diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 8bf1cac..a248dce 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -43,46 +43,6 @@ require('lazy').setup({
   -- NOTE: Plugins can be added with a link (or for a github repo: 'owner/repo' link).
   'tpope/vim-sleuth', -- Detect tabstop and shiftwidth automatically
 
-  -- NOTE: Plugins can also be added by using a table,
-  -- with the first argument being the link and the following
-  -- keys can be used to configure plugin behavior/loading/etc.
-  --
-  -- Use `opts = {}` to force a plugin to be loaded.
-  --
-
-  -- Here is a more advanced example where we pass configuration
-  -- options to `gitsigns.nvim`. This is equivalent to the following Lua:
-  --    require('gitsigns').setup({ ... })
-  --
-  -- See `:help gitsigns` to understand what the configuration keys do
-  { -- Adds git related signs to the gutter, as well as utilities for managing changes
-    'lewis6991/gitsigns.nvim',
-    opts = {
-      signs = {
-        add = { text = '+' },
-        change = { text = '~' },
-        delete = { text = '_' },
-        topdelete = { text = '‾' },
-        changedelete = { text = '~' },
-      },
-    },
-  },
-
-  -- NOTE: Plugins can also be configured to run Lua code when they are loaded.
-  --
-  -- This is often very useful to both group configuration, as well as handle
-  -- lazy loading plugins that don't need to be loaded immediately at startup.
-  --
-  -- For example, in the following configuration, we use:
-  --  event = 'VimEnter'
-  --
-  -- which loads which-key before all the UI elements are loaded. Events can be
-  -- normal autocommands events (`:help autocmd-events`).
-  --
-  -- Then, because we use the `config` key, the configuration only runs
-  -- after the plugin has been loaded:
-  --  config = function() ... end
-
   { -- Useful plugin to show you pending keybinds.
     'folke/which-key.nvim',
     event = 'VimEnter', -- Sets the loading event to 'VimEnter'
@@ -270,7 +230,8 @@ require('lazy').setup({
     'neovim/nvim-lspconfig',
     dependencies = {
       -- Automatically install LSPs and related tools to stdpath for Neovim
-      { 'williamboman/mason.nvim', config = true }, -- NOTE: Must be loaded before dependants
+      -- NOTE: `opts = {}` is the same as calling `require('mason').setup({})`
+      { 'mason-org/mason.nvim', opts = {} },
       'williamboman/mason-lspconfig.nvim',
       'WhoIsSethDaniel/mason-tool-installer.nvim',
 
@@ -449,16 +410,6 @@ require('lazy').setup({
         },
       }
 
-      -- Ensure the servers and tools above are installed
-      --  To check the current status of installed tools and/or manually install
-      --  other tools, you can run
-      --    :Mason
-      --
-      --  You can press `g?` for help in this menu.
-      require('mason').setup()
-
-      -- You can add other tools here that you want Mason to install
-      -- for you, so that they are available from within Neovim.
       local ensure_installed = vim.tbl_keys(servers or {})
       vim.list_extend(ensure_installed, {
         'stylua', -- Used to format Lua code
@@ -466,6 +417,9 @@ require('lazy').setup({
       require('mason-tool-installer').setup { ensure_installed = ensure_installed }
 
       require('mason-lspconfig').setup {
+        ensure_installed = {}, -- explicitly set to an empty table (Kickstart populates installs via mason-tool-installer)
+        automatic_installation = false,
+        automatic_enable = false,
         handlers = {
           function(server_name)
             local server = servers[server_name] or {}
@@ -738,7 +692,7 @@ require('lazy').setup({
   -- require 'kickstart.plugins.lint',
   require 'kickstart.plugins.autopairs',
   require 'kickstart.plugins.neo-tree',
-  -- require 'kickstart.plugins.gitsigns', -- adds gitsigns recommend keymaps
+  require 'kickstart.plugins.gitsigns',
 
   -- NOTE: The import below can automatically add your own plugins, configuration, etc from `lua/custom/plugins/*.lua`
   --    This is the easiest way to modularize your config.
diff --git a/lua/kickstart/plugins/gitsigns.lua b/lua/kickstart/plugins/gitsigns.lua
index 4bcc70f..54d1fc1 100644
--- a/lua/kickstart/plugins/gitsigns.lua
+++ b/lua/kickstart/plugins/gitsigns.lua
@@ -6,6 +6,14 @@ return {
   {
     'lewis6991/gitsigns.nvim',
     opts = {
+      signs = {
+        add = { text = '+' },
+        change = { text = '~' },
+        delete = { text = '_' },
+        topdelete = { text = '‾' },
+        changedelete = { text = '~' },
+      },
+
       on_attach = function(bufnr)
         local gitsigns = require 'gitsigns'