diff --git a/early-init.el b/early-init.el
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06edd7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/early-init.el
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+;;; early-init.el --- earliest birds               -*- lexical-binding: t -*-
+
+(setq package-enable-at-startup nil)
+
+(with-eval-after-load 'package
+  (add-to-list 'package-archives
+               (cons "melpa" "https://melpa.org/packages/")
+               t)
+  (add-to-list 'package-archives
+               (cons "org" "https://orgmode.org/elpa/")
+               t))
+
+;; Local Variables:
+;; no-byte-compile: t
+;; indent-tabs-mode: nil
+;; End:
+;;; early-init.el ends here
diff --git a/init.el b/init.el
index 518dca1..8ec83f6 100644
--- a/init.el
+++ b/init.el
@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@
   (setq user-init-file (or load-file-name buffer-file-name))
   (setq user-emacs-directory (file-name-directory user-init-file))
   (message "Loading %s..." user-init-file)
-  (setq package-enable-at-startup nil)
-  ;; (package-initialize)
+  (when (< emacs-major-version 27)
+    (setq package-enable-at-startup nil)
+    ;; (package-initialize)
+    (load-file (expand-file-name "early-init.el" user-emacs-directory)))
   (setq inhibit-startup-buffer-menu t)
   (setq inhibit-startup-screen t)
   (setq inhibit-startup-echo-area-message "locutus")
@@ -72,6 +74,14 @@
   (global-diff-hl-mode)
   (add-hook 'magit-post-refresh-hook 'diff-hl-magit-post-refresh t))
 
+(use-package diff-mode
+  :defer t
+  :config
+  (when (>= emacs-major-version 27)
+    (set-face-attribute 'diff-refine-changed nil :extend t)
+    (set-face-attribute 'diff-refine-removed nil :extend t)
+    (set-face-attribute 'diff-refine-added   nil :extend t)))
+
 (use-package dired
   :defer t
   :config (setq dired-listing-switches "-alh"))
@@ -132,6 +142,14 @@
 (use-package simple
   :config (column-number-mode))
 
+(use-package smerge-mode
+  :defer t
+  :config
+  (when (>= emacs-major-version 27)
+    (set-face-attribute 'smerge-refined-changed nil :extend t)
+    (set-face-attribute 'smerge-refined-removed nil :extend t)
+    (set-face-attribute 'smerge-refined-added   nil :extend t)))
+
 (progn ;    `text-mode'
   (add-hook 'text-mode-hook #'indicate-buffer-boundaries-left))
 
@@ -141,7 +159,11 @@
   (add-to-list 'tramp-default-proxies-alist '(nil "\\`root\\'" "/ssh:%h:"))
   (add-to-list 'tramp-default-proxies-alist '("localhost" nil nil))
   (add-to-list 'tramp-default-proxies-alist
-               (list (regexp-quote (system-name)) nil nil)))
+               (list (regexp-quote (system-name)) nil nil))
+  (setq vc-ignore-dir-regexp
+        (format "\\(%s\\)\\|\\(%s\\)"
+                vc-ignore-dir-regexp
+                tramp-file-name-regexp)))
 
 (progn ;     startup
   (message "Loading %s...done (%.3fs)" user-init-file
diff --git a/lib/borg b/lib/borg
index 7efd982..3cfb35f 160000
--- a/lib/borg
+++ b/lib/borg
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 7efd982e8e84b5761acbed9db98ec21eefca5048
+Subproject commit 3cfb35f5c54a76f200272ed11b4a39f11a57552c
diff --git a/lib/diff-hl b/lib/diff-hl
index fb9eb1c..2cf8b48 160000
--- a/lib/diff-hl
+++ b/lib/diff-hl
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit fb9eb1cd3c4c6ed24b93de1a7cfb369d2983be74
+Subproject commit 2cf8b489f3b71c869a5626a5eb41f36495bdfd61
diff --git a/lib/epkg b/lib/epkg
index 075f6af..edf8c00 160000
--- a/lib/epkg
+++ b/lib/epkg
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 075f6afa81f7a83a35088b699ed44d6029192198
+Subproject commit edf8c009066360af61caedf67a2482eaa19481b0
diff --git a/lib/ghub b/lib/ghub
index 4ebe60b..a8bf337 160000
--- a/lib/ghub
+++ b/lib/ghub
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 4ebe60b9522355c6ee95005bc7d8ba41df4a3c6b
+Subproject commit a8bf337534ec583906db77a3d56f7d1b84bda952
diff --git a/lib/libgit b/lib/libgit
index 65fde63..6c3b892 160000
--- a/lib/libgit
+++ b/lib/libgit
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 65fde63a0bde9b4cef74204db5d9ac0a740d6b4d
+Subproject commit 6c3b89276a149b2d009882f756a9edf866671f05
diff --git a/lib/magit b/lib/magit
index 798e47a..68b5a13 160000
--- a/lib/magit
+++ b/lib/magit
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 798e47a1f07ac40c5a8c82372814c52be0478a76
+Subproject commit 68b5a13fa1b6b122d4a2547b8c415aadff83d8ca
diff --git a/lib/transient b/lib/transient
index 7977732..a269614 160000
--- a/lib/transient
+++ b/lib/transient
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 79777324858df408bd6ba7509d9f0b6987208d98
+Subproject commit a269614c69ad8b2703e6e5093d0017d6afad6cca