diff --git a/lua/diffview/tests/functional/highlight_spec.lua b/lua/diffview/tests/functional/highlight_spec.lua
index d6310312..b9d62dd0 100644
--- a/lua/diffview/tests/functional/highlight_spec.lua
+++ b/lua/diffview/tests/functional/highlight_spec.lua
@@ -18,15 +18,33 @@ describe("highlight setup", function()
     assert.equals("Changed", api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "diffChanged" }).link)
   end)
 
-  it("preserves existing diff highlight groups", function()
-    api.nvim_set_hl(0, "diffAdded", { fg = 0x112233 })
-    api.nvim_set_hl(0, "diffRemoved", { fg = 0x223344 })
-    api.nvim_set_hl(0, "diffChanged", { fg = 0x334455 })
+  describe("with user-defined diff highlight groups", function()
+    local saved
 
-    require("diffview.hl").setup()
+    before_each(function()
+      saved = {
+        diffAdded = api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "diffAdded" }),
+        diffRemoved = api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "diffRemoved" }),
+        diffChanged = api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "diffChanged" }),
+      }
+    end)
+
+    after_each(function()
+      for name, def in pairs(saved) do
+        api.nvim_set_hl(0, name, def)
+      end
+    end)
+
+    it("preserves them across setup()", function()
+      api.nvim_set_hl(0, "diffAdded", { fg = 0x112233 })
+      api.nvim_set_hl(0, "diffRemoved", { fg = 0x223344 })
+      api.nvim_set_hl(0, "diffChanged", { fg = 0x334455 })
+
+      require("diffview.hl").setup()
 
-    assert.equals(0x112233, api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "diffAdded" }).fg)
-    assert.equals(0x223344, api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "diffRemoved" }).fg)
-    assert.equals(0x334455, api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "diffChanged" }).fg)
+      assert.equals(0x112233, api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "diffAdded" }).fg)
+      assert.equals(0x223344, api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "diffRemoved" }).fg)
+      assert.equals(0x334455, api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "diffChanged" }).fg)
+    end)
   end)
 end)