diff --git a/spacemacs/packages.el b/spacemacs/packages.el
index 7383d2639..f0e819afb 100644
--- a/spacemacs/packages.el
+++ b/spacemacs/packages.el
@@ -304,8 +304,7 @@
         "Safe wrapper for ahs-highlight-now"
         (eval '(progn
                  (spacemacs/ensure-ahs-enabled-locally)
-                 (ahs-highlight-now)
-                 ) nil))
+                 (ahs-highlight-now)) nil))
 
       (defun spacemacs/quick-ahs-forward ()
         "Go to the next occurrence of symbol under point with
@@ -338,9 +337,8 @@
         (eval '(progn
                  (spacemacs/ahs-highlight-now-wrapper)
                  (setq spacemacs-last-ahs-highlight-p (ahs-highlight-p))
-                 (spacemacs/auto-highlight-symbol-overlay-map)
-                 (spacemacs/integrate-evil-search nil)
-                 ) nil))
+                 (spacemacs/highlight-symbol-micro-state)
+                 (spacemacs/integrate-evil-search nil)) nil))
 
       (defun spacemacs/symbol-highlight-reset-range ()
         "Reset the range for `auto-highlight-symbol'."
@@ -348,11 +346,12 @@
         (eval '(ahs-change-range ahs-default-range) nil))
 
       (evil-leader/set-key
-        "sh"  'spacemacs/symbol-highlight
-        "sH"  'spacemacs/goto-last-searched-ahs-symbol
-        "sR"  'spacemacs/symbol-highlight-reset-range)
+        "sh" 'spacemacs/symbol-highlight
+        "sH" 'spacemacs/goto-last-searched-ahs-symbol
+        "sR" 'spacemacs/symbol-highlight-reset-range)
 
       (spacemacs|hide-lighter auto-highlight-symbol-mode)
+
       ;; micro-state to easily jump from a highlighted symbol to the others
       (dolist (sym '(ahs-forward
                      ahs-forward-definition
@@ -363,50 +362,48 @@
         (let* ((advice (intern (format "spacemacs/%s" (symbol-name sym)))))
           (eval `(defadvice ,sym (after ,advice activate)
                    (spacemacs/ahs-highlight-now-wrapper)
-                   (setq spacemacs-last-ahs-highlight-p (ahs-highlight-p))
-                   (spacemacs/auto-highlight-symbol-overlay-map)))))
-      (defun spacemacs/auto-highlight-symbol-overlay-map ()
-        "Set a temporary overlay map to easily jump from highlighted symbols to
- the nexts."
-        (interactive)
-        (set-temporary-overlay-map
-         (let ((map (make-sparse-keymap)))
-           (define-key map (kbd "d") 'ahs-forward-definition)
-           (define-key map (kbd "D") 'ahs-backward-definition)
-           (if (ht-contains? configuration-layer-all-packages 'evil-iedit-state)
-               (define-key map (kbd "e") 'evil-iedit-state/iedit-mode)
-             (define-key map (kbd "e") 'ahs-edit-mode))
-           (define-key map (kbd "n") 'ahs-forward)
-           (define-key map (kbd "N") 'ahs-backward)
-           (define-key map (kbd "R") 'ahs-back-to-start)
-           (define-key map (kbd "r") (lambda () (interactive)
-                                       (eval '(ahs-change-range) nil)))
-           (define-key map (kbd "/") 'spacemacs/helm-project-smart-do-search-region-or-symbol)
-           (define-key map (kbd "b") 'spacemacs/helm-buffers-smart-do-search-region-or-symbol)
-           (define-key map (kbd "f") 'spacemacs/helm-files-smart-do-search-region-or-symbol)
-           map) nil)
-        (let* ((i 0)
-               (overlay-count (length ahs-overlay-list))
-               (overlay (format "%s" (nth i ahs-overlay-list)))
-               (current-overlay (format "%s" ahs-current-overlay))
-               (st (ahs-stat))
-               (plighter (ahs-current-plugin-prop 'lighter))
-               (plugin (format " <%s> " (cond ((string= plighter "HS") "D")
-                                              ((string= plighter "HSA") "B")
-                                              ((string= plighter "HSD") "F"))))
-               (propplugin (propertize plugin 'face
-                                       `(:foreground "#ffffff"
-                                         :background ,(face-attribute
-                                                       'ahs-plugin-defalt-face :foreground)))))
-          (while (not (string= overlay current-overlay))
-            (setq i (1+ i))
-            (setq overlay (format "%s" (nth i ahs-overlay-list))))
-          (let* ((x/y (format "[%s/%s]" (- overlay-count i) overlay-count))
-                 (propx/y (propertize x/y 'face ahs-plugin-whole-buffer-face))
-                 (hidden (if (< 0 (- overlay-count (nth 4 st))) "*" ""))
-                 (prophidden (propertize hidden 'face '(:weight bold))))
-            (echo "%s %s%s (n/N) move, (e) edit, (r) range, (R) reset, (d/D) definition, (/) find in project, (f) find in files, (b) find in opened buffers"
-                  propplugin propx/y prophidden)))))))
+                   (setq spacemacs-last-ahs-highlight-p (ahs-highlight-p))))))
+
+      (spacemacs|define-micro-state highlight-symbol
+        :doc (let* ((i 0)
+                    (overlay-count (length ahs-overlay-list))
+                    (overlay (format "%s" (nth i ahs-overlay-list)))
+                    (current-overlay (format "%s" ahs-current-overlay))
+                    (st (ahs-stat))
+                    (plighter (ahs-current-plugin-prop 'lighter))
+                    (plugin (format " <%s> " (cond ((string= plighter "HS") "D")
+                                                   ((string= plighter "HSA") "B")
+                                                   ((string= plighter "HSD") "F"))))
+                    (propplugin (propertize plugin 'face
+                                            `(:foreground "#ffffff"
+                                                          :background ,(face-attribute
+                                                                        'ahs-plugin-defalt-face :foreground)))))
+               (while (not (string= overlay current-overlay))
+                 (setq i (1+ i))
+                 (setq overlay (format "%s" (nth i ahs-overlay-list))))
+               (let* ((x/y (format "(%s/%s)" (- overlay-count i) overlay-count))
+                      (propx/y (propertize x/y 'face ahs-plugin-whole-buffer-face))
+                      (hidden (if (< 0 (- overlay-count (nth 4 st))) "*" ""))
+                      (prophidden (propertize hidden 'face '(:weight bold))))
+                 (format "%s %s%s [n/N] move [e] edit [r] range [R] reset [d/D] definition [/] find in project [f] find in files [b] find in opened buffers [q] exit"
+                         propplugin propx/y prophidden)))
+        :use-minibuffer t
+        :bindings
+        ("d" ahs-forward-definition)
+        ("D" ahs-backward-definition)
+        ("e" nil
+         :post (if (configuration-layer/package-usedp 'evil-iedit-state)
+                   (evil-iedit-state/iedit-mode)
+                 (ahs-edit-mode))
+         :exit t)
+        ("n" spacemacs/quick-ahs-forward)
+        ("N" spacemacs/quick-ahs-backward)
+        ("R" ahs-back-to-start)
+        ("r" ahs-change-range)
+        ("/" spacemacs/helm-project-smart-do-search-region-or-symbol)
+        ("b" spacemacs/helm-buffers-smart-do-search-region-or-symbol)
+        ("f" spacemacs/helm-files-smart-do-search-region-or-symbol)
+        ("q" nil :exit t)))))
 
 (defun spacemacs/init-avy ()
   (use-package avy