diff --git a/src/common/cfgfiles.c b/src/common/cfgfiles.c
index 8c17dc0d..c147fb47 100644
--- a/src/common/cfgfiles.c
+++ b/src/common/cfgfiles.c
@@ -433,6 +433,7 @@ const struct prefs vars[] =
 	{"gui_tab_dialogs", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_dialogs), TYPE_BOOL},
 	{"gui_tab_dots", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_dots), TYPE_BOOL},
 	{"gui_tab_icons", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_icons), TYPE_BOOL},
+	{"gui_dark_mode", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_dark_mode), TYPE_BOOL},
 	{"gui_tab_layout", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_layout), TYPE_INT},
 	{"gui_tab_middleclose", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_middleclose), TYPE_BOOL},
 	{"gui_tab_newtofront", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_newtofront), TYPE_INT},
diff --git a/src/common/zoitechat.h b/src/common/zoitechat.h
index 2a5d466e..41eb98ac 100644
--- a/src/common/zoitechat.h
+++ b/src/common/zoitechat.h
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ struct zoitechatprefs
 	unsigned int hex_gui_tab_dialogs;
 	unsigned int hex_gui_tab_dots;
 	unsigned int hex_gui_tab_icons;
+	unsigned int hex_gui_dark_mode;
 	unsigned int hex_gui_tab_scrollchans;
 	unsigned int hex_gui_tab_server;
 	unsigned int hex_gui_tab_sort;
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/chanview-tree.c b/src/fe-gtk/chanview-tree.c
index 02d43bfa..9dd8359e 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/chanview-tree.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/chanview-tree.c
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ cv_tree_init (chanview *cv)
 
 	((treeview *)cv)->tree = GTK_TREE_VIEW (view);
 	((treeview *)cv)->scrollw = win;
+	chanview_apply_theme (cv);
 	gtk_widget_show (view);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/chanview.c b/src/fe-gtk/chanview.c
index 9f360865..ea5113b7 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/chanview.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/chanview.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "maingui.h"
 #include "gtkutil.h"
 #include "chanview.h"
+#include "palette.h"
 
 /* treeStore columns */
 #define COL_NAME 0		/* (char *) */
@@ -103,6 +104,37 @@ static int cv_find_number_of_chan (chanview *cv, chan *find_ch);
 
 /* ==== ABSTRACT CHANVIEW ==== */
 
+void
+chanview_apply_theme (chanview *cv)
+{
+	GtkWidget *w;
+	treeview *tv;
+
+	if (cv == NULL)
+		return;
+
+	/* Only the tree implementation has a GtkTreeView we can explicitly style. */
+	if (cv->func_init != cv_tree_init)
+		return;
+
+	tv = (treeview *) cv;
+	if (tv->tree == NULL)
+		return;
+
+	w = GTK_WIDGET (tv->tree);
+	if (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode)
+	{
+		gtk_widget_modify_base (w, GTK_STATE_NORMAL, &colors[COL_BG]);
+		gtk_widget_modify_text (w, GTK_STATE_NORMAL, &colors[COL_FG]);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		/* Revert back to theme defaults. */
+		gtk_widget_modify_base (w, GTK_STATE_NORMAL, NULL);
+		gtk_widget_modify_text (w, GTK_STATE_NORMAL, NULL);
+	}
+}
+
 static char *
 truncate_tab_name (char *name, int max)
 {
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/chanview.h b/src/fe-gtk/chanview.h
index 2f911a5a..88ef9413 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/chanview.h
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/chanview.h
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ gboolean chan_remove (chan *ch, gboolean force);
 gboolean chan_is_collapsed (chan *ch);
 chan * chan_get_parent (chan *ch);
 
+/*
+ * Apply ZoiteChat's optional "dark mode" styling to the channel list.
+ *
+ * This is a no-op for implementations that don't have a tree view.
+ */
+void chanview_apply_theme (chanview *cv);
+
 #define FOCUS_NEW_ALL 1
 #define FOCUS_NEW_ONLY_ASKED 2
 #define FOCUS_NEW_NONE 0
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c b/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c
index c5ede069..da415d25 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c
@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@ void
 fe_init (void)
 {
 	palette_load ();
+	palette_apply_dark_mode (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode);
 	key_init ();
 	pixmaps_init ();
 
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/maingui.c b/src/fe-gtk/maingui.c
index 4b69c8d5..0052cc29 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/maingui.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/maingui.c
@@ -2480,7 +2480,20 @@ mg_create_userlist (session_gui *gui, GtkWidget *box)
 	if (prefs.hex_gui_ulist_style)
 	{
 		gtk_widget_set_style (ulist, input_style);
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Keep the user list in sync with the chat palette.
+	 *
+	 * - When "Use the text box font and colors" is enabled, we already want the
+	 *   palette background.
+	 * - When "Dark mode" is enabled, we also force the user list to use the
+	 *   palette colors so it doesn't stay blindingly white on GTK2 themes.
+	 */
+	if (prefs.hex_gui_ulist_style || prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode)
+	{
 		gtk_widget_modify_base (ulist, GTK_STATE_NORMAL, &colors[COL_BG]);
+		gtk_widget_modify_text (ulist, GTK_STATE_NORMAL, &colors[COL_FG]);
 	}
 
 	mg_create_meters (gui, vbox);
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/palette.c b/src/fe-gtk/palette.c
index 46445179..96831353 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/palette.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/palette.c
@@ -169,3 +169,86 @@ palette_save (void)
 		close (fh);
 	}
 }
+
+static gboolean
+palette_color_eq (const GdkColor *a, const GdkColor *b)
+{
+	return a->red == b->red && a->green == b->green && a->blue == b->blue;
+}
+
+gboolean
+palette_apply_dark_mode (gboolean enable)
+{
+	/*
+	 * Stock ZoiteChat defaults from this file (keep them in sync with the
+	 * colors[] initializer above):
+	 *   - Foreground: 0x2512/0x29e8/0x2b85
+	 *   - Background: 0xfae0/0xfae0/0xf8c4
+	 */
+	static const GdkColor light_fg = {0, 0x2512, 0x29e8, 0x2b85};
+	static const GdkColor light_bg = {0, 0xfae0, 0xfae0, 0xf8c4};
+
+	/* Common legacy "defaults" seen in the wild (pure black/white). */
+	static const GdkColor legacy_light_fg = {0, 0x0000, 0x0000, 0x0000};
+	static const GdkColor legacy_light_bg = {0, 0xffff, 0xffff, 0xffff};
+
+	/* A readable "dark" preset (roughly #D4D4D4 on #1E1E1E). */
+	static const GdkColor dark_fg = {0, 0xd4d4, 0xd4d4, 0xd4d4};
+	static const GdkColor dark_bg = {0, 0x1e1e, 0x1e1e, 0x1e1e};
+
+	gboolean changed = FALSE;
+
+	if (enable)
+	{
+		if (palette_color_eq (&colors[COL_FG], &light_fg) ||
+			 palette_color_eq (&colors[COL_FG], &legacy_light_fg))
+		{
+			colors[COL_FG].red = dark_fg.red;
+			colors[COL_FG].green = dark_fg.green;
+			colors[COL_FG].blue = dark_fg.blue;
+			changed = TRUE;
+		}
+		if (palette_color_eq (&colors[COL_BG], &light_bg) ||
+			 palette_color_eq (&colors[COL_BG], &legacy_light_bg))
+		{
+			colors[COL_BG].red = dark_bg.red;
+			colors[COL_BG].green = dark_bg.green;
+			colors[COL_BG].blue = dark_bg.blue;
+			changed = TRUE;
+		}
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		if (palette_color_eq (&colors[COL_FG], &dark_fg))
+		{
+			/*
+			 * Revert to a predictable light default. Most users who hit this toggle
+			 * are coming from black-on-white palettes.
+			 */
+			colors[COL_FG].red = legacy_light_fg.red;
+			colors[COL_FG].green = legacy_light_fg.green;
+			colors[COL_FG].blue = legacy_light_fg.blue;
+			changed = TRUE;
+		}
+		if (palette_color_eq (&colors[COL_BG], &dark_bg))
+		{
+			colors[COL_BG].red = legacy_light_bg.red;
+			colors[COL_BG].green = legacy_light_bg.green;
+			colors[COL_BG].blue = legacy_light_bg.blue;
+			changed = TRUE;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* Ensure the new colors have pixels allocated in the current colormap. */
+	if (changed)
+	{
+		GdkColormap *cmap = gdk_colormap_get_system ();
+		if (cmap)
+		{
+			gdk_colormap_alloc_color (cmap, &colors[COL_FG], TRUE, TRUE);
+			gdk_colormap_alloc_color (cmap, &colors[COL_BG], TRUE, TRUE);
+		}
+	}
+
+	return changed;
+}
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/palette.h b/src/fe-gtk/palette.h
index 2a451429..5b887f5c 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/palette.h
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/palette.h
@@ -38,4 +38,15 @@ void palette_alloc (GtkWidget * widget);
 void palette_load (void);
 void palette_save (void);
 
+/*
+ * Apply ZoiteChat's built-in "dark mode" background/foreground overrides.
+ *
+ * This is intentionally conservative: it only adjusts the palette if the
+ * colors are still at ZoiteChat's stock defaults, so user-customized palettes
+ * continue to take precedence.
+ *
+ * Returns TRUE if any palette entries were changed.
+ */
+gboolean palette_apply_dark_mode (gboolean enable);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/setup.c b/src/fe-gtk/setup.c
index ba9de165..fdc9c1c3 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/setup.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/setup.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include "fe-gtk.h"
 #include "gtkutil.h"
 #include "maingui.h"
+#include "chanview.h"
 #include "palette.h"
 #include "pixmaps.h"
 #include "menu.h"
@@ -341,6 +342,17 @@ static const setting color_settings[] =
 	{ST_END, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
 };
 
+static const setting dark_mode_setting =
+{
+	ST_TOGGLE,
+	N_("Enable dark mode for chat views"),
+	P_OFFINTNL(hex_gui_dark_mode),
+	N_("Makes the chat buffer, channel list, and user list use a dark background/foreground.\n"
+	   "This only changes the stock background/foreground colors. If you've customized them, your palette wins."),
+	0,
+	0
+};
+
 static const char *const dccaccept[] =
 {
 	N_("Ask for confirmation"),
@@ -1570,6 +1582,7 @@ setup_create_color_page (void)
 	setup_create_other_colorR (_("Away user:"), COL_AWAY, 10, tab);
 	setup_create_other_color (_("Highlight:"), COL_HILIGHT, 11, tab);
 	setup_create_other_colorR (_("Spell checker:"), COL_SPELL, 11, tab);
+	setup_create_toggleL (tab, 13, &dark_mode_setting);
 
 	setup_create_header (tab, 15, N_("Color Stripping"));
 
@@ -2048,10 +2061,25 @@ static void
 setup_apply_to_sess (session_gui *gui)
 {
 	mg_update_xtext (gui->xtext);
+	chanview_apply_theme ((chanview *) gui->chanview);
 
 	if (prefs.hex_gui_ulist_style)
 		gtk_widget_set_style (gui->user_tree, input_style);
 
+	if (prefs.hex_gui_ulist_style || prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode)
+	{
+		gtk_widget_modify_base (gui->user_tree, GTK_STATE_NORMAL, &colors[COL_BG]);
+		if (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode)
+			gtk_widget_modify_text (gui->user_tree, GTK_STATE_NORMAL, &colors[COL_FG]);
+		else
+			gtk_widget_modify_text (gui->user_tree, GTK_STATE_NORMAL, NULL);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		gtk_widget_modify_base (gui->user_tree, GTK_STATE_NORMAL, NULL);
+		gtk_widget_modify_text (gui->user_tree, GTK_STATE_NORMAL, NULL);
+	}
+
 	if (prefs.hex_gui_input_style)
 	{
 		extern char cursor_color_rc[];
@@ -2168,6 +2196,7 @@ setup_apply (struct zoitechatprefs *pr)
 	int do_ulist = FALSE;
 	int do_layout = FALSE;
 	int do_identd = FALSE;
+	int old_dark_mode = prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode;
 
 	if (strcmp (pr->hex_text_background, prefs.hex_text_background) != 0)
 		new_pix = TRUE;
@@ -2238,6 +2267,20 @@ setup_apply (struct zoitechatprefs *pr)
 
 	memcpy (&prefs, pr, sizeof (prefs));
 
+	/*
+	 * "Dark mode" is mostly about the chat views. Be conservative: only adjust
+	 * the stock Foreground/Background colors so user palettes keep winning.
+	 *
+	 * IMPORTANT: don't short-circuit this call.
+	 * We MUST run palette_apply_dark_mode() when the toggle changes, otherwise
+	 * the preference flips but the palette stays the same (aka: "nothing happens").
+	 */
+	{
+		gboolean pal_changed = palette_apply_dark_mode (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode);
+		if (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode != old_dark_mode || pal_changed)
+			color_change = TRUE;
+	}
+
 #ifdef WIN32
 	/* merge hex_font_main and hex_font_alternative into hex_font_normal */
 	old_desc = pango_font_description_from_string (prefs.hex_text_font_main);