diff --git a/.version b/.version
index c7d2522..9fb1210 100644
--- a/.version
+++ b/.version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.7.2-dev
+0.8.0-alpha2-dev
diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 7951f38..44ddbe0 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # Changes in HEAD
 
+
+# Changes in 0.8.0-alpha1-pre-redrawhook
+
 ## Notice about an improbable-but-not-impossible forward incompatibility
 
 Everyone can probably skip this section.
@@ -131,6 +134,8 @@ to issue #418.
   revision zsh-5.8-172-gdd6e702ee or newer is also fine.)
   [#418, https://github.com/okapia/zsh-viexchange/issues/1]
 
+- Improve performance of the `brackets` highlighter.
+
 
 # Changes in version 0.7.1
 
diff --git a/highlighters/brackets/brackets-highlighter.zsh b/highlighters/brackets/brackets-highlighter.zsh
index fc71f2a..bc388fd 100644
--- a/highlighters/brackets/brackets-highlighter.zsh
+++ b/highlighters/brackets/brackets-highlighter.zsh
@@ -51,8 +51,9 @@ _zsh_highlight_highlighter_brackets_paint()
   local -A levelpos lastoflevel matching
 
   # Find all brackets and remember which one is matching
-  for (( pos = 1; pos <= buflen; pos++ )) ; do
-    char=$BUFFER[pos]
+  pos=0
+  for char in ${(s..)BUFFER} ; do
+    (( ++pos ))
     case $char in
       ["([{"])
         levelpos[$pos]=$((++level))