diff --git a/lua/core/utils.lua b/lua/core/utils.lua
index d95cb92e..56e64a48 100644
--- a/lua/core/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/core/utils.lua
@@ -101,12 +101,28 @@ end
 
 -- merge default/user plugin tables
 M.merge_plugins = function(default_plugins)
-  default_plugins = merge_tb("force", default_plugins, M.load_config().plugins)
+  local plugin_configs = M.load_config().plugins
+  local user_plugins = plugin_configs
+
+  -- old plugin syntax for adding plugins
+  if plugin_configs.user and type(plugin_configs.user) == "table" then
+    user_plugins = plugin_configs.user
+  end
+
+  -- support old plugin removal syntax
+  local remove_plugins = plugin_configs.remove
+  if type(remove_plugins) == "table" then
+    for _, v in ipairs(remove_plugins) do
+      default_plugins[v] = nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  default_plugins = merge_tb("force", default_plugins, user_plugins)
 
   local final_table = {}
 
   for key, val in pairs(default_plugins) do
-    if val then
+    if val and type(val) == "table" then
       default_plugins[key][1] = key
       final_table[#final_table + 1] = default_plugins[key]
     end
@@ -117,14 +133,27 @@ end
 
 -- override plugin options table with custom ones
 M.load_override = function(options_table, name)
-  local user_plugins = M.load_config().plugins
-  local plugin_options = {}
+  local plugin_configs, plugin_options = M.load_config().plugins, nil
 
-  if user_plugins[name] then
-    plugin_options = user_plugins[name].override_options or {}
-    plugin_options = type(plugin_options) == "table" and plugin_options or plugin_options()
+  -- support old plugin syntax for override
+  local user_override = plugin_configs.user and plugin_configs.user.override and plugin_configs.user.override[name]
+  if user_override and type(user_override) == "table" then
+    plugin_options = user_override
   end
 
+  -- if no old style plugin override is found, then use the new syntax
+  if not plugin_options and plugin_configs[name] then
+    local override_options = plugin_configs[name].override_options or {}
+    if type(override_options) == "table" then
+      plugin_options = override_options
+    elseif type(override_options) == "function" then
+      plugin_options = override_options()
+    end
+  end
+
+  -- make sure the plugin options are a table
+  plugin_options = type(plugin_options) == "table" and plugin_options or {}
+
   return merge_tb("force", options_table, plugin_options)
 end
 
@@ -160,6 +189,12 @@ M.packer_sync = function(...)
 
   if packer_exists then
     packer.sync(...)
+
+    local plugins = M.load_config().plugins
+    local old_style_options = plugins.user or plugins.override or plugins.remove
+    if old_style_options then
+      vim.notify_once({ "NvChad: This plugin syntax is deprecated, use new style config." }, "Error")
+    end
   else
     error "Packer could not be loaded!"
   end
diff --git a/lua/plugins/init.lua b/lua/plugins/init.lua
index 9a4eeda4..7a9bfcb3 100644
--- a/lua/plugins/init.lua
+++ b/lua/plugins/init.lua
@@ -219,9 +219,7 @@ if present then
   init_options = require("core.utils").load_override(init_options, "wbthomason/packer.nvim")
   packer.init(init_options)
 
-  packer.startup(function(use)
-    for _, v in pairs(plugins) do
-      use(v)
-    end
-  end)
+  for _, v in pairs(plugins) do
+    packer.use(v)
+  end
 end