diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c44d5f9a..6d48c18e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ If you are experiencing issues, please make sure you have the latest versions.
 External Requirements:
 - Basic utils: `git`, `make`, `unzip`, C Compiler (`gcc`)
 - [ripgrep](https://github.com/BurntSushi/ripgrep#installation)
+- A [Nerd Font](https://www.nerdfonts.com/): optional, provides various icons
+  - if you have it set `vim.g.have_nerd_font` in `init.lua` to true
 - Language Setup:
   - If want to write Typescript, you need `npm`
   - If want to write Golang, you will need `go`
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index e8c8693f..3bdb5e36 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ P.S. You can delete this when you're done too. It's your config now! :)
 vim.g.mapleader = ' '
 vim.g.maplocalleader = ' '
 
+-- Set to true if you have a Nerd Font installed
+vim.g.have_nerd_font = false
+
 -- [[ Setting options ]]
 -- See `:help vim.opt`
 -- NOTE: You can change these options as you wish!
@@ -218,7 +221,7 @@ vim.opt.rtp:prepend(lazypath)
 --    :Lazy update
 --
 -- NOTE: Here is where you install your plugins.
-require('lazy').setup {
+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
 
@@ -312,10 +315,8 @@ require('lazy').setup {
       },
       { 'nvim-telescope/telescope-ui-select.nvim' },
 
-      -- Useful for getting pretty icons, but requires special font.
-      --  If you already have a Nerd Font, or terminal set up with fallback fonts
-      --  you can enable this
-      -- { 'nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons' }
+      -- Useful for getting pretty icons, but requires a Nerd Font.
+      { 'nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons', enabled = vim.g.have_nerd_font },
     },
     config = function()
       -- Telescope is a fuzzy finder that comes with a lot of different things that
@@ -760,7 +761,8 @@ require('lazy').setup {
       --  You could remove this setup call if you don't like it,
       --  and try some other statusline plugin
       local statusline = require 'mini.statusline'
-      statusline.setup()
+      -- set use_icons to true if you have a Nerd Font
+      statusline.setup { use_icons = vim.g.have_nerd_font }
 
       -- You can configure sections in the statusline by overriding their
       -- default behavior. For example, here we set the section for
@@ -817,7 +819,27 @@ require('lazy').setup {
   --  Uncomment the following line and add your plugins to `lua/custom/plugins/*.lua` to get going.
   --    For additional information, see `:help lazy.nvim-lazy.nvim-structuring-your-plugins`
   -- { import = 'custom.plugins' },
-}
+}, {
+  ui = {
+    -- If you have a Nerd Font, set icons to an empty table which will use the
+    -- default lazy.nvim defined Nerd Font icons otherwise define a unicode icons table
+    icons = vim.g.have_nerd_font and {} or {
+      cmd = '⌘',
+      config = '🛠',
+      event = '📅',
+      ft = '📂',
+      init = '⚙',
+      keys = '🗝',
+      plugin = '🔌',
+      runtime = '💻',
+      require = '🌙',
+      source = '📄',
+      start = '🚀',
+      task = '📌',
+      lazy = '💤 ',
+    },
+  },
+})
 
 -- The line beneath this is called `modeline`. See `:help modeline`
 -- vim: ts=2 sts=2 sw=2 et