diff --git a/README.mkd b/README.mkd
index 1562cd4..c49289f 100644
--- a/README.mkd
+++ b/README.mkd
@@ -318,31 +318,20 @@ let g:gitgutter_sign_allow_clobber = 1
 
 #### Signs' colours and symbols
 
-By default vim-gitgutter uses your colourscheme's `Diff*` highlight groups' foreground colours for the signs' foreground colours.  For example, your `DiffAdd` foreground colour will be used for the `+` sign's foreground colour.
+If you or your colourscheme has defined `GitGutter*` highlight groups, the plugin will use those for the signs' colours.
 
-The signs' background colours will all be set to the sign column's background colour.
+Otherwise it will use your colourscheme's `Diff*` highlight groups.
 
-If you don't like the default colours, you can either fix your colourscheme's `Diff*` highlights or configure your own `GitGutter*` highlight groups.  These groups are:
+Either way the signs' background colours will be set to the sign column's background colour.
+
+If you don't like the colours, specify the ones you want in your vimrc (see `:help highlight-guifg` and `:help highlight-ctermfg`).  For example, to get vim-gitgutter's original colours (based on git-diff's colours in my terminal):
 
 ```viml
-GitGutterAdd          " an added line             (default: links to DiffAdd)
-GitGutterChange       " a changed line            (default: links to DiffChange)
-GitGutterDelete       " at least one removed line (default: links to DiffDelete)
-GitGutterChangeDelete " a changed line followed by at least one removed line (default: links to GitGutterChange)
+highlight GitGutterAdd    guifg=#009900 ctermfg=2
+highlight GitGutterChange guifg=#bbbb00 ctermfg=3
+highlight GitGutterDelete guifg=#ff2222 ctermfg=1
 ```
 
-You can either set these with `highlight GitGutterAdd {key}={arg}...` or link them to existing highlight groups with, say, `highlight link GitGutterAdd MyDiffAdd`.
-
-To get vim-gitgutter's original colours (based on git-diff's colours in my terminal):
-
-```viml
-highlight GitGutterAdd    guifg=#009900 guibg=<X> ctermfg=2 ctermbg=<Y>
-highlight GitGutterChange guifg=#bbbb00 guibg=<X> ctermfg=3 ctermbg=<Y>
-highlight GitGutterDelete guifg=#ff2222 guibg=<X> ctermfg=1 ctermbg=<Y>
-```
-
-– where you would replace `<X>` and `<Y>` with the background colour of your `SignColumn` in the gui and the terminal respectively.  For example, with the solarized colorscheme and a dark background, `guibg=#073642` and `ctermbg=0`.
-
 To customise the symbols, add the following to your `~/.vimrc`:
 
 ```viml
diff --git a/autoload/gitgutter/highlight.vim b/autoload/gitgutter/highlight.vim
index e8ac1a2..9839cfb 100644
--- a/autoload/gitgutter/highlight.vim
+++ b/autoload/gitgutter/highlight.vim
@@ -84,6 +84,15 @@ function! gitgutter#highlight#define_highlights() abort
   highlight default link GitGutterChangeDeleteInvisible GitGutterChangeInvisible
 
   " When they are visible.
+
+  " If GitGutter* highlights are already defined, either by the user or the colourscheme,
+  " set their backgrounds to the sign column's.
+  for type in ["Add", "Change", "Delete"]
+    if hlexists("GitGutter".type)
+      execute "highlight GitGutter".type." guibg=".guibg." ctermbg=".ctermbg
+    endif
+  endfor
+
   " By default use Diff* foreground colors with SignColumn's background.
   for type in ['Add', 'Change', 'Delete']
     let [guifg, ctermfg] = s:get_foreground_colors('Diff'.type)
diff --git a/doc/gitgutter.txt b/doc/gitgutter.txt
index b2278c8..e8f8178 100644
--- a/doc/gitgutter.txt
+++ b/doc/gitgutter.txt
@@ -529,20 +529,14 @@ of the current window instead of the global quickfix list.
 ===============================================================================
 HIGHLIGHTS                                               *gitgutter-highlights*
 
-To change the signs' colours, set up the following highlight groups in your
-colorscheme or |vimrc|:
+To change the signs' colours, specify these highlight groups in your |vimrc|:
 >
-    GitGutterAdd          " an added line
-    GitGutterChange       " a changed line
-    GitGutterDelete       " at least one removed line
-    GitGutterChangeDelete " a changed line followed by at least one removed line
+    highlight GitGutterAdd    guifg=#009900 ctermfg=2
+    highlight GitGutterChange guifg=#bbbb00 ctermfg=3
+    highlight GitGutterDelete guifg=#ff2222 ctermfg=1
 <
 
-You can either set these with `highlight GitGutterAdd {key}={arg}...` or link
-them to existing highlight groups with, say:
->
-  highlight link GitGutterAdd MyDiffAdd
-<
+See |highlight-guifg| and |highlight-ctermfg| for the values you can use.
 
 To change the line highlights, set up the following highlight groups in your
 colorscheme or |vimrc|: