diff --git a/appearance.el b/appearance.el
index 48e77e2..30dab1b 100644
--- a/appearance.el
+++ b/appearance.el
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@
 (setq linum+-smart-format " %%%dd ")
 (setq linum+-dynamic-format " %%%dd ")
 
+;; Linum+ resets linum-format to "smart" when it's loaded, hence we have to
+;; use a eval-after-load hook to set it to "dynamic".
+(eval-after-load "linum+"
+  '(progn
+     (setq linum-format 'dynamic)))
+
 ;; meaningful names for buffers with the same name
 (require 'uniquify)
 (setq uniquify-buffer-name-style 'forward)
diff --git a/packages.el b/packages.el
index 878bd3b..d031c70 100644
--- a/packages.el
+++ b/packages.el
@@ -181,8 +181,7 @@
   (require 'undo-tree)
 
   ;; Load Linum+
-  (when (require 'linum+ nil 'noerror)
-    (setq linum-format 'dynamic))
+  (require 'linum+)
 
   ;; Load full-ack
   (require 'full-ack)