diff --git a/fnl/leap/highlight.fnl b/fnl/leap/highlight.fnl
index 266ce75..2929e6f 100644
--- a/fnl/leap/highlight.fnl
+++ b/fnl/leap/highlight.fnl
@@ -149,15 +149,15 @@ so we set a temporary highlight on it to see where we are."
     ; Define LeapLabelDimmed.
     (let [normal (vim.api.nvim_get_hl 0 {:name "Normal" :link false})
           label* (vim.api.nvim_get_hl 0 {:name self.group.label :link false})]
-      ; E.g., the old default color scheme (`vim`) does not define Normal at all.
+      ; `bg` can be nil (transparent background), and e.g. the old default
+      ; color scheme (`vim`) does not define Normal at all.
       ; Also, `nvim_get_hl()` apparently does not guarantee to return numeric
       ; values in the table (#260).
-      (when (and (= (type label*.bg) "number")
-                 (= (type normal.bg) "number"))
-        (set label*.bg (blend label*.bg normal.bg 0.7)))
-      (when (and (= (type label*.fg) "number")
-                 (= (type normal.fg) "number"))
-        (set label*.fg (blend label*.fg normal.bg 0.5)))
+      (when (= (type normal.bg) "number")
+        (when (= (type label*.bg) "number")
+          (set label*.bg (blend label*.bg normal.bg 0.7)))
+        (when (= (type label*.fg) "number")
+          (set label*.fg (blend label*.fg normal.bg 0.5))))
       (vim.api.nvim_set_hl 0 self.group.label-dimmed label*))))
 
 
diff --git a/lua/leap/highlight.lua b/lua/leap/highlight.lua
index 74b4715..efca9a5 100644
--- a/lua/leap/highlight.lua
+++ b/lua/leap/highlight.lua
@@ -149,12 +149,15 @@ M["init-highlight"] = function(self, force_3f)
   end
   local normal = vim.api.nvim_get_hl(0, {name = "Normal", link = false})
   local label_2a = vim.api.nvim_get_hl(0, {name = self.group.label, link = false})
-  if ((type(label_2a.bg) == "number") and (type(normal.bg) == "number")) then
-    label_2a.bg = blend(label_2a.bg, normal.bg, 0.7)
-  else
-  end
-  if ((type(label_2a.fg) == "number") and (type(normal.fg) == "number")) then
-    label_2a.fg = blend(label_2a.fg, normal.bg, 0.5)
+  if (type(normal.bg) == "number") then
+    if (type(label_2a.bg) == "number") then
+      label_2a.bg = blend(label_2a.bg, normal.bg, 0.7)
+    else
+    end
+    if (type(label_2a.fg) == "number") then
+      label_2a.fg = blend(label_2a.fg, normal.bg, 0.5)
+    else
+    end
   else
   end
   return vim.api.nvim_set_hl(0, self.group["label-dimmed"], label_2a)