diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
index c6a835467a6c..e05136d02636 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
@@ -465,7 +465,8 @@ impl EditorView {
                 return;
             }
 
-            let starting_indent = (offset.col / tab_width) + config.indent_guides.skip_levels;
+            let starting_indent =
+                (offset.col / tab_width) + config.indent_guides.skip_levels as usize;
             // TODO: limit to a max indent level too. It doesn't cause visual artifacts but it would avoid some
             // extra loops if the code is deeply nested.
 
diff --git a/helix-view/src/editor.rs b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
index dd1e30f95b7e..e9a3c6397017 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ impl Default for WhitespaceCharacters {
 pub struct IndentGuidesConfig {
     pub render: bool,
     pub character: char,
-    pub skip_levels: usize,
+    pub skip_levels: u8,
 }
 
 impl Default for IndentGuidesConfig {