diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 712da4f..ffe032b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+## 0.8.4 [unreleased]
+
+- More flexible highlight options
+
 ## 0.8.3
 
 - Added support for ActiveJob
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fcbac0b..5a856e2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ Highlight the search query in the results.
 bands = Band.search "cinema", fields: [:name], highlight: true
 ```
 
-**Note:** The `fields` option is required, unless highlight options are given (see below).
+**Note:** The `fields` option is required, unless highlight options are given - see below.
 
 View the highlighted fields with:
 
@@ -569,22 +569,20 @@ To change the tag, use:
 Band.search "cinema", fields: [:name], highlight: {tag: "<strong>"}
 ```
 
-To highlight and search different fields, use:
+To highlight and search different fields, use: [master]
 
 ```ruby
-Band.search "cinema", fields: [:name], highlight: { fields: [:description] }
+Band.search "cinema", fields: [:name], highlight: {fields: [:description]}
 ```
 
-Additional options, including fragment size, can be specified for each field:
+Additional options, including fragment size, can be specified for each field: [master]
 
 ```ruby
-Band.search "cinema", fields: [:name], highlight: { fields: { name: { fragment_size: 200 } } }
+Band.search "cinema", fields: [:name], highlight: {fields: {name: {fragment_size: 200}}}
 ```
 
 You can find available highlight options in the [Elasticsearch reference](http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/search-request-highlighting.html#_highlighted_fragments).
 
-
-
 ### Similar Items
 
 Find similar items.
diff --git a/lib/searchkick/query.rb b/lib/searchkick/query.rb
index 8121141..280fab1 100644
--- a/lib/searchkick/query.rb
+++ b/lib/searchkick/query.rb
@@ -327,7 +327,8 @@ module Searchkick
               payload[:highlight][:post_tags] = [tag.to_s.gsub(/\A</, "</")]
             end
 
-            if highlight_fields = options[:highlight][:fields]
+            highlight_fields = options[:highlight][:fields]
+            if highlight_fields
               payload[:highlight][:fields] = {}
 
               highlight_fields.each do |name, opts|
--
libgit2 0.21.0