diff --git a/autoload/ale/virtualtext.vim b/autoload/ale/virtualtext.vim
index 4fb8a31f..e2f1c2c1 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/virtualtext.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/virtualtext.vim
@@ -3,6 +3,26 @@ scriptencoding utf-8
 " Author: Luan Santos <cfcluan@gmail.com>
 " Description: Shows lint message for the current line as virtualtext, if any
 
+if !hlexists('ALEVirtualTextError')
+    highlight link ALEVirtualTextError SpellBad
+endif
+
+if !hlexists('ALEVirtualTextStyleError')
+    highlight link ALEVirtualTextStyleError ALEVirtualTextError
+endif
+
+if !hlexists('ALEVirtualTextWarning')
+    highlight link ALEVirtualTextWarning SpellCap
+endif
+
+if !hlexists('ALEVirtualTextStyleWarning')
+    highlight link ALEVirtualTextStyleWarning ALEVirtualTextWarning
+endif
+
+if !hlexists('ALEVirtualTextInfo')
+    highlight link ALEVirtualTextInfo ALEVirtualTextWarning
+endif
+
 " Controls the milliseconds delay before showing a message.
 let g:ale_virtualtext_delay = get(g:, 'ale_virtualtext_delay', 10)
 let s:cursor_timer = -1
diff --git a/doc/ale.txt b/doc/ale.txt
index 65a551a7..ebc5489c 100644
--- a/doc/ale.txt
+++ b/doc/ale.txt
@@ -2508,7 +2508,7 @@ ALEStyleWarningSignLineNr                           *ALEStyleWarningSignLineNr*
 
 ALEVirtualTextError                                       *ALEVirtualTextError*
 
-  Default: `highlight link ALEVirtualTextError ALEError`
+  Default: `highlight link ALEVirtualTextError SpellBad`
 
   The highlight for virtualtext errors. See |g:ale_virtualtext_cursor|.
 
@@ -2536,7 +2536,7 @@ ALEVirtualTextStyleWarning                         *ALEVirtualTextStyleWarning*
 
 ALEVirtualTextWarning                                   *ALEVirtualTextWarning*
 
-  Default: `highlight link ALEVirtualTextWarning ALEWarning`
+  Default: `highlight link ALEVirtualTextWarning SpellCap`
 
   The highlight for virtualtext errors. See |g:ale_virtualtext_cursor|.