diff --git a/autoload/airline/builder.vim b/autoload/airline/builder.vim
index bba239e8..5f1d8e4a 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/builder.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/builder.vim
@@ -23,7 +23,11 @@ function! s:prototype.add_section(group, contents)
     let self._line .= '%#'.a:group.'#'
   endif
 
+  let accent = matchstr(a:contents, 'airline_accent_\zs[^#]*\ze')
   let contents = substitute(a:contents, 'airline_accent', a:group, 'g')
+  if contents != a:contents
+    call airline#highlighter#add_accent(a:group, accent)
+  endif
   let self._line .= contents
   let self._curgroup = a:group
 endfunction
diff --git a/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim b/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
index 38e05c4a..b60182c2 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/highlighter.vim
@@ -94,6 +94,23 @@ function! airline#highlighter#add_separator(from, to, inverse)
   call <sid>exec_separator({}, a:from, a:to, a:inverse, '')
 endfunction
 
+function! airline#highlighter#add_accent(group, accent)
+  let p = g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette
+  if exists('p.accents')
+    if has_key(p.accents, a:accent)
+      for kvp in items(p)
+        let mode_colors = kvp[1]
+        if has_key(mode_colors, a:group)
+          let colors = copy(mode_colors[a:group])
+          let colors[0] = p.accents[a:accent][0]
+          let colors[2] = p.accents[a:accent][2]
+          let mode_colors[a:group.'_'.a:accent] = colors
+        endif
+      endfor
+    endif
+  endif
+endfunction
+
 function! airline#highlighter#highlight_modified_inactive(bufnr)
   if getbufvar(a:bufnr, '&modified')
     let colors = exists('g:airline#themes#{g:airline_theme}#palette.inactive_modified.airline_c')
diff --git a/autoload/airline/init.vim b/autoload/airline/init.vim
index ffe5d572..c245f032 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/init.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/init.vim
@@ -79,10 +79,10 @@ function! airline#init#sections()
     let g:airline_section_b = airline#section#create(['hunks', 'branch'])
   endif
   if !exists('g:airline_section_c')
-    let g:airline_section_c = airline#section#create(['%<', 'file'])
+    let g:airline_section_c = airline#section#create(['%<', 'file', ' ', 'readonly'])
   endif
   if !exists('g:airline_section_gutter')
-    let g:airline_section_gutter = airline#section#create([' ', 'readonly', '%='])
+    let g:airline_section_gutter = airline#section#create(['%='])
   endif
   if !exists('g:airline_section_x')
     let g:airline_section_x = airline#section#create_right(['tagbar', 'filetype'])
diff --git a/autoload/airline/themes.vim b/autoload/airline/themes.vim
index 879d8c01..7d1f7183 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/themes.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/themes.vim
@@ -40,26 +40,5 @@ function! airline#themes#patch(palette)
       let a:palette[mode]['airline_warning'] = [ '#000000', '#df5f00', 232, 166 ]
     endif
   endfor
-
-  " this is a pretty heavy handed, but it works...
-  " basically, look for the 'airline_file' group and copy the bg
-  " colors from 'airline_c' into it.
-  for mode in keys(a:palette)
-    let overrides = split(mode, '_')
-    let mode_colors = a:palette[overrides[0]]
-    if exists('mode_colors.airline_file')
-      let file_colors = mode_colors.airline_file
-      let file_colors[1] = mode_colors.airline_c[1]
-      let file_colors[3] = mode_colors.airline_c[3]
-
-      if len(overrides) > 1
-        let override_colors = a:palette[overrides[0].'_'.overrides[1]]
-        let override_colors.airline_file = copy(file_colors)
-        let override_status_colors = get(override_colors, 'airline_c', mode_colors.airline_c)
-        let override_colors.airline_file[1] = override_status_colors[1]
-        let override_colors.airline_file[3] = override_status_colors[3]
-      endif
-    endif
-  endfor
 endfunction
 
diff --git a/t/builder.vim b/t/builder.vim
index ca38a793..705abfb8 100644
--- a/t/builder.vim
+++ b/t/builder.vim
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+let g:airline_theme = 'dark'
 call airline#init#bootstrap()
 
 describe 'active builder'
diff --git a/t/extensions_default.vim b/t/extensions_default.vim
index 475884a1..b98e8166 100644
--- a/t/extensions_default.vim
+++ b/t/extensions_default.vim
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+let g:airline_theme = 'dark'
 call airline#init#bootstrap()
 call airline#init#sections()
 source plugin/airline.vim
diff --git a/t/init.vim b/t/init.vim
index e937de0a..a20bc334 100644
--- a/t/init.vim
+++ b/t/init.vim
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ describe 'init'
   end
 
   it 'section c should be file'
-    Expect g:airline_section_c == '%<%f%m'
+    Expect g:airline_section_c == '%<%f%m %#airline_accent_red#%{airline#util#wrap(airline#parts#readonly(),0)}'
   end
 
   it 'section x should be filetype'