diff --git a/lua/nv-nvimtree/init.lua b/lua/nv-nvimtree/init.lua
index fc5e0d24..9798f6d3 100644
--- a/lua/nv-nvimtree/init.lua
+++ b/lua/nv-nvimtree/init.lua
@@ -52,3 +52,4 @@ vim.g.nvim_tree_bindings = {
     ["-"] = tree_cb("dir_up"),
     ["q"] = tree_cb("close")
 }
+vim.cmd([[source ~/.config/nvim/vimscript/nv-nvimtree/init.vim]])
diff --git a/vimscript/nv-nvimtree/init.vim b/vimscript/nv-nvimtree/init.vim
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dad2c82f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vimscript/nv-nvimtree/init.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+" TODO this really should be in the lua section
+let g:nvim_tree_icons = {
+    \ 'default': '',
+    \ 'symlink': '',
+    \ 'git': {
+    \   'unstaged': "✗",
+    \   'staged': "✓",
+    \   'unmerged': "",
+    \   'renamed': "➜",
+    \   'untracked': ""
+    \   },
+    \ 'folder': {
+    \   'default': "",
+    \   'open': "",
+    \   'empty': "",
+    \   'empty_open': "",
+    \   'symlink': "",
+    \   }
+    \ }
+