diff --git a/content/bookmarks.js b/content/bookmarks.js
index c996c5ab..db59a754 100644
--- a/content/bookmarks.js
+++ b/content/bookmarks.js
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ function Bookmarks() //{{{
                 }
                 list += "</table>";
 
-                vimperator.commandline.echo(list, true);
+                vimperator.commandline.echo(list, vimperator.commandline.HL_NORMAL, true);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ function History() //{{{
                 }
                 list += "</table>";
 
-                vimperator.commandline.echo(list, true);
+                vimperator.commandline.echo(list, vimperator.commandline.HL_NORMAL, true);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ function Marks() //{{{
         }
         list += "</table>";
 
-        vimperator.commandline.echo(list, true); // TODO: force of multiline widget a better way
+        vimperator.commandline.echo(list, vimperator.commandline.HL_NORMAL, true); // TODO: force of multiline widget a better way
     }
     //}}}
 } //}}}
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ function QuickMarks() //{{{
         }
         list += "</table>";
 
-        vimperator.commandline.echo(list, true); // TODO: force of multiline widget a better way
+        vimperator.commandline.echo(list, vimperator.commandline.HL_NORMAL, true); // TODO: force of multiline widget a better way
     }
 
     this.destroy = function()
diff --git a/content/buffers.js b/content/buffers.js
index 4d9a376c..c5835d68 100644
--- a/content/buffers.js
+++ b/content/buffers.js
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ function Buffer() //{{{
             }
             list += "</table>";
 
-            vimperator.commandline.echo(list, true);
+            vimperator.commandline.echo(list, vimperator.commandline.HL_NORMAL, true);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/content/find.js b/content/find.js
index b8cfebf4..1ca6095d 100644
--- a/content/find.js
+++ b/content/find.js
@@ -161,9 +161,9 @@ function Search() //{{{
             // our command line
             setTimeout(function() {
                 if (up)
-                    vimperator.echoerr("search hit TOP, continuing at BOTTOM");
+                    vimperator.commandline.echo("search hit TOP, continuing at BOTTOM", vimperator.commandline.HL_WARNING);
                 else
-                    vimperator.echoerr("search hit BOTTOM, continuing at TOP");
+                    vimperator.commandline.echo("search hit BOTTOM, continuing at TOP", vimperator.commandline.HL_WARNING);
             }, 0);
         }
         else
diff --git a/content/mappings.js b/content/mappings.js
index de1a51db..3ee53b90 100644
--- a/content/mappings.js
+++ b/content/mappings.js
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ function Mappings() //{{{
         }
         list += "</table>";
 
-        vimperator.commandline.echo(list, true); // TODO: force of multiline widget a better way
+        vimperator.commandline.echo(list, vimperator.commandline.HL_NORMAL, true); // TODO: force of multiline widget a better way
     }
 
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////}}}
diff --git a/content/options.js b/content/options.js
index f68bc7fd..060a28f3 100644
--- a/content/options.js
+++ b/content/options.js
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ function Options() //{{{
 
         list += "</table>";
 
-        vimperator.commandline.echo(list, true);
+        vimperator.commandline.echo(list, vimperator.commandline.HL_NORMAL, true);
     }
 
     // TODO: separate Preferences from Options? Would these utility functions
diff --git a/content/ui.js b/content/ui.js
index cc8a7a48..6963196a 100644
--- a/content/ui.js
+++ b/content/ui.js
@@ -133,17 +133,9 @@ function CommandLine() //{{{
     var multiline_regexp = null;
     var multiline_callback = null;
 
-    function setNormalStyle()
+    function setHighlightGroup(group)
     {
-        commandline_widget.setAttribute("class", "normal");
-    }
-    function setMessageStyle()
-    {
-        commandline_widget.setAttribute("class", "message");
-    }
-    function setErrorStyle()
-    {
-        commandline_widget.setAttribute("class", "error");
+        commandline_widget.setAttribute("class", group);
     }
 
     // Sets the prompt - for example, : or /
@@ -238,6 +230,13 @@ function CommandLine() //{{{
     ////////////////////// PUBLIC SECTION //////////////////////////////////////////
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////{{{
 
+    this.HL_NORMAL   = "hl-Normal";
+    this.HL_ERRORMSG = "hl-ErrorMsg";
+    this.HL_MODEMSG  = "hl-ModeMsg";
+    this.HL_MOREMSG  = "hl-MoreMsg";
+    this.HL_QUESTION = "hl-Question";
+    this.HL_WARNING  = "hl-Warning";
+
     this.getCommand = function()
     {
         return command_widget.value;
@@ -251,7 +250,7 @@ function CommandLine() //{{{
         cur_command = cmd || "";
         cur_extended_mode = ext_mode || null;
 
-        setNormalStyle();
+        setHighlightGroup(this.HL_NORMAL);
         history_index = UNINITIALIZED;
         completion_index = UNINITIALIZED;
 
@@ -276,7 +275,7 @@ function CommandLine() //{{{
     }
 
     // FIXME: flags not yet really functional --mst
-    this.echo = function(str, flags)
+    this.echo = function(str, highlight_group, flags)
     {
         var focused = document.commandDispatcher.focusedElement;
         if (focused && focused == command_widget.inputField || focused == multiline_input_widget.inputField)
@@ -285,7 +284,8 @@ function CommandLine() //{{{
         if (typeof str != "string")
             str = "";
 
-        setNormalStyle();
+        highlight_group = highlight_group || this.HL_NORMAL;
+        setHighlightGroup(highlight_group);
         if (flags || str.indexOf("\n") > -1 || str.indexOf("<br>") > -1 || str.indexOf("<br/>") > -1)
         {
             setMultiline(str);
@@ -299,13 +299,14 @@ function CommandLine() //{{{
         return true;
     };
 
+    // FIXME: why is this duplicated? -- djk
     this.echoErr = function(str)
     {
         var focused = document.commandDispatcher.focusedElement;
         if (focused && focused == command_widget.inputField || focused == multiline_input_widget.inputField)
             return false;
 
-        setErrorStyle();
+        setHighlightGroup(this.HL_ERRORMSG);
         setPrompt("");
         setCommand(str);
         cur_extended_mode = null;
@@ -318,7 +319,7 @@ function CommandLine() //{{{
     {
         // TODO: unfinished, need to find out how/if we can block the execution of code
         // to make this code synchronous or at least use a callback
-        setMessageStyle();
+        setHighlightGroup(this.HL_QUESTION);
         setPrompt(str);
         setCommand("");
         return "not implemented";
@@ -352,9 +353,9 @@ function CommandLine() //{{{
         multiline_output_widget.collapsed = true;
         completionlist.hide();
 
+        setHighlightGroup(this.HL_NORMAL);
         setPrompt(" "); // looks faster than an empty string as most prompts are 1 char long
         setCommand("");
-        setNormalStyle();
     };
 
     this.onEvent = function(event)
diff --git a/content/vimperator.js b/content/vimperator.js
index 920f10d2..f73c82a1 100644
--- a/content/vimperator.js
+++ b/content/vimperator.js
@@ -731,8 +731,8 @@ const vimperator = (function() //{{{
             vimperator.hints         = new Hints();
             vimperator.log("All modules loaded", 3);
 
-            vimperator.echo    = vimperator.commandline.echo;
-            vimperator.echoerr = vimperator.commandline.echoErr;
+            vimperator.echo    = function(str) { vimperator.commandline.echo(str); }
+            vimperator.echoerr = function(str) { vimperator.commandline.echoErr(str); }
 
             vimperator.globalVariables = {};
 
diff --git a/skin/vimperator.css b/skin/vimperator.css
index 4e88216d..3f7b9bc1 100644
--- a/skin/vimperator.css
+++ b/skin/vimperator.css
@@ -94,25 +94,16 @@ the terms of any one of the MPL, the GPL or the LGPL.
 }
 
 #vimperator-commandline {
-    /* FIXME: black on white or default skin colors? -moz-Field/-moz-FieldText */
+    padding: 1px;
+    /*
     background-color: white;
     color: black;
-    padding: 1px;
+    */
 }
 #vimperator-commandline-prompt, #vimperator-commandline-command {
     background-color: inherit;
     color: inherit;
 }
-#vimperator-commandline.error {
-    background-color: red;
-    color: white;
-    font-weight: bold;
-}
-#vimperator-commandline.message > #vimperator-commandline-prompt {
-    background-color: white;
-    color: magenta;
-    font-weight: bold;
-}
 
 #vimperator-multiline-output {
     overflow: hidden;
@@ -123,4 +114,35 @@ the terms of any one of the MPL, the GPL or the LGPL.
     background-color: black;
 }
 
+.hl-Normal {
+    background-color: white;
+    color: black;
+}
+.hl-ErrorMsg {
+    background-color: red;
+    color: white;
+    font-weight: bold;
+}
+.hl-ModeMsg {
+    background-color: white;
+    color: black;
+}
+.hl-MoreMsg {
+    background-color: white;
+    color: green;
+}
+.hl-Question {
+    background-color: white;
+    color: green;
+}
+.hl-Title {
+    background-color: white;
+    color: magenta;
+    font-weight: bold;
+}
+.hl-Warning {
+    background-color: white;
+    color: red;
+}
+
 /* vim: set fdm=marker sw=4 ts=4 et: */