diff --git a/content/apply.js b/content/apply.js
index d18b0a22..9f5c66dc 100644
--- a/content/apply.js
+++ b/content/apply.js
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@
     window.addEventListener(chrome.runtime.id, orphanCheck, true);
   }
 
+  prefs.subscribe(['disableAll'], (key, value) => doDisableAll(value));
+  prefs.subscribe(['exposeIframes'], (key, value) => doExposeIframes(value));
+
   function requestStyles(options, callback = applyStyles) {
     if (!chrome.app && document instanceof XMLDocument) {
       chrome.runtime.sendMessage({method: 'styleViaAPI', action: 'styleApply'});
@@ -140,15 +143,6 @@
         replaceAll(request.styles);
         break;
 
-      case 'prefChanged':
-        if ('disableAll' in request.prefs) {
-          doDisableAll(request.prefs.disableAll);
-        }
-        if ('exposeIframes' in request.prefs) {
-          doExposeIframes(request.prefs.exposeIframes);
-        }
-        break;
-
       case 'ping':
         sendResponse(true);
         break;
diff --git a/edit/edit.js b/edit/edit.js
index 8e62f9c6..90668561 100644
--- a/edit/edit.js
+++ b/edit/edit.js
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ Promise.all([
   }
 });
 
+prefs.subscribe(['editor.smartIndent'], (key, value) =>
+  CodeMirror.setOption('smartIndent', value));
+
 function preinit() {
   // make querySelectorAll enumeration code readable
   ['forEach', 'some', 'indexOf', 'map'].forEach(method => {
@@ -183,11 +186,6 @@ function onRuntimeMessage(request) {
         break;
       }
       break;
-    case 'prefChanged':
-      if ('editor.smartIndent' in request.prefs) {
-        CodeMirror.setOption('smartIndent', request.prefs['editor.smartIndent']);
-      }
-      break;
     case 'editDeleteText':
       document.execCommand('delete');
       break;
diff --git a/manifest.json b/manifest.json
index 055e4533..46e29f54 100644
--- a/manifest.json
+++ b/manifest.json
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
       "run_at": "document_start",
       "all_frames": true,
       "match_about_blank": true,
-      "js": ["content/apply.js"]
+      "js": ["js/prefs.js", "content/apply.js"]
     },
     {
       "matches": ["http://userstyles.org/*", "https://userstyles.org/*"],
diff --git a/popup/popup.js b/popup/popup.js
index bea9498d..f7909e46 100644
--- a/popup/popup.js
+++ b/popup/popup.js
@@ -28,6 +28,14 @@ getActiveTab().then(tab =>
 
 chrome.runtime.onMessage.addListener(onRuntimeMessage);
 
+prefs.subscribe(['popup.stylesFirst'], (key, stylesFirst) => {
+  const actions = $('body > .actions');
+  const before = stylesFirst ? actions : actions.nextSibling;
+  document.body.insertBefore(installed, before);
+});
+prefs.subscribe(['popupWidth'], (key, value) => setPopupWidth(value));
+prefs.subscribe(['popup.borders'], (key, value) => toggleSideBorders(value));
+
 function onRuntimeMessage(msg) {
   switch (msg.method) {
     case 'styleAdded':
@@ -38,18 +46,6 @@ function onRuntimeMessage(msg) {
     case 'styleDeleted':
       handleDelete(msg.id);
       break;
-    case 'prefChanged':
-      if ('popup.stylesFirst' in msg.prefs) {
-        const stylesFirst = msg.prefs['popup.stylesFirst'];
-        const actions = $('body > .actions');
-        const before = stylesFirst ? actions : actions.nextSibling;
-        document.body.insertBefore(installed, before);
-      } else if ('popupWidth' in msg.prefs) {
-        setPopupWidth(msg.prefs.popupWidth);
-      } else if ('popup.borders' in msg.prefs) {
-        toggleSideBorders(msg.prefs['popup.borders']);
-      }
-      break;
   }
   dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(msg.method, {detail: msg}));
 }