diff --git a/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt b/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
index 03fb10e5..04470b5c 100644
--- a/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
+++ b/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ INFORMATIONS				        *nvim-tree-info*
 - <C-x> will open the file in a horizontal split
 - <C-t> will open the file in a new tab
 - <Tab> will open the file as a preview (keeps the cursor in the tree)
-- `I` will toggle visibility of folders hidden via |g:nvim_tree_ignore|
+- `I` will toggle visibility of folders hidden via |git.ignore| option
 - `H` will toggle visibility of dotfiles (files/folders starting with a `.`)
 - `R` will refresh the tree
 - Double left click acts like <CR>
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree.lua b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
index 6cba681f..6df40804 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ local renderer = require'nvim-tree.renderer'
 local view = require'nvim-tree.view'
 local utils = require'nvim-tree.utils'
 local change_dir = require'nvim-tree.actions.change-dir'
+local legacy = require'nvim-tree.legacy'
 
 local _config = {}
 
@@ -348,7 +349,7 @@ local DEFAULT_OPTS = {
   },
   filters = {
     dotfiles = false,
-    custom_filter = {},
+    custom = {},
     exclude = {}
   },
   git = {
@@ -364,9 +365,7 @@ local DEFAULT_OPTS = {
     open_file = {
       quit_on_open = vim.g.nvim_tree_quit_on_open == 1,
       window_picker = {
-        enable = vim.g.nvim_tree_disable_window_picker ~= 1,
-        chars = vim.g.nvim_tree_window_picker_chars,
-        exclude = vim.g.nvim_tree_window_picker_exclude,
+        enable = true,
       }
     }
   },
@@ -381,6 +380,8 @@ local function merge_options(conf)
 end
 
 function M.setup(conf)
+  legacy.migrate_legacy_options(conf)
+
   local opts = merge_options(conf)
   local netrw_disabled = opts.disable_netrw or opts.hijack_netrw
 
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e6abcd3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+local utils = require'nvim-tree.utils'
+
+local M = {}
+
+-- TODO update git.io/JPhyt when adding a migration
+
+-- migrate the g: to o if the user has not specified that when calling setup
+local migrations = {
+  nvim_tree_disable_netrw = function(o)
+    if o.disable_netrw == nil then
+      o.disable_netrw = vim.g.nvim_tree_disable_netrw ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_hijack_netrw = function(o)
+    if o.hijack_netrw == nil then
+      o.hijack_netrw = vim.g.nvim_tree_hijack_netrw ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_auto_open = function(o)
+    if o.open_on_setup == nil then
+      o.open_on_setup = vim.g.nvim_tree_auto_open ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_auto_close = function(o)
+    if o.auto_close == nil then
+      o.auto_close = vim.g.nvim_tree_auto_close ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_tab_open = function(o)
+    if o.open_on_tab == nil then
+      o.open_on_tab = vim.g.nvim_tree_tab_open ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_update_cwd = function(o)
+    if o.update_cwd == nil then
+      o.update_cwd = vim.g.nvim_tree_update_cwd ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_hijack_cursor = function(o)
+    if o.hijack_cursor == nil then
+      o.hijack_cursor = vim.g.nvim_tree_hijack_cursor ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_system_open_command = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "system_open")
+    if o.system_open.cmd == nil then
+      o.system_open.cmd = vim.g.nvim_tree_system_open_command
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_system_open_command_args = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "system_open")
+    if o.system_open.args == nil then
+      o.system_open.args = vim.g.nvim_tree_system_open_command_args
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_follow = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "update_focused_file")
+    if o.update_focused_file.enable == nil then
+      o.update_focused_file.enable = vim.g.nvim_tree_follow ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_follow_update_path = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "update_focused_file")
+    if o.update_focused_file.update_cwd == nil then
+      o.update_focused_file.update_cwd = vim.g.nvim_tree_follow_update_path ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_lsp_diagnostics = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "diagnostics")
+    if o.diagnostics.enable == nil then
+      o.diagnostics.enable = vim.g.nvim_tree_lsp_diagnostics ~= 0
+      if o.diagnostics.show_on_dirs == nil then
+        o.diagnostics.show_on_dirs = vim.g.nvim_tree_lsp_diagnostics ~= 0
+      end
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_auto_resize = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "view")
+    if o.view.auto_resize == nil then
+      o.view.auto_resize = vim.g.nvim_tree_auto_resize ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_bindings = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "view.mappings")
+    if o.view.mappings.list == nil then
+      o.view.mappings.list = vim.g.nvim_tree_bindings
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_disable_keybindings = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "view.mappings")
+    if o.view.mappings.custom_only == nil then
+      if vim.g.nvim_tree_disable_keybindings ~= 0 then
+        o.view.mappings.custom_only = true
+        -- specify one mapping so that defaults do not apply
+        o.view.mappings.list = {
+          { key = "g?", action = "" },
+        }
+      end
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_disable_default_keybindings = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "view.mappings")
+    if o.view.mappings.custom_only == nil then
+      o.view.mappings.custom_only = vim.g.nvim_tree_disable_default_keybindings ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_hide_dotfiles = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "filters")
+    if o.filters.dotfiles == nil then
+      o.filters.dotfiles = vim.g.nvim_tree_hide_dotfiles ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_ignore = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "filters")
+    if o.filters.custom == nil then
+      o.filters.custom = vim.g.nvim_tree_ignore
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_gitignore = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "git")
+    if o.git.ignore == nil then
+      o.git.ignore = vim.g.nvim_tree_gitignore ~= 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_disable_window_picker = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "actions.open_file.window_picker")
+    if o.actions.open_file.window_picker.enable == nil then
+      o.actions.open_file.window_picker.enable = vim.g.nvim_tree_disable_window_picker == 0
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_window_picker_chars = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "actions.open_file.window_picker")
+    if o.actions.open_file.window_picker.chars == nil then
+      o.actions.open_file.window_picker.chars = vim.g.nvim_tree_window_picker_chars
+    end
+  end,
+
+  nvim_tree_window_picker_exclude = function(o)
+    utils.table_create_missing(o, "actions.open_file.window_picker")
+    if o.actions.open_file.window_picker.exclude == nil then
+      o.actions.open_file.window_picker.exclude = vim.g.nvim_tree_window_picker_exclude
+    end
+  end,
+}
+
+function M.migrate_legacy_options(opts)
+  local msg = nil
+
+  for g, m in pairs(migrations) do
+    if vim.fn.exists('g:'..g) ~= 0 then
+      m(opts)
+      msg = (msg and msg .. ", " or "Following options were moved to setup, see git.io/JPhyt: ") .. g
+    end
+  end
+
+  if msg then
+    require'nvim-tree.utils'.warn(msg)
+  end
+end
+
+return M
+
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
index 79893a69..aecdc9e5 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
@@ -225,4 +225,60 @@ function M.canonical_path(path)
   return path
 end
 
+-- Create empty sub-tables if not present
+-- @param tbl to create empty inside of
+-- @param sub dot separated string of sub-tables
+-- @return deepest sub-table
+function M.table_create_missing(tbl, sub)
+  if tbl == nil then
+    return nil
+  end
+
+  local t = tbl
+  for s in string.gmatch(sub, "([^%.]+)%.*") do
+    if t[s] == nil then
+      t[s] = {}
+    end
+    t = t[s]
+  end
+
+  return t
+end
+
+-- Serialise a table as a string
+-- @param val table to serialise
+-- @param name optional
+-- @param skipnewlines optional
+-- @param spaces to indent, for internal use
+function M.table_tostring(val, name, skipnewlines, depth)
+  skipnewlines = skipnewlines or false
+  depth = depth or 0
+
+  local tmp = string.rep(" ", depth)
+
+  if name then
+    tmp = tmp .. name .. " = "
+  end
+
+  if type(val) == "table" then
+    tmp = tmp .. "{" .. (not skipnewlines and "\n" or "")
+
+    for k, v in pairs(val) do
+      tmp =  tmp .. M.table_tostring(v, k, skipnewlines, depth + 1) .. "," .. (not skipnewlines and "\n" or "")
+    end
+
+    tmp = tmp .. string.rep(" ", depth) .. "}"
+  elseif type(val) == "number" then
+    tmp = tmp .. tostring(val)
+  elseif type(val) == "string" then
+    tmp = tmp .. string.format("%q", val)
+  elseif type(val) == "boolean" then
+    tmp = tmp .. tostring(val)
+  else
+    tmp = tmp .. "\"[" .. type(val) .. "]\""
+  end
+
+  return tmp
+end
+
 return M
diff --git a/plugin/nvim-tree-startup.lua b/plugin/nvim-tree-startup.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index 8af8aa1d..00000000
--- a/plugin/nvim-tree-startup.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-local is_initialized = false
-
-if is_initialized then
-  return
-end
--- luacheck: ignore
-is_initialized = true
-
-local out_config = {
-  "nvim_tree_disable_netrw",
-  "nvim_tree_hijack_netrw",
-  "nvim_tree_auto_open",
-  "nvim_tree_auto_close",
-  "nvim_tree_tab_open",
-  "nvim_tree_update_cwd",
-  "nvim_tree_hijack_cursor",
-  "nvim_tree_system_open_command",
-  "nvim_tree_system_open_command_args",
-  "nvim_tree_follow",
-  "nvim_tree_follow_update_path",
-  "nvim_tree_lsp_diagnostics",
-  "nvim_tree_auto_resize",
-  "nvim_tree_bindings",
-  "nvim_tree_disable_keybindings",
-  "nvim_tree_disable_default_keybindings",
-  "nvim_tree_hide_dotfiles",
-  "nvim_tree_ignore",
-  "nvim_tree_gitignore"
-}
-
-local x = vim.tbl_filter(function(v)
-  return vim.fn.exists('g:'..v) ~= 0
-end, out_config)
-
-if #x > 0 then
-  local msg = "Following options were moved to setup, see git.io/JPhyt: "
-  require'nvim-tree.utils'.warn(msg..table.concat(x, ", "))
-end