diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 49eb079..350842c 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -290,11 +290,17 @@ impl Config {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn color_scheme_kind(&self) -> ColorSchemeKind {
-        if self.app_theme.theme().theme_type.is_dark() {
-            ColorSchemeKind::Dark
-        } else {
-            ColorSchemeKind::Light
+    pub fn color_scheme_kind(&self, system_theme: &theme::Theme) -> ColorSchemeKind {
+        match self.app_theme {
+            AppTheme::Dark => ColorSchemeKind::Dark,
+            AppTheme::Light => ColorSchemeKind::Light,
+            AppTheme::System => {
+                if system_theme.theme_type.is_dark() {
+                    ColorSchemeKind::Dark
+                } else {
+                    ColorSchemeKind::Light
+                }
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -358,8 +364,11 @@ impl Config {
     }
 
     // Get current syntax theme based on dark mode
-    pub fn syntax_theme(&self, profile_id_opt: Option<ProfileId>) -> (String, ColorSchemeKind) {
-        let color_scheme_kind = self.color_scheme_kind();
+    pub fn syntax_theme(
+        &self,
+        color_scheme_kind: ColorSchemeKind,
+        profile_id_opt: Option<ProfileId>,
+    ) -> (String, ColorSchemeKind) {
         let theme_name = match profile_id_opt.and_then(|profile_id| self.profiles.get(&profile_id))
         {
             Some(profile) => match color_scheme_kind {
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index b9682fe..3bf9e7f 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -688,11 +688,12 @@ impl App {
         }
 
         // Set config of all tabs
+        let color_scheme_kind = self.config.color_scheme_kind(&theme);
         for (_pane, tab_model) in self.pane_model.panes.iter() {
             for entity in tab_model.iter() {
                 if let Some(terminal) = tab_model.data::<Mutex<Terminal>>(entity) {
                     let mut terminal = terminal.lock().unwrap();
-                    terminal.set_config(&self.config, &self.themes);
+                    terminal.set_config(&self.config, color_scheme_kind, &self.themes);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -708,6 +709,7 @@ impl App {
         // skip writing config to fs when zoom in/ out
         // recalculate the pane due to the changes of zoom_adj value
         // but only for the active pane/tab
+        let color_scheme_kind = self.config.color_scheme_kind(self.core.system_theme());
         if let Some(tab_model) = self.pane_model.active() {
             for entity in tab_model.iter() {
                 if tab_model.is_active(entity)
@@ -724,7 +726,7 @@ impl App {
                         }
                         _ => {}
                     }
-                    terminal.set_config(&self.config, &self.themes);
+                    terminal.set_config(&self.config, color_scheme_kind, &self.themes);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -1552,10 +1554,11 @@ impl App {
         self.pane_model.set_focus(pane);
         match &self.term_event_tx_opt {
             Some(term_event_tx) => {
+                let color_scheme_kind = self.config.color_scheme_kind(self.core.system_theme());
                 let colors = self
                     .themes
-                    .get(&self.config.syntax_theme(profile_id_opt))
-                    .or_else(|| match self.config.color_scheme_kind() {
+                    .get(&self.config.syntax_theme(color_scheme_kind, profile_id_opt))
+                    .or_else(|| match color_scheme_kind {
                         ColorSchemeKind::Dark => self
                             .themes
                             .get(&(config::COSMIC_THEME_DARK.to_string(), ColorSchemeKind::Dark)),
@@ -1632,7 +1635,11 @@ impl App {
                                 tab_title_override,
                             ) {
                                 Ok(mut terminal) => {
-                                    terminal.set_config(&self.config, &self.themes);
+                                    terminal.set_config(
+                                        &self.config,
+                                        color_scheme_kind,
+                                        &self.themes,
+                                    );
                                     tab_model
                                         .data_set::<Mutex<Terminal>>(entity, Mutex::new(terminal));
                                 }
@@ -1671,7 +1678,7 @@ impl App {
                     None => {
                         log::error!(
                             "failed to find terminal theme {:?}",
-                            self.config.syntax_theme(profile_id_opt)
+                            self.config.syntax_theme(color_scheme_kind, profile_id_opt)
                         );
                         //TODO: fall back to known good theme
                     }
diff --git a/src/menu.rs b/src/menu.rs
index 6007c1d..b71cbb8 100644
--- a/src/menu.rs
+++ b/src/menu.rs
@@ -206,6 +206,8 @@ pub fn menu_bar<'a>(
 
     //TODO: what to do if there are no profiles?
 
+    let color_scheme_kind = config.color_scheme_kind(core.system_theme());
+
     responsive_menu_bar()
         .item_height(ItemHeight::Dynamic(40))
         .item_width(ItemWidth::Uniform(320))
@@ -267,7 +269,7 @@ pub fn menu_bar<'a>(
                         MenuItem::Button(
                             fl!("menu-color-schemes"),
                             None,
-                            Action::ColorSchemes(config.color_scheme_kind()),
+                            Action::ColorSchemes(color_scheme_kind),
                         ),
                         MenuItem::Button(
                             fl!("menu-keyboard-shortcuts"),
diff --git a/src/terminal.rs b/src/terminal.rs
index 87f25ef..8c1b22f 100644
--- a/src/terminal.rs
+++ b/src/terminal.rs
@@ -613,6 +613,7 @@ impl Terminal {
     pub fn set_config(
         &mut self,
         config: &AppConfig,
+        color_scheme_kind: ColorSchemeKind,
         themes: &HashMap<(String, ColorSchemeKind), Colors>,
     ) {
         let mut update_cell_size = false;
@@ -655,7 +656,9 @@ impl Terminal {
             update_cell_size = true;
         }
 
-        if let Some(colors) = themes.get(&config.syntax_theme(self.profile_id_opt)) {
+        if let Some(colors) =
+            themes.get(&config.syntax_theme(color_scheme_kind, self.profile_id_opt))
+        {
             let mut changed = false;
             for i in 0..color::COUNT {
                 if self.colors[i] != colors[i] {