diff --git a/src/common/SignalVectorModel.hpp b/src/common/SignalVectorModel.hpp
index 4fe39eddf..31129769b 100644
--- a/src/common/SignalVectorModel.hpp
+++ b/src/common/SignalVectorModel.hpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public:
         }
     }
 
-    void init(BaseSignalVector<TVectorItem> *vec)
+    void initialize(BaseSignalVector<TVectorItem> *vec)
     {
         this->vector_ = vec;
 
@@ -89,6 +89,13 @@ public:
         this->afterInit();
     }
 
+    SignalVectorModel<TVectorItem> *initialized(
+        BaseSignalVector<TVectorItem> *vec)
+    {
+        this->initialize(vec);
+        return this;
+    }
+
     virtual ~SignalVectorModel()
     {
         for (Row &row : this->rows_)
@@ -272,8 +279,8 @@ public:
             int from = data->data("chatterino_row_id").toInt();
             int to = parent.row();
 
-            if (from < 0 || from > this->vector_->raw().size() ||
-                to < 0 || to > this->vector_->raw().size())
+            if (from < 0 || from > this->vector_->raw().size() || to < 0 ||
+                to > this->vector_->raw().size())
             {
                 return false;
             }
diff --git a/src/controllers/accounts/AccountController.cpp b/src/controllers/accounts/AccountController.cpp
index db65e9440..6d272cf0c 100644
--- a/src/controllers/accounts/AccountController.cpp
+++ b/src/controllers/accounts/AccountController.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ AccountModel *AccountController::createModel(QObject *parent)
 {
     AccountModel *model = new AccountModel(parent);
 
-    model->init(&this->accounts_);
+    model->initialize(&this->accounts_);
     return model;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/controllers/commands/CommandController.cpp b/src/controllers/commands/CommandController.cpp
index 75464bbb7..418612be7 100644
--- a/src/controllers/commands/CommandController.cpp
+++ b/src/controllers/commands/CommandController.cpp
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ void CommandController::save()
 CommandModel *CommandController::createModel(QObject *parent)
 {
     CommandModel *model = new CommandModel(parent);
-    model->init(&this->items_);
+    model->initialize(&this->items_);
 
     return model;
 }
@@ -245,8 +245,6 @@ QString CommandController::execCommand(const QString &textNoEmoji,
     QString text = getApp()->emotes->emojis.replaceShortCodes(textNoEmoji);
     QStringList words = text.split(' ', QString::SkipEmptyParts);
 
-    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(this->mutex_);
-
     if (words.length() == 0)
     {
         return text;
diff --git a/src/controllers/commands/CommandController.hpp b/src/controllers/commands/CommandController.hpp
index 938fe0f39..5435a60b9 100644
--- a/src/controllers/commands/CommandController.hpp
+++ b/src/controllers/commands/CommandController.hpp
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@ private:
     QMap<QString, Command> commandsMap_;
     int maxSpaces_ = 0;
 
-    std::mutex mutex_;
-
     std::shared_ptr<pajlada::Settings::SettingManager> sm_;
     // Because the setting manager is not initialized until the initialize
     // function is called (and not in the constructor), we have to
diff --git a/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightBlacklistModel.hpp b/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightBlacklistModel.hpp
index c3420b066..d4acc474d 100644
--- a/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightBlacklistModel.hpp
+++ b/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightBlacklistModel.hpp
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ class HighlightController;
 
 class HighlightBlacklistModel : public SignalVectorModel<HighlightBlacklistUser>
 {
+public:
     explicit HighlightBlacklistModel(QObject *parent);
 
-public:
     enum Column {
         Pattern = 0,
         UseRegex = 1,
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ protected:
     // turns a row in the model into a vector item
     virtual void getRowFromItem(const HighlightBlacklistUser &item,
                                 std::vector<QStandardItem *> &row) override;
-
-    friend class HighlightController;
 };
 
 }  // namespace chatterino
diff --git a/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightController.cpp b/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightController.cpp
index 60df26ff1..f341f3495 100644
--- a/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightController.cpp
+++ b/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightController.cpp
@@ -1,17 +1,10 @@
 #include "HighlightController.hpp"
 
 #include "Application.hpp"
-#include "controllers/highlights/HighlightBlacklistModel.hpp"
-#include "controllers/highlights/HighlightModel.hpp"
-#include "controllers/highlights/UserHighlightModel.hpp"
-#include "widgets/dialogs/NotificationPopup.hpp"
+#include "common/ChatterinoSetting.hpp"
 
 namespace chatterino {
 
-HighlightController::HighlightController()
-{
-}
-
 template <typename T>
 inline void persist(SignalVector<T> &vec, const std::string &name)
 {
@@ -24,7 +17,7 @@ inline void persist(SignalVector<T> &vec, const std::string &name)
         setting->setValue(vec->raw());
     });
 
-    // TODO
+    // TODO: Delete when appropriate.
     setting.release();
 }
 
@@ -38,65 +31,26 @@ void HighlightController::initialize(Settings &settings, Paths &paths)
     persist(this->highlightedUsers, "/highlighting/users");
 }
 
-HighlightModel *HighlightController::createModel(QObject *parent)
-{
-    HighlightModel *model = new HighlightModel(parent);
-    model->init(&this->phrases);
-
-    return model;
-}
-
-UserHighlightModel *HighlightController::createUserModel(QObject *parent)
-{
-    auto *model = new UserHighlightModel(parent);
-    model->init(&this->highlightedUsers);
-
-    return model;
-}
-
 bool HighlightController::isHighlightedUser(const QString &username)
 {
-    const auto &userItems = this->highlightedUsers;
-    for (const auto &highlightedUser : userItems)
+    for (const auto &highlightedUser : this->highlightedUsers)
     {
         if (highlightedUser.isMatch(username))
-        {
             return true;
-        }
     }
 
     return false;
 }
 
-HighlightBlacklistModel *HighlightController::createBlacklistModel(
-    QObject *parent)
-{
-    auto *model = new HighlightBlacklistModel(parent);
-    model->init(&this->blacklistedUsers);
-
-    return model;
-}
-
 bool HighlightController::blacklistContains(const QString &username)
 {
     for (const auto &blacklistedUser : *this->blacklistedUsers.readOnly())
     {
         if (blacklistedUser.isMatch(username))
-        {
             return true;
-        }
     }
 
     return false;
 }
 
-void HighlightController::addHighlight(const MessagePtr &msg)
-{
-    //    static NotificationPopup popup;
-
-    //    popup.updatePosition();
-    //    popup.addMessage(msg);
-    //    popup.show();
-}
-
 }  // namespace chatterino
diff --git a/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightController.hpp b/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightController.hpp
index 2f61b1a49..5f746c8bf 100644
--- a/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightController.hpp
+++ b/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightController.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#include "common/ChatterinoSetting.hpp"
 #include "common/SignalVector.hpp"
 #include "common/Singleton.hpp"
 #include "controllers/highlights/HighlightBlacklistUser.hpp"
@@ -8,36 +7,18 @@
 
 namespace chatterino {
 
-struct Message;
-using MessagePtr = std::shared_ptr<const Message>;
-
-class Settings;
-class Paths;
-
-class UserHighlightModel;
-class HighlightModel;
-class HighlightBlacklistModel;
-
 class HighlightController final : public Singleton
 {
 public:
-    HighlightController();
-
     virtual void initialize(Settings &settings, Paths &paths) override;
 
     UnsortedSignalVector<HighlightPhrase> phrases;
     UnsortedSignalVector<HighlightBlacklistUser> blacklistedUsers;
     UnsortedSignalVector<HighlightPhrase> highlightedUsers;
 
-    HighlightModel *createModel(QObject *parent);
-    HighlightBlacklistModel *createBlacklistModel(QObject *parent);
-    UserHighlightModel *createUserModel(QObject *parent);
-
     bool isHighlightedUser(const QString &username);
     bool blacklistContains(const QString &username);
 
-    void addHighlight(const MessagePtr &msg);
-
 private:
     bool initialized_ = false;
 };
diff --git a/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightModel.hpp b/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightModel.hpp
index 13b85bca1..aa37b4ffe 100644
--- a/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightModel.hpp
+++ b/src/controllers/highlights/HighlightModel.hpp
@@ -7,13 +7,11 @@
 
 namespace chatterino {
 
-class HighlightController;
-
 class HighlightModel : public SignalVectorModel<HighlightPhrase>
 {
+public:
     explicit HighlightModel(QObject *parent);
 
-public:
     // Used here, in HighlightingPage and in UserHighlightModel
     enum Column {
         Pattern = 0,
@@ -40,8 +38,6 @@ protected:
     virtual void customRowSetData(const std::vector<QStandardItem *> &row,
                                   int column, const QVariant &value, int role,
                                   int rowIndex) override;
-
-    friend class HighlightController;
 };
 
 }  // namespace chatterino
diff --git a/src/controllers/highlights/UserHighlightModel.hpp b/src/controllers/highlights/UserHighlightModel.hpp
index dcc42a950..de4332433 100644
--- a/src/controllers/highlights/UserHighlightModel.hpp
+++ b/src/controllers/highlights/UserHighlightModel.hpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ class HighlightController;
 
 class UserHighlightModel : public SignalVectorModel<HighlightPhrase>
 {
+public:
     explicit UserHighlightModel(QObject *parent);
 
 protected:
@@ -21,8 +22,6 @@ protected:
 
     virtual void getRowFromItem(const HighlightPhrase &item,
                                 std::vector<QStandardItem *> &row) override;
-
-    friend class HighlightController;
 };
 
 }  // namespace chatterino
diff --git a/src/controllers/ignores/IgnoreController.cpp b/src/controllers/ignores/IgnoreController.cpp
index b1028be0a..28b511a36 100644
--- a/src/controllers/ignores/IgnoreController.cpp
+++ b/src/controllers/ignores/IgnoreController.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ void IgnoreController::initialize(Settings &, Paths &)
 IgnoreModel *IgnoreController::createModel(QObject *parent)
 {
     IgnoreModel *model = new IgnoreModel(parent);
-    model->init(&this->phrases);
+    model->initialize(&this->phrases);
 
     return model;
 }
diff --git a/src/controllers/moderationactions/ModerationActions.cpp b/src/controllers/moderationactions/ModerationActions.cpp
index cb68174be..d13a71eab 100644
--- a/src/controllers/moderationactions/ModerationActions.cpp
+++ b/src/controllers/moderationactions/ModerationActions.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ void ModerationActions::initialize(Settings &settings, Paths &paths)
 ModerationActionModel *ModerationActions::createModel(QObject *parent)
 {
     ModerationActionModel *model = new ModerationActionModel(parent);
-    model->init(&this->items);
+    model->initialize(&this->items);
 
     return model;
 }
diff --git a/src/controllers/notifications/NotificationController.cpp b/src/controllers/notifications/NotificationController.cpp
index ec2f231c6..59fed3b1f 100644
--- a/src/controllers/notifications/NotificationController.cpp
+++ b/src/controllers/notifications/NotificationController.cpp
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ NotificationModel *NotificationController::createModel(QObject *parent,
                                                        Platform p)
 {
     NotificationModel *model = new NotificationModel(parent);
-    model->init(&this->channelMap[p]);
+    model->initialize(&this->channelMap[p]);
     return model;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/controllers/pings/PingController.cpp b/src/controllers/pings/PingController.cpp
index 67bd3ad66..36f4b08ad 100644
--- a/src/controllers/pings/PingController.cpp
+++ b/src/controllers/pings/PingController.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ void PingController::initialize(Settings &settings, Paths &paths)
 PingModel *PingController::createModel(QObject *parent)
 {
     PingModel *model = new PingModel(parent);
-    model->init(&this->channelVector);
+    model->initialize(&this->channelVector);
     return model;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/controllers/taggedusers/TaggedUsersController.cpp b/src/controllers/taggedusers/TaggedUsersController.cpp
index 2aa82a6c3..095bd779d 100644
--- a/src/controllers/taggedusers/TaggedUsersController.cpp
+++ b/src/controllers/taggedusers/TaggedUsersController.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ TaggedUsersController::TaggedUsersController()
 TaggedUsersModel *TaggedUsersController::createModel(QObject *parent)
 {
     TaggedUsersModel *model = new TaggedUsersModel(parent);
-    model->init(&this->users);
+    model->initialize(&this->users);
 
     return model;
 }
diff --git a/src/providers/irc/Irc2.cpp b/src/providers/irc/Irc2.cpp
index 0a8f2ed60..ee59e94ce 100644
--- a/src/providers/irc/Irc2.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/irc/Irc2.cpp
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ Irc::Irc()
 QAbstractTableModel *Irc::newConnectionModel(QObject *parent)
 {
     auto model = new Model(parent);
-    model->init(&this->connections);
+    model->initialize(&this->connections);
     return model;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/providers/twitch/IrcMessageHandler.cpp b/src/providers/twitch/IrcMessageHandler.cpp
index 7a456ecaf..5b022bc1e 100644
--- a/src/providers/twitch/IrcMessageHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/twitch/IrcMessageHandler.cpp
@@ -241,7 +241,6 @@ void IrcMessageHandler::addMessage(Communi::IrcMessage *_message,
             if (highlighted)
             {
                 server.mentionsChannel->addMessage(msg);
-                getApp()->highlights->addHighlight(msg);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/widgets/settingspages/HighlightingPage.cpp b/src/widgets/settingspages/HighlightingPage.cpp
index 2612454be..9b8d1af94 100644
--- a/src/widgets/settingspages/HighlightingPage.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/settingspages/HighlightingPage.cpp
@@ -49,12 +49,12 @@ HighlightingPage::HighlightingPage()
                     "Play notification sounds and highlight messages based on "
                     "certain patterns.");
 
-                EditableModelView *view =
+                auto view =
                     highlights
                         .emplace<EditableModelView>(
-                            app->highlights->createModel(nullptr))
+                            (new HighlightModel(nullptr))
+                                ->initialized(&app->highlights->phrases))
                         .getElement();
-
                 view->addRegexHelpLink();
                 view->setTitles({"Pattern", "Flash\ntaskbar", "Play\nsound",
                                  "Enable\nregex", "Case-\nsensitive",
@@ -94,7 +94,9 @@ HighlightingPage::HighlightingPage()
                 EditableModelView *view =
                     pingUsers
                         .emplace<EditableModelView>(
-                            app->highlights->createUserModel(nullptr))
+                            (new UserHighlightModel(nullptr))
+                                ->initialized(
+                                    &app->highlights->highlightedUsers))
                         .getElement();
 
                 view->addRegexHelpLink();
@@ -140,7 +142,9 @@ HighlightingPage::HighlightingPage()
                 EditableModelView *view =
                     disabledUsers
                         .emplace<EditableModelView>(
-                            app->highlights->createBlacklistModel(nullptr))
+                            (new HighlightBlacklistModel(nullptr))
+                                ->initialized(
+                                    &app->highlights->blacklistedUsers))
                         .getElement();
 
                 view->addRegexHelpLink();
@@ -205,7 +209,7 @@ HighlightingPage::HighlightingPage()
 
     // ---- misc
     this->disabledUsersChangedTimer_.setSingleShot(true);
-}
+}  // namespace chatterino
 
 void HighlightingPage::tableCellClicked(const QModelIndex &clicked,
                                         EditableModelView *view)