diff --git a/src/tui/editor_gutter.zig b/src/tui/editor_gutter.zig
index 51c9da5..177a16f 100644
--- a/src/tui/editor_gutter.zig
+++ b/src/tui/editor_gutter.zig
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ pub fn render(self: *Self, theme: *const Widget.Theme) bool {
     tui.set_base_style(&self.plane, " ", theme.editor_gutter);
     self.plane.erase();
     if (self.linenum) {
-        const relative = self.relative or std.mem.eql(u8, tui.get_mode(), root.application_logo ++ "NOR"); // TODO: move to mode
+        const relative = self.relative or if (tui.current().input_mode) |mode| mode.line_numbers  == .relative else false;
         if (relative)
             self.render_relative(theme)
         else
@@ -158,7 +158,9 @@ pub fn render_relative(self: *Self, theme: *const Widget.Theme) void {
     const line: isize = @intCast(self.line + 1);
     var pos: usize = 0;
     var linenum: isize = row - line;
+    var abs_linenum = self.row + 1;
     var rows = self.rows;
+    var diff_symbols = self.diff_symbols.items;
     var buf: [31:0]u8 = undefined;
     while (rows > 0) : (rows -= 1) {
         if (pos > self.lines - row) return;
@@ -168,8 +170,10 @@ pub fn render_relative(self: *Self, theme: *const Widget.Theme) void {
         _ = self.plane.putstr_aligned(@intCast(pos), nc.Align.right, if (fmt.len > 6) "==> " else fmt) catch {};
         if (self.highlight and linenum == 0)
             self.render_line_highlight(pos, theme);
+        self.render_diff_symbols(&diff_symbols, pos, abs_linenum, theme);
         pos += 1;
         linenum += 1;
+        abs_linenum += 1;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tui/mode/input/vim/normal.zig b/src/tui/mode/input/vim/normal.zig
index 2032cc7..a870bc2 100644
--- a/src/tui/mode/input/vim/normal.zig
+++ b/src/tui/mode/input/vim/normal.zig
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ pub fn create(a: Allocator) !tui.Mode {
     return .{
         .handler = EventHandler.to_owned(self),
         .name = root.application_logo ++ "NORMAL",
+        .line_numbers = .relative,
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tui/tui.zig b/src/tui/tui.zig
index 70a3e35..e35704d 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui.zig
+++ b/src/tui/tui.zig
@@ -759,6 +759,7 @@ const cmds = struct {
 pub const Mode = struct {
     handler: EventHandler,
     name: []const u8,
+    line_numbers: enum { absolute, relative } = .absolute,
 
     fn deinit(self: *Mode) void {
         self.handler.deinit();