diff --git a/vim/colors/customred256.vim b/vim/colors/customred256.vim
index f2e62a9..1a8af6f 100644
--- a/vim/colors/customred256.vim
+++ b/vim/colors/customred256.vim
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@ let colors_name = 'customred256'
 hi Normal	ctermfg=246		ctermbg=none
 hi! def link ErrorMsg	  CRError
 
-
-
-
 """"""""""""""
 " colours
 """"""""""""""
@@ -87,6 +84,7 @@ hi CRCssSelectorDark				ctermfg=72
 
 " general definitions
 hi           Error									ctermfg=231 ctermbg=none
+hi           ExtraWhitespace        ctermbg=237
 hi           Comment								ctermfg=238
 
 hi! def link Constant								String
diff --git a/vimrc b/vimrc
index 0dc878e..18c9d82 100644
--- a/vimrc
+++ b/vimrc
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ set foldmethod=manual
 
 set autoindent
 set breakindent
-set showbreak=>>>
+set showbreak=↳
 
 syntax on
 set mouse=a
@@ -277,6 +277,11 @@ augroup VimCSS3Syntax
   autocmd FileType css setlocal iskeyword+=-
 augroup END
 
+" Show trailing whitepace and spaces before a tab:
+augroup whitespaceerrors
+  autocmd Syntax * syn match ExtraWhitespace /\s\+$\| \+\ze\t/ containedin=ALL 
+augroup END 
+
 
 " autocommands
 " automatically reload if color scheme file written