_EDITMSG\\'")
   :config
   (evil-set-initial-state 'git-commit-mode 'insert))
 
 (use-package git-rebase-mode
-  :mode ("/git-rebase-todo\\'"       . git-rebase-mode)
+  :mode "/git-rebase-todo\\'"
   :config
   (evil-set-initial-state 'git-rebase-mode 'insert))
 
 (use-package gitconfig-mode
-  :mode (("/\\.?git/?config\\'"      . gitconfig-mode)
-         ("/\\.gitmodules\\'"        . gitconfig-mode))
+  :mode ("/\\.?git/?config\\'" "/\\.gitmodules\\'")
   :init (add-hook 'gitconfig-mode-hook 'flyspell-mode))
 
 (use-package gitignore-mode
-  :mode (("/\\.gitignore\\'"         . gitignore-mode)
-         ("/\\.git/info/exclude\\'"  . gitignore-mode)
-         ("/git/ignore\\'"           . gitignore-mode)))
+  :mode ("/\\.gitignore\\'"
+         "/\\.git/info/exclude\\'"
+         "/git/ignore\\'"))
 
 (use-package diff-hl
   :init (setq diff-hl-draw-borders nil)