diff --git a/lua/lvim/core/alpha.lua b/lua/lvim/core/alpha.lua
index 58b787ed..8d69ebbc 100644
--- a/lua/lvim/core/alpha.lua
+++ b/lua/lvim/core/alpha.lua
@@ -4,8 +4,16 @@ function M.config()
   local lvim_dashboard = require "lvim.core.alpha.dashboard"
   local lvim_startify = require "lvim.core.alpha.startify"
   lvim.builtin.alpha = {
-    dashboard = { config = {}, section = lvim_dashboard.get_sections() },
-    startify = { config = {}, section = lvim_startify.get_sections() },
+    dashboard = {
+      config = {},
+      section = lvim_dashboard.get_sections(),
+      opts = { autostart = true },
+    },
+    startify = {
+      config = {},
+      section = lvim_startify.get_sections(),
+      opts = { autostart = true },
+    },
     active = true,
     mode = "dashboard",
   }
@@ -23,6 +31,10 @@ local function resolve_buttons(theme_name, entries)
     local button_element = selected_theme.button(entry[1], entry[2], entry[3])
     -- this became necessary after recent changes in alpha.nvim (06ade3a20ca9e79a7038b98d05a23d7b6c016174)
     button_element.on_press = on_press
+
+    button_element.opts =
+      vim.tbl_extend("force", button_element.opts, entry[4] or lvim.builtin.alpha[theme_name].section.buttons.opts)
+
     table.insert(val, button_element)
   end
   return val
@@ -41,8 +53,13 @@ local function resolve_config(theme_name)
         resolved_section[name][k] = v
       end
     end
+
+    resolved_section[name].opts = el.opts or {}
   end
 
+  local opts = lvim.builtin.alpha[theme_name].opts or {}
+  selected_theme.config.opts = vim.tbl_extend("force", selected_theme.config.opts, opts)
+
   return selected_theme.config
 end
 
diff --git a/lua/lvim/core/alpha/dashboard.lua b/lua/lvim/core/alpha/dashboard.lua
index a1ba7c5a..26c7e053 100644
--- a/lua/lvim/core/alpha/dashboard.lua
+++ b/lua/lvim/core/alpha/dashboard.lua
@@ -114,31 +114,25 @@ function M.get_sections()
       hl = "Number",
     },
   }
-  local buttons = {}
 
-  local status_ok, dashboard = pcall(require, "alpha.themes.dashboard")
-  if status_ok then
-    local function button(sc, txt, keybind, keybind_opts)
-      local b = dashboard.button(sc, txt, keybind, keybind_opts)
-      b.opts.hl_shortcut = "Include"
-      return b
-    end
-    buttons = {
-      val = {
-        button("f", lvim.icons.ui.FindFile .. "  Find File", "<CMD>Telescope find_files<CR>"),
-        button("n", lvim.icons.ui.NewFile .. "  New File", "<CMD>ene!<CR>"),
-        button("p", lvim.icons.ui.Project .. "  Projects ", "<CMD>Telescope projects<CR>"),
-        button("r", lvim.icons.ui.History .. "  Recent files", ":Telescope oldfiles <CR>"),
-        button("t", lvim.icons.ui.FindText .. "  Find Text", "<CMD>Telescope live_grep<CR>"),
-        button(
-          "c",
-          lvim.icons.ui.Gear .. "  Configuration",
-          "<CMD>edit " .. require("lvim.config"):get_user_config_path() .. " <CR>"
-        ),
+  local buttons = {
+    opts = {
+      hl_shortcut = "Include",
+      spacing = 1,
+    },
+    entries = {
+      { "f", lvim.icons.ui.FindFile .. "  Find File", "<CMD>Telescope find_files<CR>" },
+      { "n", lvim.icons.ui.NewFile .. "  New File", "<CMD>ene!<CR>" },
+      { "p", lvim.icons.ui.Project .. "  Projects ", "<CMD>Telescope projects<CR>" },
+      { "r", lvim.icons.ui.History .. "  Recent files", ":Telescope oldfiles <CR>" },
+      { "t", lvim.icons.ui.FindText .. "  Find Text", "<CMD>Telescope live_grep<CR>" },
+      {
+        "c",
+        lvim.icons.ui.Gear .. "  Configuration",
+        "<CMD>edit " .. require("lvim.config"):get_user_config_path() .. " <CR>",
       },
-    }
-  end
-
+    },
+  }
   return {
     header = header,
     buttons = buttons,