Merge pull request #350 from ZoiteChat/fix-gtk3-quirks

fix a few GTK3 theming quirks
2026-07-16 16:39:25 +00:00 · 2026-07-16 02:29:43 -06:00 · 2026-07-15 23:56:05 -06:00 · 2026-07-14 14:27:08 -06:00 · 2026-07-13 13:26:55 -06:00 · 2026-07-13 09:53:41 -06:00
25 changed files with 1630 additions and 202 deletions
--- a/src/common/gtk3-theme-service.c
+++ b/src/common/gtk3-theme-service.c
@@ -315,6 +315,59 @@ resolve_parent_theme_root (const char *child_theme_root, const char *parent_name
 		return home_local;
 	g_free (home_local);

+	{
+		const char *xdg_data_home = g_getenv ("XDG_DATA_HOME");
+
+		if (xdg_data_home && xdg_data_home[0])
+		{
+			candidate = g_build_filename (xdg_data_home, "themes", parent_name, NULL);
+			if (path_exists_as_dir (candidate))
+				return candidate;
+			g_free (candidate);
+		}
+	}
+
+	candidate = g_build_filename (g_get_user_data_dir (), "themes", parent_name, NULL);
+	if (path_exists_as_dir (candidate))
+		return candidate;
+	g_free (candidate);
+
+	{
+		const char *xdg_data_dirs = g_getenv ("XDG_DATA_DIRS");
+		guint i;
+
+		if (xdg_data_dirs && xdg_data_dirs[0])
+		{
+			char **data_dirs = g_strsplit (xdg_data_dirs, G_SEARCHPATH_SEPARATOR_S, -1);
+
+			for (i = 0; data_dirs && data_dirs[i]; i++)
+			{
+				if (!data_dirs[i][0])
+					continue;
+				candidate = g_build_filename (data_dirs[i], "themes", parent_name, NULL);
+				if (path_exists_as_dir (candidate))
+				{
+					g_strfreev (data_dirs);
+					return candidate;
+				}
+				g_free (candidate);
+			}
+			g_strfreev (data_dirs);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			const char *const *system_data_dirs = g_get_system_data_dirs ();
+
+			for (i = 0; system_data_dirs && system_data_dirs[i]; i++)
+			{
+				candidate = g_build_filename (system_data_dirs[i], "themes", parent_name, NULL);
+				if (path_exists_as_dir (candidate))
+					return candidate;
+				g_free (candidate);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	user_dir = zoitechat_gtk3_theme_service_get_user_themes_dir ();
 	candidate = g_build_filename (user_dir, parent_name, NULL);
 	g_free (user_dir);
@@ -632,18 +685,55 @@ zoitechat_gtk3_theme_service_discover (void)

 	g_mkdir_with_parents (user_dir, 0700);

-	user_data_themes = g_build_filename (g_get_user_data_dir (), "themes", NULL);
+	/* Prefer the live XDG environment over GLib's process-cached copies so
+	 * theme lookup matches what GTK resolves for the running session. */
+	{
+		const char *xdg_data_home = g_getenv ("XDG_DATA_HOME");
+
+		if (xdg_data_home && xdg_data_home[0])
+			user_data_themes = g_build_filename (xdg_data_home, "themes", NULL);
+		else
+			user_data_themes = g_build_filename (g_get_user_data_dir (), "themes", NULL);
+	}
+	/* Scan the app's own themes dir first: imported themes get a symlink
+	 * under the XDG data themes dir so GTK can resolve gtk-theme-name, and
+	 * scanning that link first would make the canonical-root dedup keep
+	 * the symlink path - changing the theme's path-derived id and breaking
+	 * the saved gui_gtk3_theme reference on the next start. */
+	add_theme_root (user_roots, seen_user_roots, user_dir);
 	add_theme_root (user_roots, seen_user_roots, user_data_themes);
 	g_free (user_data_themes);
 	add_theme_root (user_roots, seen_user_roots, home_themes);
-	add_theme_root (user_roots, seen_user_roots, user_dir);

-	system_data_dirs = g_get_system_data_dirs ();
-	for (i = 0; system_data_dirs && system_data_dirs[i]; i++)
 	{
-		char *system_themes = g_build_filename (system_data_dirs[i], "themes", NULL);
-		add_theme_root (system_roots, seen_system_roots, system_themes);
-		g_free (system_themes);
+		const char *xdg_data_dirs = g_getenv ("XDG_DATA_DIRS");
+
+		if (xdg_data_dirs && xdg_data_dirs[0])
+		{
+			char **data_dirs = g_strsplit (xdg_data_dirs, G_SEARCHPATH_SEPARATOR_S, -1);
+
+			for (i = 0; data_dirs && data_dirs[i]; i++)
+			{
+				char *system_themes;
+
+				if (!data_dirs[i][0])
+					continue;
+				system_themes = g_build_filename (data_dirs[i], "themes", NULL);
+				add_theme_root (system_roots, seen_system_roots, system_themes);
+				g_free (system_themes);
+			}
+			g_strfreev (data_dirs);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			system_data_dirs = g_get_system_data_dirs ();
+			for (i = 0; system_data_dirs && system_data_dirs[i]; i++)
+			{
+				char *system_themes = g_build_filename (system_data_dirs[i], "themes", NULL);
+				add_theme_root (system_roots, seen_system_roots, system_themes);
+				g_free (system_themes);
+			}
+		}
 	}

 	for (i = 0; i < system_roots->len; i++)
@@ -922,7 +1012,7 @@ static gboolean
 validate_theme_root_for_import (const char *theme_root, GError **error)
 {
 	char *index_theme;
-	GKeyFile *keyfile;
+	GKeyFile *keyfile = NULL;
 	char *css_dir;
 	char *css_path;
 	char *raw_inherits;
@@ -930,36 +1020,33 @@ validate_theme_root_for_import (const char *theme_root, GError **error)
 	guint i;
 	GError *load_error = NULL;

+	/* index.theme is optional for GTK3 CSS themes (GTK only needs
+	 * gtk-3.x/gtk.css), but when it is present it must be well formed so
+	 * broken archives are rejected up front. */
 	index_theme = g_build_filename (theme_root, "index.theme", NULL);
-	if (!g_file_test (index_theme, G_FILE_TEST_IS_REGULAR))
+	if (g_file_test (index_theme, G_FILE_TEST_IS_REGULAR))
 	{
-		g_set_error (error, G_FILE_ERROR, G_FILE_ERROR_INVAL,
-					 "Invalid GTK3 theme at '%s': missing required index.theme at '%s'.",
-			   theme_root, index_theme);
-		g_free (index_theme);
-		return FALSE;
-	}
+		keyfile = g_key_file_new ();
+		if (!g_key_file_load_from_file (keyfile, index_theme, G_KEY_FILE_NONE, &load_error))
+		{
+			g_set_error (error, G_FILE_ERROR, G_FILE_ERROR_INVAL,
+						 "Invalid GTK3 theme at '%s': failed to parse index.theme '%s': %s.",
+				   theme_root, index_theme, load_error->message);
+			g_error_free (load_error);
+			g_key_file_unref (keyfile);
+			g_free (index_theme);
+			return FALSE;
+		}

-	keyfile = g_key_file_new ();
-	if (!g_key_file_load_from_file (keyfile, index_theme, G_KEY_FILE_NONE, &load_error))
-	{
-		g_set_error (error, G_FILE_ERROR, G_FILE_ERROR_INVAL,
-					 "Invalid GTK3 theme at '%s': failed to parse index.theme '%s': %s.",
-			   theme_root, index_theme, load_error->message);
-		g_error_free (load_error);
-		g_key_file_unref (keyfile);
-		g_free (index_theme);
-		return FALSE;
-	}
-
-	if (!g_key_file_has_group (keyfile, "Desktop Entry"))
-	{
-		g_set_error (error, G_FILE_ERROR, G_FILE_ERROR_INVAL,
-					 "Invalid GTK3 theme at '%s': index.theme '%s' is missing the [Desktop Entry] section.",
-			   theme_root, index_theme);
-		g_key_file_unref (keyfile);
-		g_free (index_theme);
-		return FALSE;
+		if (!g_key_file_has_group (keyfile, "Desktop Entry"))
+		{
+			g_set_error (error, G_FILE_ERROR, G_FILE_ERROR_INVAL,
+						 "Invalid GTK3 theme at '%s': index.theme '%s' is missing the [Desktop Entry] section.",
+				   theme_root, index_theme);
+			g_key_file_unref (keyfile);
+			g_free (index_theme);
+			return FALSE;
+		}
 	}

 	css_dir = zoitechat_gtk3_theme_pick_css_dir (theme_root);
@@ -968,7 +1055,8 @@ validate_theme_root_for_import (const char *theme_root, GError **error)
 		g_set_error (error, G_FILE_ERROR, G_FILE_ERROR_INVAL,
 					 "Invalid GTK3 theme at '%s': could not resolve a GTK CSS directory (expected gtk-3.x/gtk.css).",
 					 theme_root);
-		g_key_file_unref (keyfile);
+		if (keyfile)
+			g_key_file_unref (keyfile);
 		g_free (index_theme);
 		return FALSE;
 	}
@@ -981,15 +1069,20 @@ validate_theme_root_for_import (const char *theme_root, GError **error)
 			   theme_root, css_path);
 		g_free (css_path);
 		g_free (css_dir);
-		g_key_file_unref (keyfile);
+		if (keyfile)
+			g_key_file_unref (keyfile);
 		g_free (index_theme);
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 	g_free (css_path);
 	g_free (css_dir);

-	raw_inherits = g_key_file_get_string (keyfile, "Desktop Entry", "Inherits", NULL);
-	g_key_file_unref (keyfile);
+	raw_inherits = NULL;
+	if (keyfile)
+	{
+		raw_inherits = g_key_file_get_string (keyfile, "Desktop Entry", "Inherits", NULL);
+		g_key_file_unref (keyfile);
+	}
 	g_free (index_theme);
 	if (!raw_inherits)
 		return TRUE;
--- a/src/common/server.c
+++ b/src/common/server.c
@@ -109,6 +109,58 @@ static void server_disconnect (session * sess, int sendquit, int err);
 static int server_cleanup (server * serv);
 static void server_connect (server *serv, char *hostname, int port, int no_login);

+typedef struct
+{
+	server *serv;
+	char hostname[128];
+	int port;
+} reconnect_password_prompt;
+
+static gboolean
+server_login_uses_password_sasl (int logintype)
+{
+	return logintype == LOGIN_SASL ||
+		logintype == LOGIN_SASL_SCRAM_SHA_1 ||
+		logintype == LOGIN_SASL_SCRAM_SHA_256 ||
+		logintype == LOGIN_SASL_SCRAM_SHA_512;
+}
+
+static void
+server_reconnect_password_cb (int cancel, char *text, void *userdata)
+{
+	reconnect_password_prompt *prompt = userdata;
+
+	if (!cancel && is_server (prompt->serv) && !prompt->serv->connected && !prompt->serv->connecting && prompt->serv->server_session)
+	{
+		prompt->serv->password[0] = 0;
+		if (text && *text)
+			safe_strcpy (prompt->serv->password, text, sizeof (prompt->serv->password));
+		server_connect (prompt->serv, prompt->hostname, prompt->port, FALSE);
+	}
+
+	g_free (prompt);
+}
+
+static gboolean
+server_prompt_reconnect_password (server *serv)
+{
+	reconnect_password_prompt *prompt;
+	char *msg;
+	ircnet *net = serv->network;
+
+	if (!net || !(net->flags & FLAG_PROMPT_PASSWORD) || !server_login_uses_password_sasl (serv->loginmethod))
+		return FALSE;
+
+	prompt = g_new0 (reconnect_password_prompt, 1);
+	prompt->serv = serv;
+	safe_strcpy (prompt->hostname, serv->hostname, sizeof (prompt->hostname));
+	prompt->port = serv->port;
+	msg = g_strdup_printf (_("Enter SASL password for %s:"), net->name ? net->name : _("this network"));
+	fe_get_password (msg, server_reconnect_password_cb, prompt);
+	g_free (msg);
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
 static void
 write_error (char *message, GError **error)
 {
@@ -734,7 +786,8 @@ timeout_auto_reconnect (server *serv)
 		serv->recondelay_tag = 0;
 		if (!serv->connected && !serv->connecting && serv->server_session)
 		{
-			server_connect (serv, serv->hostname, serv->port, FALSE);
+			if (!server_prompt_reconnect_password (serv))
+				server_connect (serv, serv->hostname, serv->port, FALSE);
 		}
 	}
 	return 0;			  /* returning 0 should remove the timeout handler */
--- a/src/common/tests/test-gtk3-theme-service.c
+++ b/src/common/tests/test-gtk3-theme-service.c
@@ -381,9 +381,10 @@ test_archive_without_theme_reports_css_error (void)
 	}
 	archive_path = g_build_filename (tmp_root, "invalid-theme.zip", NULL);

-	command = g_strdup_printf ("cd %s && zip -qr %s .", archive_root, archive_path);
+	command = g_strdup_printf ("sh -c \"cd '%s' && zip -qr '%s' .\"", archive_root, archive_path);
 	g_assert_true (g_spawn_command_line_sync (command, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL));
 	g_free (command);
+	g_assert_true (g_file_test (archive_path, G_FILE_TEST_IS_REGULAR));

 	g_assert_false (zoitechat_gtk3_theme_service_import (archive_path, &imported_id, &error));
 	g_assert_null (imported_id);
@@ -397,25 +398,31 @@ test_archive_without_theme_reports_css_error (void)
 }

 static void
-test_import_rejects_theme_missing_index_theme (void)
+test_import_accepts_theme_missing_index_theme (void)
 {
 	char *tmp_root;
 	char *src_root;
 	char *theme_root;
 	char *imported_id = NULL;
 	GError *error = NULL;
+	ZoitechatGtk3Theme *found;

 	setup_test_xdir (&tmp_root);
 	src_root = g_build_filename (tmp_root, "src", NULL);
 	g_mkdir_with_parents (src_root, 0700);
 	theme_root = make_theme_dir (src_root, "NoIndex", FALSE, FALSE);

-	g_assert_false (zoitechat_gtk3_theme_service_import (theme_root, &imported_id, &error));
-	g_assert_null (imported_id);
-	g_assert_error (error, G_FILE_ERROR, G_FILE_ERROR_INVAL);
-	g_assert_nonnull (g_strstr_len (error->message, -1, "missing required index.theme"));
-	g_assert_nonnull (g_strstr_len (error->message, -1, "NoIndex"));
-	g_error_free (error);
+	/* index.theme is optional for GTK3 CSS themes: gtk-3.x/gtk.css alone
+	 * makes a loadable theme. */
+	g_assert_true (zoitechat_gtk3_theme_service_import (theme_root, &imported_id, &error));
+	g_assert_no_error (error);
+	g_assert_nonnull (imported_id);
+
+	found = zoitechat_gtk3_theme_find_by_id (imported_id);
+	g_assert_nonnull (found);
+	g_assert_true (g_str_has_suffix (found->path, "NoIndex"));
+	zoitechat_gtk3_theme_free (found);
+	g_free (imported_id);

 	g_free (theme_root);
 	g_free (src_root);
@@ -663,9 +670,10 @@ test_zip_import_nested_root (void)
 	theme = make_theme_dir (nested, "Juno-ocean", TRUE, FALSE);
 	archive_path = g_build_filename (tmp_root, "themes.zip", NULL);

-	command = g_strdup_printf ("cd %s && zip -qr %s .", zip_root, archive_path);
+	command = g_strdup_printf ("sh -c \"cd '%s' && zip -qr '%s' .\"", zip_root, archive_path);
 	g_assert_true (g_spawn_command_line_sync (command, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL));
 	g_free (command);
+	g_assert_true (g_file_test (archive_path, G_FILE_TEST_IS_REGULAR));

 	g_assert_true (zoitechat_gtk3_theme_service_import (archive_path, &imported_id, NULL));
 	found = zoitechat_gtk3_theme_find_by_id (imported_id);
@@ -697,7 +705,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 	g_test_add_func ("/gtk3-theme-service/zip-import-nested-root", test_zip_import_nested_root);
 	g_test_add_func ("/gtk3-theme-service/invalid-archive-extract-error", test_invalid_archive_reports_extract_error);
 	g_test_add_func ("/gtk3-theme-service/archive-without-theme-css-error", test_archive_without_theme_reports_css_error);
-	g_test_add_func ("/gtk3-theme-service/import-missing-index-theme", test_import_rejects_theme_missing_index_theme);
+	g_test_add_func ("/gtk3-theme-service/import-missing-index-theme", test_import_accepts_theme_missing_index_theme);
 	g_test_add_func ("/gtk3-theme-service/import-missing-desktop-entry", test_import_rejects_index_without_desktop_entry);
 	g_test_add_func ("/gtk3-theme-service/import-unresolved-inherits", test_import_rejects_unresolved_inherits);
 	return g_test_run ();
--- a/src/fe-gtk/maingui.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/maingui.c
@@ -4904,7 +4904,11 @@ mg_create_menu (session_gui *gui, GtkWidget *table, int away_state)
                                                                                        gui->menu_item);
        gtk_widget_set_hexpand (gui->menu, TRUE);
        gtk_widget_set_vexpand (gui->menu, FALSE);
-        gtk_widget_set_halign (gui->menu, GTK_ALIGN_START);
+        /* Fill the row: with GTK_ALIGN_START the menu bar stops after its
+         * last item and the rest of the row shows bare window background,
+         * which reads as a two-colored menu bar whenever the theme styles
+         * menubar and window differently. */
+        gtk_widget_set_halign (gui->menu, GTK_ALIGN_FILL);
        gtk_widget_set_valign (gui->menu, GTK_ALIGN_FILL);
        gtk_grid_attach (GTK_GRID (table), gui->menu, 0, 0, 3, 1);
 }
--- a/src/fe-gtk/meson.build
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/meson.build
@@ -227,6 +227,20 @@ test('Theme Access Routing Tests', theme_access_tests,
  timeout: 120,
 )

+theme_gtk3_settings_tests = executable('theme_gtk3_settings_tests',
+  [
+    'theme/tests/test-theme-gtk3-settings.c',
+    'theme/theme-gtk3.c',
+  ],
+  include_directories: [config_h_include],
+  dependencies: [gtk_dep],
+)
+
+test('Theme GTK3 Settings Tests', theme_gtk3_settings_tests,
+  protocol: 'tap',
+  timeout: 120,
+)
+
 theme_preferences_gtk3_populate_tests = executable('theme_preferences_gtk3_populate_tests',
  'theme/tests/test-theme-preferences-gtk3-populate.c',
  include_directories: [config_h_include],
--- a/src/fe-gtk/plugin-tray.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/plugin-tray.c
@@ -1539,6 +1539,11 @@ tray_cleanup (void)
 void
 tray_apply_setup (void)
 {
+	/* Theme/setup events can be dispatched before the tray plugin has
+	 * been registered; there is nothing to (de)activate yet. */
+	if (!ph)
+		return;
+
 	if (tray_backend_active)
 	{
 		if (!prefs.hex_gui_tray)
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-access-routing.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-access-routing.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <math.h>

 #include "../theme-access.h"
+#include "../theme-css.h"
 #include "../theme-manager.h"
 #include "../theme-runtime.h"
 #include "../../xtext-color.h"
@@ -54,6 +55,13 @@ setup_apply_real (const ThemeChangedEvent *event)
 	(void) event;
 }

+void
+gtkutil_append_font_css (GString *css, const PangoFontDescription *font_desc)
+{
+	(void) css;
+	(void) font_desc;
+}
+
 gboolean
 fe_dark_mode_is_enabled_for (unsigned int mode)
 {
@@ -173,6 +181,14 @@ theme_gtk3_is_active (void)
 	return stub_gtk3_active;
 }

+gboolean
+theme_gtk3_lookup_theme_color (const char *name, GdkRGBA *out_color)
+{
+	(void) name;
+	(void) out_color;
+	return FALSE;
+}
+
 static gboolean
 rgba_equal (const GdkRGBA *a, const GdkRGBA *b)
 {
@@ -336,6 +352,79 @@ test_access_xtext_palette_widget_mapping_when_gtk3_active (void)
 	g_object_unref (provider);
 }

+static void
+test_access_palette_css_does_not_feed_back_into_sampling (void)
+{
+	GtkWidget *window;
+	GtkWidget *label;
+	GtkCssProvider *theme1;
+	GtkCssProvider *theme2;
+	GdkScreen *screen;
+	XTextColor palette[2] = { 0 };
+	GdkRGBA old_bg;
+	GdkRGBA old_fg;
+	GdkRGBA expected;
+
+	if (!gtk_available)
+	{
+		g_test_message ("GTK display not available");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	reset_stubs ();
+	stub_gtk3_active = TRUE;
+	screen = gdk_screen_get_default ();
+	window = gtk_window_new (GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
+	label = gtk_label_new ("mapped");
+	gtk_container_add (GTK_CONTAINER (window), label);
+	gtk_widget_realize (window);
+
+	/* Old GTK3 theme active at screen level. */
+	theme1 = gtk_css_provider_new ();
+	gtk_css_provider_load_from_data (theme1,
+		"label { color: #112233; background-color: #445566; }"
+		"label:selected { color: #778899; background-color: #aabbcc; }",
+		-1, NULL);
+	gtk_style_context_add_provider_for_screen (screen,
+		GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (theme1), GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER_PRIORITY_USER);
+
+	/* The app paints the sampled theme colors onto the widget, like the
+	 * user list / channel tree / input box palette provider does. */
+	g_assert_true (gdk_rgba_parse (&old_bg, "#445566"));
+	g_assert_true (gdk_rgba_parse (&old_fg, "#112233"));
+	theme_css_apply_palette_widget (label, &old_bg, &old_fg, NULL);
+
+	/* The user switches to a new GTK3 theme. */
+	gtk_style_context_remove_provider_for_screen (screen, GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (theme1));
+	theme2 = gtk_css_provider_new ();
+	gtk_css_provider_load_from_data (theme2,
+		"label { color: #00ff00; background-color: #ff0000; }"
+		"label:selected { color: #0000ff; background-color: #ffff00; }",
+		-1, NULL);
+	gtk_style_context_add_provider_for_screen (screen,
+		GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (theme2), GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER_PRIORITY_USER);
+	gtk_style_context_reset_widgets (screen);
+
+	/* Re-sampling must see the new theme, not the palette colors the
+	 * app applied for the old theme. */
+	theme_get_xtext_colors_for_widget (label, palette, G_N_ELEMENTS (palette));
+
+	g_assert_true (stub_last_gtk_map_valid);
+	g_assert_true (gdk_rgba_parse (&expected, "#00ff00"));
+	g_assert_true (rgba_close (&stub_last_gtk_map.text_foreground, &expected));
+	g_assert_true (gdk_rgba_parse (&expected, "#ff0000"));
+	g_assert_true (rgba_close (&stub_last_gtk_map.text_background, &expected));
+
+	/* Sampling must not permanently strip the palette class. */
+	g_assert_true (gtk_style_context_has_class (gtk_widget_get_style_context (label),
+		theme_css_palette_class_name ()));
+
+	gtk_style_context_remove_provider_for_screen (screen, GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (theme2));
+	gtk_widget_destroy (window);
+	g_object_unref (theme1);
+	g_object_unref (theme2);
+}
+
 static void
 test_access_dark_light_switch_affects_token_consumers (void)
 {
@@ -363,6 +452,8 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 	g_test_add_func ("/theme/access/xtext_palette_forwarding", test_access_xtext_palette_forwarding);
 	g_test_add_func ("/theme/access/xtext_palette_widget_mapping_when_gtk3_active",
 			 test_access_xtext_palette_widget_mapping_when_gtk3_active);
+	g_test_add_func ("/theme/access/palette_css_does_not_feed_back_into_sampling",
+			 test_access_palette_css_does_not_feed_back_into_sampling);
 	g_test_add_func ("/theme/access/widget_style_forwarding", test_access_widget_style_forwarding);
 	g_test_add_func ("/theme/access/dark_light_switch_affects_token_consumers",
 			 test_access_dark_light_switch_affects_token_consumers);
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-application-input-style.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-application-input-style.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "../../fe-gtk.h"

 #include "../theme-application.h"
+#include "../theme-policy.h"
 #include "../../maingui.h"
 #include "../../../common/zoitechat.h"
 #include "../../../common/zoitechatc.h"
@@ -54,6 +55,19 @@ theme_css_reload_input_style (gboolean enabled, const PangoFontDescription *font
 	css_reload_calls++;
 }

+gboolean
+theme_policy_system_prefers_dark (void)
+{
+	return FALSE;
+}
+
+gboolean
+theme_policy_is_dark_mode_active (unsigned int mode)
+{
+	(void) mode;
+	return FALSE;
+}
+
 void
 theme_runtime_load (void)
 {
@@ -104,7 +118,9 @@ test_invalid_font_falls_back_to_sans_11 (void)
 	g_assert_cmpint (pango_font_description_get_size (style->font_desc), ==, 11 * PANGO_SCALE);
 	g_assert_cmpint (message_calls, ==, 1);
 	g_assert_cmpint (css_reload_calls, ==, 1);
-	g_assert_true (css_enabled);
+	/* Input boxes are themed per-widget; the app-global input CSS stays
+	 * off so entries render natively under the active GTK3 theme. */
+	g_assert_false (css_enabled);
 	g_assert_nonnull (css_font_desc);

 	if (style->font_desc)
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-gtk3-settings.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-gtk3-settings.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <glib.h>
 #include <glib/gstdio.h>
 #include <gtk/gtk.h>
+#include <gio/gio.h>

 #include "../theme-gtk3.h"
 #include "../../../common/gtk3-theme-service.h"
@@ -39,11 +40,14 @@ static char *xdg_data_home;
 static char *theme_parent_root;
 static char *theme_child_root;
 static char *theme_switch_root;
+static char *theme_chrome_root;
+
+static gboolean stub_system_prefers_dark;

 gboolean
 theme_policy_system_prefers_dark (void)
 {
-	return FALSE;
+	return stub_system_prefers_dark;
 }

 static void
@@ -131,6 +135,8 @@ zoitechat_gtk3_theme_find_by_id (const char *theme_id)
 		return make_theme (theme_id, theme_child_root);
 	if (g_strcmp0 (theme_id, "switch") == 0)
 		return make_theme (theme_id, theme_switch_root);
+	if (g_strcmp0 (theme_id, "chrome") == 0)
+		return make_theme (theme_id, theme_chrome_root);
 	return NULL;
 }

@@ -177,6 +183,11 @@ zoitechat_gtk3_theme_build_inheritance_chain (const char *theme_root)
 		g_ptr_array_add (chain, g_strdup (theme_switch_root));
 		return chain;
 	}
+	if (g_strcmp0 (theme_root, theme_chrome_root) == 0)
+	{
+		g_ptr_array_add (chain, g_strdup (theme_chrome_root));
+		return chain;
+	}
 	g_ptr_array_unref (chain);
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -247,6 +258,22 @@ setup_themes (void)
 		"gtk-enable-animations=false\n"
 		"gtk-cursor-blink-time=444\n");

+	theme_chrome_root = g_build_filename (temp_root, "chrome", NULL);
+	g_assert_cmpint (g_mkdir_with_parents (theme_chrome_root, 0700), ==, 0);
+	ensure_css_dir (theme_chrome_root, "gtk-3.24");
+	/* Defines named colors but no window/menubar/menu rules of its own,
+	 * so all chrome styling must come from the backfill provider. */
+	{
+		char *css = g_build_filename (theme_chrome_root, "gtk-3.24", "gtk.css", NULL);
+		write_file (css,
+			"@define-color theme_bg_color #e8f4e8;\n"
+			"@define-color theme_fg_color #102010;\n"
+			"@define-color theme_selected_bg_color #3465a4;\n"
+			"@define-color theme_selected_fg_color #ffffff;\n"
+			"label { color: #102010; }\n");
+		g_free (css);
+	}
+
 	path = g_build_filename (theme_parent_root, "index.theme", NULL);
 	write_file (path, "[Desktop Entry]\nName=parent\n");
 	g_free (path);
@@ -266,11 +293,13 @@ teardown_themes (void)
 	g_free (theme_parent_root);
 	g_free (theme_child_root);
 	g_free (theme_switch_root);
+	g_free (theme_chrome_root);
 	g_free (xdg_data_home);
 	g_free (temp_root);
 	theme_parent_root = NULL;
 	theme_child_root = NULL;
 	theme_switch_root = NULL;
+	theme_chrome_root = NULL;
 	xdg_data_home = NULL;
 	temp_root = NULL;
 }
@@ -343,6 +372,205 @@ test_settings_restored_on_disable_and_switch (void)
 	g_assert_false (theme_gtk3_is_active ());
 }

+static void
+test_follow_system_variant_resolves_to_theme_variant (void)
+{
+	GError *error = NULL;
+
+	if (!gtk_available)
+	{
+		g_test_message ("GTK display not available");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* An explicitly selected in-app theme must not follow the OS
+	 * light/dark preference: the legacy FOLLOW_SYSTEM variant resolves
+	 * to the variant the theme itself provides, so the window chrome
+	 * (menu bar) stays on the theme even when the system prefers dark. */
+	stub_system_prefers_dark = TRUE;
+	g_assert_true (theme_gtk3_apply ("switch", THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM, &error));
+	g_assert_no_error (error);
+	g_assert_true (theme_gtk3_is_active ());
+	g_assert_cmpint (theme_gtk3_active_variant (), ==, THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_LIGHT);
+	g_assert_false (get_bool_setting ("gtk-application-prefer-dark-theme"));
+
+	stub_system_prefers_dark = FALSE;
+	theme_gtk3_disable ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_menu_bar_follows_active_theme_colors (void)
+{
+	GError *error = NULL;
+	GtkWidget *window;
+	GtkWidget *menubar;
+	GtkStyleContext *context;
+	GdkRGBA bg;
+	GdkRGBA expected;
+
+	if (!gtk_available)
+	{
+		g_test_message ("GTK display not available");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* The chrome theme defines no menubar rules; without the backfill
+	 * provider the menu bar would fall through to the base (OS) theme
+	 * and follow the OS dark/light mode instead of the selected theme. */
+	g_assert_true (theme_gtk3_apply ("chrome", THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_LIGHT, &error));
+	g_assert_no_error (error);
+
+	window = gtk_window_new (GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
+	menubar = gtk_menu_bar_new ();
+	gtk_container_add (GTK_CONTAINER (window), menubar);
+	gtk_widget_show_all (window);
+
+	context = gtk_widget_get_style_context (menubar);
+	G_GNUC_BEGIN_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
+	gtk_style_context_get_background_color (context, GTK_STATE_FLAG_NORMAL, &bg);
+	G_GNUC_END_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
+	g_assert_true (gdk_rgba_parse (&expected, "#e8f4e8"));
+	g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (bg.red - expected.red), <, 0.01);
+	g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (bg.green - expected.green), <, 0.01);
+	g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (bg.blue - expected.blue), <, 0.01);
+
+	/* The window background must follow the theme too, or the space
+	 * around and beside the menu bar keeps the OS theme's colors. */
+	context = gtk_widget_get_style_context (window);
+	G_GNUC_BEGIN_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
+	gtk_style_context_get_background_color (context, GTK_STATE_FLAG_NORMAL, &bg);
+	G_GNUC_END_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
+	g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (bg.red - expected.red), <, 0.01);
+	g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (bg.green - expected.green), <, 0.01);
+	g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (bg.blue - expected.blue), <, 0.01);
+
+	gtk_widget_destroy (window);
+	theme_gtk3_disable ();
+}
+
+static void
+test_desktop_color_sync_does_not_leak_into_chrome (void)
+{
+	GError *error = NULL;
+	GtkWidget *window;
+	GtkWidget *menubar;
+	GtkStyleContext *context;
+	GtkCssProvider *desktop_css;
+	GdkScreen *screen;
+	GdkRGBA bg;
+	GdkRGBA expected;
+	GdkRGBA injected;
+
+	if (!gtk_available)
+	{
+		g_test_message ("GTK display not available");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* KDE's GTK color-scheme sync (~/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css) redefines
+	 * the standard named colors with the OS palette at USER priority.
+	 * The switch theme defines no named colors of its own, so a naive
+	 * @theme_bg_color reference in the chrome backfill would resolve to
+	 * the injected OS dark palette; the backfill must use its neutral
+	 * variant fallback instead. */
+	screen = gdk_screen_get_default ();
+	desktop_css = gtk_css_provider_new ();
+	gtk_css_provider_load_from_data (desktop_css,
+		"@define-color theme_bg_color #1e1e1e;\n"
+		"@define-color theme_fg_color #eeeeee;\n"
+		"menubar { background-color: #1e1e1e; }\n",
+		-1, NULL);
+	gtk_style_context_add_provider_for_screen (screen,
+		GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (desktop_css), GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER_PRIORITY_USER);
+
+	g_assert_true (theme_gtk3_apply ("switch", THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_LIGHT, &error));
+	g_assert_no_error (error);
+
+	{
+		GtkWidget *item;
+		GdkRGBA item_bg;
+
+		window = gtk_window_new (GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
+		menubar = gtk_menu_bar_new ();
+		item = gtk_menu_item_new_with_label ("File");
+		gtk_menu_shell_append (GTK_MENU_SHELL (menubar), item);
+		gtk_container_add (GTK_CONTAINER (window), menubar);
+		gtk_widget_show_all (window);
+
+		context = gtk_widget_get_style_context (menubar);
+		G_GNUC_BEGIN_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
+		gtk_style_context_get_background_color (context, GTK_STATE_FLAG_NORMAL, &bg);
+		G_GNUC_END_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
+		g_assert_true (gdk_rgba_parse (&expected, "#f6f5f4"));
+		g_assert_true (gdk_rgba_parse (&injected, "#1e1e1e"));
+		g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (bg.red - injected.red), >, 0.1);
+		g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (bg.red - expected.red), <, 0.01);
+		g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (bg.green - expected.green), <, 0.01);
+		g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (bg.blue - expected.blue), <, 0.01);
+
+		/* The menu bar body and the menu items must be one surface. */
+		context = gtk_widget_get_style_context (item);
+		G_GNUC_BEGIN_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
+		gtk_style_context_get_background_color (context, GTK_STATE_FLAG_NORMAL, &item_bg);
+		G_GNUC_END_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
+		g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (item_bg.red - bg.red), <, 0.01);
+		g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (item_bg.green - bg.green), <, 0.01);
+		g_assert_cmpfloat (ABS (item_bg.blue - bg.blue), <, 0.01);
+	}
+
+	gtk_widget_destroy (window);
+	theme_gtk3_disable ();
+	gtk_style_context_remove_provider_for_screen (screen, GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (desktop_css));
+	g_object_unref (desktop_css);
+}
+
+static void
+test_stale_theme_symlink_is_replaced (void)
+{
+	GError *error = NULL;
+	char *themes_dir;
+	char *link_path;
+	char *target;
+	char *active_theme_name = NULL;
+
+	if (!gtk_available)
+	{
+		g_test_message ("GTK display not available");
+		return;
+	}
+	if (!has_default_seat ())
+	{
+		g_test_message ("No default seat available");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* A dangling symlink left behind by a removed theme must not block
+	 * pinning gtk-theme-name to the newly applied theme. */
+	themes_dir = g_build_filename (xdg_data_home, "themes", NULL);
+	g_assert_cmpint (g_mkdir_with_parents (themes_dir, 0700), ==, 0);
+	link_path = g_build_filename (themes_dir, "switch", NULL);
+	g_unlink (link_path);
+	{
+		GFile *link_file = g_file_new_for_path (link_path);
+		g_assert_true (g_file_make_symbolic_link (link_file, "/nonexistent/switch", NULL, NULL));
+		g_object_unref (link_file);
+	}
+
+	g_assert_true (theme_gtk3_apply ("switch", THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_LIGHT, &error));
+	g_assert_no_error (error);
+
+	target = g_file_read_link (link_path, NULL);
+	g_assert_cmpstr (target, ==, theme_switch_root);
+	g_object_get (gtk_settings_get_default (), "gtk-theme-name", &active_theme_name, NULL);
+	g_assert_cmpstr (active_theme_name, ==, "switch");
+
+	g_free (active_theme_name);
+	g_free (target);
+	g_free (link_path);
+	g_free (themes_dir);
+	theme_gtk3_disable ();
+}
+
 int
 main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
@@ -354,6 +582,14 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)

 	g_test_add_func ("/theme/gtk3/settings_layer_precedence", test_settings_layer_precedence);
 	g_test_add_func ("/theme/gtk3/settings_restored_on_disable_and_switch", test_settings_restored_on_disable_and_switch);
+	g_test_add_func ("/theme/gtk3/follow_system_variant_resolves_to_theme_variant",
+			 test_follow_system_variant_resolves_to_theme_variant);
+	g_test_add_func ("/theme/gtk3/menu_bar_follows_active_theme_colors",
+			 test_menu_bar_follows_active_theme_colors);
+	g_test_add_func ("/theme/gtk3/desktop_color_sync_does_not_leak_into_chrome",
+			 test_desktop_color_sync_does_not_leak_into_chrome);
+	g_test_add_func ("/theme/gtk3/stale_theme_symlink_is_replaced",
+			 test_stale_theme_symlink_is_replaced);

 	prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant = THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_LIGHT;

--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-gtk3-stub.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-gtk3-stub.c
@@ -89,3 +89,9 @@ theme_gtk3_is_active (void)
 {
 	return FALSE;
 }
+
+ThemeGtk3Variant
+theme_gtk3_active_variant (void)
+{
+	return THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM;
+}
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-manager-auto-refresh.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-manager-auto-refresh.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@

 #include "../theme-manager.h"
 #include "../theme-gtk3.h"
+#include "../theme-policy.h"
 #include "../../../common/zoitechat.h"
 #include "../../../common/zoitechatc.h"

@@ -84,6 +85,15 @@ gboolean theme_policy_system_prefers_dark (void)
 	return stub_system_prefers_dark;
 }

+void theme_policy_init (void)
+{
+}
+
+void theme_policy_set_appearance_changed_callback (ThemePolicyAppearanceChangedFunc callback)
+{
+	(void) callback;
+}
+
 gboolean theme_application_apply_mode (unsigned int mode, gboolean *palette_changed)
 {
 	(void) mode;
@@ -203,6 +213,7 @@ reset_state (void)
 	idle_add_calls = 0;
 	next_idle_source_id = 33;
 	prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant = THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM;
+	prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme[0] = '\0';
 	test_theme_gtk3_stub_reset ();
 }

@@ -235,12 +246,14 @@ test_auto_refresh_dispatches_mode_palette_and_style_reasons (void)
 }

 static void
-test_auto_refresh_ignores_non_auto_mode (void)
+test_auto_refresh_ignores_locked_in_app_theme (void)
 {
 	guint listener_id;

 	reset_state ();
 	prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode = ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_DARK;
+	g_strlcpy (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme, "locked-theme", sizeof (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme));
+	prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant = THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_LIGHT;
 	stub_apply_mode_palette_changed = TRUE;
 	listener_id = theme_listener_register ("auto.nonauto", auto_listener, NULL);
 	theme_manager_set_idle_add_func (immediate_idle_add);
@@ -254,6 +267,7 @@ test_auto_refresh_ignores_non_auto_mode (void)

 	theme_manager_set_idle_add_func (NULL);
 	theme_listener_unregister (listener_id);
+	prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme[0] = '\0';
 }

 static void
@@ -263,6 +277,7 @@ test_auto_refresh_reapplies_gtk3_for_follow_system_variant (void)

 	reset_state ();
 	prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode = ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_DARK;
+	g_strlcpy (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme, "system-follower", sizeof (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme));
 	prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant = THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM;
 	listener_id = theme_listener_register ("auto.gtk3", auto_listener, NULL);
 	theme_manager_set_idle_add_func (immediate_idle_add);
@@ -274,6 +289,39 @@ test_auto_refresh_reapplies_gtk3_for_follow_system_variant (void)
 	g_assert_cmpint (listener_calls, ==, 0);
 	g_assert_cmpint (test_theme_gtk3_stub_apply_current_calls (), ==, 1);

+	theme_manager_set_idle_add_func (NULL);
+	theme_listener_unregister (listener_id);
+	prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme[0] = '\0';
+}
+
+static void
+test_auto_refresh_follows_system_theme_without_auto_mode (void)
+{
+	guint listener_id;
+
+	reset_state ();
+	prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode = ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_DARK;
+	prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant = THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_LIGHT;
+	listener_id = theme_listener_register ("auto.system", auto_listener, NULL);
+	theme_manager_set_idle_add_func (immediate_idle_add);
+
+	theme_manager_refresh_auto_mode ();
+
+	/* No in-app theme is selected, so a system theme change must
+	 * re-resolve the mapped palette even outside auto dark mode. */
+	g_assert_cmpint (idle_add_calls, ==, 1);
+	g_assert_cmpint (auto_state_calls, ==, 0);
+	g_assert_cmpint (listener_calls, ==, 1);
+	g_assert_true (theme_changed_event_has_reason (&last_event, THEME_CHANGED_REASON_PALETTE));
+	g_assert_true (theme_changed_event_has_reason (&last_event, THEME_CHANGED_REASON_WIDGET_STYLE));
+	g_assert_true (theme_changed_event_has_reason (&last_event, THEME_CHANGED_REASON_USERLIST));
+	g_assert_true (theme_changed_event_has_reason (&last_event, THEME_CHANGED_REASON_MODE));
+
+	/* Unchanged system state must not dispatch again. */
+	theme_manager_refresh_auto_mode ();
+	g_assert_cmpint (idle_add_calls, ==, 2);
+	g_assert_cmpint (listener_calls, ==, 1);
+
 	theme_manager_set_idle_add_func (NULL);
 	theme_listener_unregister (listener_id);
 }
@@ -284,9 +332,11 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 	g_test_init (&argc, &argv, NULL);
 	g_test_add_func ("/theme/manager/auto_refresh_dispatches_mode_palette_and_style_reasons",
 			 test_auto_refresh_dispatches_mode_palette_and_style_reasons);
-	g_test_add_func ("/theme/manager/auto_refresh_ignores_non_auto_mode",
-			 test_auto_refresh_ignores_non_auto_mode);
+	g_test_add_func ("/theme/manager/auto_refresh_ignores_locked_in_app_theme",
+			 test_auto_refresh_ignores_locked_in_app_theme);
 	g_test_add_func ("/theme/manager/auto_refresh_reapplies_gtk3_for_follow_system_variant",
 			 test_auto_refresh_reapplies_gtk3_for_follow_system_variant);
+	g_test_add_func ("/theme/manager/auto_refresh_follows_system_theme_without_auto_mode",
+			 test_auto_refresh_follows_system_theme_without_auto_mode);
 	return g_test_run ();
 }
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-manager-dispatch-routing.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-manager-dispatch-routing.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <string.h>

 #include "../theme-manager.h"
+#include "../theme-policy.h"
 #include "../../../common/zoitechat.h"
 #include "../../../common/zoitechatc.h"

@@ -77,6 +78,15 @@ gboolean theme_policy_system_prefers_dark (void)
 	return FALSE;
 }

+void theme_policy_init (void)
+{
+}
+
+void theme_policy_set_appearance_changed_callback (ThemePolicyAppearanceChangedFunc callback)
+{
+	(void) callback;
+}
+
 gboolean theme_application_apply_mode (unsigned int mode, gboolean *palette_changed)
 {
 	(void) mode;
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-manager-policy.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-manager-policy.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@

 #include "../theme-palette.h"
 #include "../theme-manager.h"
+#include "../theme-policy.h"
 #include "../../../common/zoitechat.h"
 #include "../../../common/zoitechatc.h"

@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ struct session *current_tab;
 struct session *lastact_sess;
 struct zoitechatprefs prefs;

+static gboolean gtk_available;
 static gboolean stub_policy_dark;
 static unsigned int stub_policy_mode;
 static gboolean stub_apply_mode_result;
@@ -79,7 +81,18 @@ void zoitechat_set_theme_post_apply_callback (zoitechat_theme_post_apply_callbac
 gboolean theme_policy_is_dark_mode_active (unsigned int mode)
 {
 	stub_policy_mode = mode;
-	return stub_policy_dark;
+	if (mode == ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_AUTO)
+		return stub_policy_dark;
+	return fe_dark_mode_is_enabled_for (mode);
+}
+
+void theme_policy_init (void)
+{
+}
+
+void theme_policy_set_appearance_changed_callback (ThemePolicyAppearanceChangedFunc callback)
+{
+	(void) callback;
 }

 gboolean theme_application_apply_mode (unsigned int mode, gboolean *palette_changed)
@@ -109,11 +122,12 @@ void theme_runtime_reset_mode_colors (gboolean dark_mode)
 	(void) dark_mode;
 }

-gboolean theme_runtime_apply_mode (unsigned int mode, gboolean *dark_active)
+gboolean theme_runtime_apply_mode (unsigned int mode, gboolean *palette_changed)
 {
 	(void) mode;
-	(void) dark_active;
 	stub_apply_mode_calls++;
+	if (palette_changed)
+		*palette_changed = TRUE;
 	return TRUE;
 }

@@ -249,10 +263,11 @@ test_manager_set_token_color_routes_by_mode (void)
 	GdkRGBA color = { 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 1.0 };
 	gboolean palette_changed = FALSE;

+	/* All edits target the single user palette; the mode argument is
+	 * accepted for compatibility but no longer selects a dark palette. */
 	reset_manager_stubs ();
 	stub_policy_dark = FALSE;
 	theme_manager_set_token_color (ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_LIGHT, THEME_TOKEN_MIRC_2, &color, &palette_changed);
-	g_assert_cmpint (stub_policy_mode, ==, ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_LIGHT);
 	g_assert_cmpint (stub_user_set_calls, ==, 1);
 	g_assert_cmpint (stub_dark_set_calls, ==, 0);
 	g_assert_cmpint (stub_apply_mode_calls, ==, 1);
@@ -262,16 +277,14 @@ test_manager_set_token_color_routes_by_mode (void)
 	reset_manager_stubs ();
 	stub_policy_dark = TRUE;
 	theme_manager_set_token_color (ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_DARK, THEME_TOKEN_MIRC_2, &color, &palette_changed);
-	g_assert_cmpint (stub_policy_mode, ==, ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_DARK);
-	g_assert_cmpint (stub_user_set_calls, ==, 0);
-	g_assert_cmpint (stub_dark_set_calls, ==, 1);
+	g_assert_cmpint (stub_user_set_calls, ==, 1);
+	g_assert_cmpint (stub_dark_set_calls, ==, 0);

 	reset_manager_stubs ();
 	stub_policy_dark = TRUE;
 	theme_manager_set_token_color (ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_AUTO, THEME_TOKEN_MIRC_2, &color, &palette_changed);
-	g_assert_cmpint (stub_policy_mode, ==, ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_AUTO);
-	g_assert_cmpint (stub_user_set_calls, ==, 0);
-	g_assert_cmpint (stub_dark_set_calls, ==, 1);
+	g_assert_cmpint (stub_user_set_calls, ==, 1);
+	g_assert_cmpint (stub_dark_set_calls, ==, 0);
 }


@@ -300,9 +313,9 @@ test_manager_set_token_color_routes_setup_indexes (void)
 		stub_policy_dark = TRUE;
 		palette_changed = FALSE;
 		theme_manager_set_token_color (ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_DARK, def->token, &color, &palette_changed);
-		g_assert_cmpint (stub_dark_set_calls, ==, 1);
-		g_assert_cmpint (stub_last_dark_token, ==, def->token);
-		g_assert_cmpint (stub_user_set_calls, ==, 0);
+		g_assert_cmpint (stub_user_set_calls, ==, 1);
+		g_assert_cmpint (stub_last_user_token, ==, def->token);
+		g_assert_cmpint (stub_dark_set_calls, ==, 0);
 		g_assert_true (palette_changed);
 	}
 }
@@ -345,6 +358,12 @@ test_manager_window_attach_detach_idempotence (void)
 	gulong *second_handler_ptr;
 	gulong second_handler_id;

+	if (!gtk_available)
+	{
+		g_test_message ("GTK display not available");
+		return;
+	}
+
 	window = gtk_window_new (GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
 	g_assert_nonnull (window);

@@ -395,5 +414,6 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 			 test_manager_listener_registration_dispatch_and_unregister);
 	g_test_add_func ("/theme/manager/window_attach_detach_idempotence",
 			 test_manager_window_attach_detach_idempotence);
+	gtk_available = gtk_init_check (&argc, &argv);
 	return g_test_run ();
 }
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-preferences-gtk3-populate.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-preferences-gtk3-populate.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ InputStyle *input_style;

 static gboolean gtk_available;
 static int apply_current_calls;
+static int set_token_color_calls;
 static char applied_theme_id[256];
 static ThemeGtk3Variant applied_variant;
 static gboolean removed_selected;
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@ theme_manager_set_token_color (unsigned int dark_mode, ThemeSemanticToken token,
        (void)dark_mode;
        (void)token;
        (void)color;
+        set_token_color_calls++;
        if (changed)
                *changed = FALSE;
 }
@@ -309,7 +311,7 @@ theme_gtk3_is_active (void)
 #include "../theme-preferences.c"

 static void
-test_removed_selected_theme_commits_fallback_and_applies (void)
+test_removed_selected_theme_falls_back_to_system_default (void)
 {
        GtkWidget *page;
        theme_preferences_ui *ui;
@@ -326,23 +328,26 @@ test_removed_selected_theme_commits_fallback_and_applies (void)
        g_strlcpy (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme, "removed-theme", sizeof (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme));
        prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant = THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_DARK;
        removed_selected = FALSE;
-        apply_current_calls = 0;
-        applied_theme_id[0] = '\0';

        page = theme_preferences_create_page (NULL, &setup_prefs, NULL);
        ui = g_object_get_data (G_OBJECT (page), "theme-preferences-ui");
        g_assert_nonnull (ui);

+        apply_current_calls = 0;
+        applied_theme_id[0] = '\0';
+
        g_assert_nonnull (ui->gtk3_remove);
        gtk_button_clicked (GTK_BUTTON (ui->gtk3_remove));

-        g_assert_cmpstr (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme, ==, "fallback-theme");
-        g_assert_cmpstr (setup_prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme, ==, "fallback-theme");
-        g_assert_cmpint (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant, ==, THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_LIGHT);
-        g_assert_cmpint (setup_prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant, ==, THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_LIGHT);
+        /* Removing the active in-app theme returns to the system GTK3
+         * theme ("None") instead of forcing another theme. */
+        g_assert_cmpstr (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme, ==, "");
+        g_assert_cmpstr (setup_prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme, ==, "");
+        g_assert_cmpint (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant, ==, THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM);
+        g_assert_cmpint (setup_prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant, ==, THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM);
        g_assert_cmpint (apply_current_calls, ==, 1);
-        g_assert_cmpstr (applied_theme_id, ==, "fallback-theme");
-        g_assert_cmpint (applied_variant, ==, THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_LIGHT);
+        g_assert_cmpstr (applied_theme_id, ==, "");
+        g_assert_cmpint (applied_variant, ==, THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM);

        gtk_widget_destroy (page);
 }
@@ -416,16 +421,55 @@ test_select_none_resets_theme_and_applies (void)
        gtk_widget_destroy (page);
 }

+static void
+test_select_theme_does_not_pin_palette_tokens (void)
+{
+        GtkWidget *page;
+        theme_preferences_ui *ui;
+        struct zoitechatprefs setup_prefs;
+
+        if (!gtk_available)
+        {
+                g_test_message ("GTK display not available");
+                return;
+        }
+
+        memset (&setup_prefs, 0, sizeof (setup_prefs));
+        memset (&prefs, 0, sizeof (prefs));
+        removed_selected = FALSE;
+        apply_current_calls = 0;
+        set_token_color_calls = 0;
+
+        page = theme_preferences_create_page (NULL, &setup_prefs, NULL);
+        ui = g_object_get_data (G_OBJECT (page), "theme-preferences-ui");
+        g_assert_nonnull (ui);
+
+        /* 0 = None, 1 = removed-theme, 2 = fallback-theme */
+        gtk_combo_box_set_active (GTK_COMBO_BOX (ui->gtk3_combo), 2);
+
+        g_assert_cmpstr (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme, ==, "fallback-theme");
+        g_assert_cmpint (apply_current_calls, ==, 1);
+        /* Selecting a GTK3 theme must leave the mapped palette tokens
+         * unpinned so the user list, channel tree and input box keep
+         * resolving their colors from the active theme instead of being
+         * frozen until the next restart. */
+        g_assert_cmpint (set_token_color_calls, ==, 0);
+
+        gtk_widget_destroy (page);
+}
+
 int
 main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
        g_test_init (&argc, &argv, NULL);
        gtk_available = gtk_init_check (&argc, &argv);
-        g_test_add_func ("/theme/preferences/gtk3_removed_selection_applies_fallback",
-                         test_removed_selected_theme_commits_fallback_and_applies);
+        g_test_add_func ("/theme/preferences/gtk3_removed_selection_falls_back_to_system",
+                         test_removed_selected_theme_falls_back_to_system_default);
        g_test_add_func ("/theme/preferences/gtk3_unset_keeps_system_default",
                         test_unset_theme_keeps_system_default_without_apply);
        g_test_add_func ("/theme/preferences/gtk3_select_none_resets_theme",
                         test_select_none_resets_theme_and_applies);
+        g_test_add_func ("/theme/preferences/gtk3_select_theme_does_not_pin_palette_tokens",
+                         test_select_theme_does_not_pin_palette_tokens);
        return g_test_run ();
 }
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-runtime-persistence.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/tests/test-theme-runtime-persistence.c
@@ -290,12 +290,12 @@ test_ui_edits_persist_without_legacy_array_mutation (void)
 	theme_runtime_save ();

 	theme_runtime_load ();
-	theme_runtime_apply_mode (ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_LIGHT, NULL);
+	theme_runtime_apply_dark_mode (FALSE);
 	g_assert_true (theme_runtime_get_color (THEME_TOKEN_SELECTION_FOREGROUND, &light_loaded));
 	g_assert_true (gdk_rgba_parse (&light_expected, "#224466"));
 	g_assert_true (colors_equal (&light_loaded, &light_expected));

-	theme_runtime_apply_mode (ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_DARK, NULL);
+	theme_runtime_apply_dark_mode (TRUE);
 	g_assert_true (theme_runtime_get_color (THEME_TOKEN_SELECTION_FOREGROUND, &dark_loaded));
 	g_assert_true (gdk_rgba_parse (&dark_expected, "#88aacc"));
 	g_assert_true (colors_equal (&dark_loaded, &dark_expected));
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-access.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-access.c
@@ -20,8 +20,9 @@

 #include "theme-access.h"

-#include "theme-runtime.h"
+#include "theme-css.h"
 #include "theme-gtk3.h"
+#include "theme-runtime.h"



@@ -32,7 +33,8 @@ enum
 	THEME_XTEXT_MARK_BG_INDEX = 100,
 	THEME_XTEXT_FG_INDEX = 101,
 	THEME_XTEXT_BG_INDEX = 102,
-	THEME_XTEXT_MARKER_INDEX = 103
+	THEME_XTEXT_MARKER_INDEX = 103,
+	THEME_XTEXT_MARKER_LEGACY_INDEX = 36
 };

 static const guint8 theme_default_99_mirc_colors[THEME_XTEXT_MIRC_COLS][3] = {
@@ -111,28 +113,95 @@ theme_access_context_get_background_color (GtkStyleContext *context, GtkStateFla
 	gtk_style_context_restore (context);
 }

+static gboolean
+theme_access_lookup_named_color (GtkStyleContext *context, const char *const *names, GdkRGBA *out_color)
+{
+	size_t i;
+
+	/* With an in-app GTK3 theme selected, prefer the colors resolved from
+	 * the theme itself: desktop integration CSS (e.g. KDE's color-scheme
+	 * sync) redefines the same named colors with the OS palette in the
+	 * widget cascade, which would drag OS dark/light colors into the
+	 * mapped palette. */
+	for (i = 0; names[i] != NULL; i++)
+	{
+		if (theme_gtk3_lookup_theme_color (names[i], out_color))
+			return TRUE;
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; names[i] != NULL; i++)
+	{
+		if (gtk_style_context_lookup_color (context, names[i], out_color))
+			return TRUE;
+	}
+
+	return FALSE;
+}
+
+static void
+theme_access_resolve_map_background (GtkStyleContext *context, GtkStateFlags state,
+				     const char *const *named_fallbacks, GdkRGBA *out_color)
+{
+	GdkRGBA named;
+
+	theme_access_context_get_background_color (context, state, out_color);
+	if (out_color->alpha > 0.0)
+		return;
+
+	/* Unstyled CSS nodes (e.g. the custom chat text widget) report a fully
+	 * transparent background; fall back to the theme's named colors so the
+	 * mapped palette still follows the active GTK3 theme. */
+	if (theme_access_lookup_named_color (context, named_fallbacks, &named))
+		*out_color = named;
+}
+
 static gboolean
 theme_access_get_gtk_palette_map (GtkWidget *widget, ThemeGtkPaletteMap *out_map)
 {
+	static const char *const base_fallbacks[] = { "theme_base_color", "theme_bg_color", NULL };
+	static const char *const selected_bg_fallbacks[] = { "theme_selected_bg_color", NULL };
+	static const char *const selected_fg_fallbacks[] = { "theme_selected_fg_color", NULL };
 	GtkStyleContext *context;
+	const char *palette_class;
+	gboolean had_palette_class;
+	GdkRGBA named;
 	GdkRGBA accent;

 	g_return_val_if_fail (out_map != NULL, FALSE);
-	if (!theme_gtk3_is_active () || widget == NULL || !GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget))
+	if (widget == NULL || !GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget))
 		return FALSE;

 	context = gtk_widget_get_style_context (widget);
 	if (context == NULL)
 		return FALSE;

+	/* The application paints these widgets with fixed colors through the
+	 * zoitechat-palette provider.  Sampling must see the underlying GTK3
+	 * theme, not the colors we applied earlier: otherwise every theme
+	 * change reads back the previous palette and the user list, channel
+	 * tree and input box keep their stale colors until a restart. */
+	palette_class = theme_css_palette_class_name ();
+	had_palette_class = gtk_style_context_has_class (context, palette_class);
+	if (had_palette_class)
+		gtk_style_context_remove_class (context, palette_class);
+
 	theme_access_context_get_color (context, GTK_STATE_FLAG_NORMAL, &out_map->text_foreground);
-	theme_access_context_get_background_color (context, GTK_STATE_FLAG_NORMAL, &out_map->text_background);
+	theme_access_resolve_map_background (context, GTK_STATE_FLAG_NORMAL, base_fallbacks,
+					     &out_map->text_background);
 	theme_access_context_get_color (context, GTK_STATE_FLAG_SELECTED, &out_map->selection_foreground);
-	theme_access_context_get_background_color (context, GTK_STATE_FLAG_SELECTED, &out_map->selection_background);
+	theme_access_resolve_map_background (context, GTK_STATE_FLAG_SELECTED, selected_bg_fallbacks,
+					     &out_map->selection_background);
+	if (gdk_rgba_equal (&out_map->selection_foreground, &out_map->text_foreground) &&
+	    theme_access_lookup_named_color (context, selected_fg_fallbacks, &named))
+		out_map->selection_foreground = named;
 	theme_access_context_get_color (context, GTK_STATE_FLAG_LINK, &accent);
 	if (accent.alpha <= 0.0)
 		accent = out_map->selection_background;
 	out_map->accent = accent;
+
+	if (had_palette_class)
+		gtk_style_context_add_class (context, palette_class);
+
 	out_map->enabled = TRUE;
 	return TRUE;
 }
@@ -223,14 +292,35 @@ theme_get_xtext_colors (XTextColor *palette, size_t palette_len)
 void
 theme_get_xtext_colors_for_widget (GtkWidget *widget, XTextColor *palette, size_t palette_len)
 {
+	ThemeGtkPaletteMap gtk_map = { 0 };
 	ThemeWidgetStyleValues style_values;
 	GdkRGBA marker_color;
+	gboolean have_marker = FALSE;

 	if (!palette)
 		return;

-	theme_get_widget_style_values_for_widget (widget, &style_values);
-	theme_runtime_get_xtext_colors (palette, palette_len);
+	if (theme_access_get_gtk_palette_map (widget, &gtk_map))
+	{
+		theme_runtime_get_widget_style_values_mapped (&gtk_map, &style_values);
+		theme_runtime_get_xtext_colors_mapped (&gtk_map, palette, palette_len);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		theme_runtime_get_widget_style_values (&style_values);
+		theme_runtime_get_xtext_colors (palette, palette_len);
+	}
+	if (palette_len > THEME_XTEXT_MARKER_LEGACY_INDEX)
+	{
+		/* The marker token lives at its legacy slot before the extended
+		 * mIRC palette overwrites it; keep the (possibly theme-mapped)
+		 * value for the dedicated marker index below. */
+		marker_color.red = palette[THEME_XTEXT_MARKER_LEGACY_INDEX].red;
+		marker_color.green = palette[THEME_XTEXT_MARKER_LEGACY_INDEX].green;
+		marker_color.blue = palette[THEME_XTEXT_MARKER_LEGACY_INDEX].blue;
+		marker_color.alpha = palette[THEME_XTEXT_MARKER_LEGACY_INDEX].alpha;
+		have_marker = TRUE;
+	}
 	if (palette_len >= THEME_XTEXT_MIRC_COLS)
 		theme_access_apply_default_99_palette (palette, palette_len);
 	if (palette_len > THEME_XTEXT_MARK_FG_INDEX)
@@ -249,7 +339,7 @@ theme_get_xtext_colors_for_widget (GtkWidget *widget, XTextColor *palette, size_
 	}
 	if (palette_len > THEME_XTEXT_MARKER_INDEX)
 	{
-		if (!theme_runtime_get_color (THEME_TOKEN_MARKER, &marker_color))
+		if (!have_marker && !theme_runtime_get_color (THEME_TOKEN_MARKER, &marker_color))
 			marker_color = style_values.selection_background;
 		palette[THEME_XTEXT_MARKER_INDEX].red = marker_color.red;
 		palette[THEME_XTEXT_MARKER_INDEX].green = marker_color.green;
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-application.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-application.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "theme-css.h"
 #include "theme-runtime.h"
 #include "theme-gtk3.h"
+#include "theme-policy.h"
 #include "../maingui.h"
 #include <gtk/gtk.h>

@@ -55,10 +56,19 @@ theme_application_apply_toplevel_theme (gboolean dark)

 	if (theme_gtk3_is_active ())
 	{
-		if (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant == THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_DARK)
-			prefer_dark = TRUE;
-		else if (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant == THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_LIGHT)
-			prefer_dark = FALSE;
+		/* An explicitly selected in-app theme controls its own
+		 * variant; the OS light/dark preference must not leak into
+		 * the window chrome (menu bar, dialogs).  The active variant
+		 * is always resolved to light or dark. */
+		prefer_dark = theme_gtk3_active_variant () == THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_DARK;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		/* Following the system GTK3 theme: only request the dark
+		 * variant when the dark-mode preference (or the system, in
+		 * auto mode) asks for it, instead of clobbering the value
+		 * that came from the user's GTK configuration. */
+		prefer_dark = theme_policy_is_dark_mode_active (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode);
 	}

 	if (settings && g_object_class_find_property (G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS (settings),
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-css.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-css.c
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@
 static const char *theme_css_selector_input = "#zoitechat-inputbox";
 static const char *theme_css_selector_input_text = "#zoitechat-inputbox text";
 static const char *theme_css_selector_palette_class = "zoitechat-palette";
-static const char *theme_css_selector_dark_class = "zoitechat-dark";
-static const char *theme_css_selector_light_class = "zoitechat-light";
 static const char *theme_css_palette_provider_key = "zoitechat-palette-provider";
 static const guint theme_css_provider_priority = GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER_PRIORITY_USER;
 static const char *theme_css_palette_scope_selectors =
@@ -62,6 +60,12 @@ typedef struct
 static GtkCssProvider *theme_css_input_provider;
 static ThemeCssInputFingerprint theme_css_input_fp;

+const char *
+theme_css_palette_class_name (void)
+{
+	return theme_css_selector_palette_class;
+}
+
 void
 theme_css_apply_app_provider (GtkStyleProvider *provider)
 {
@@ -362,61 +366,9 @@ theme_css_apply_palette_widget (GtkWidget *widget, const GdkRGBA *bg, const GdkR
 char *
 theme_css_build_toplevel_classes (void)
 {
-	return g_strdup_printf (
-		"window.%s, window.%s:backdrop, .%s {"
-		"background-color: #202020;"
-		"color: #f0f0f0;"
-		"border-color: #202020;"
-		"}"
-		"window.%s menubar, window.%s menubar:backdrop, window.%s menubar box, window.%s menubar box:backdrop, window.%s menuitem, window.%s menuitem:backdrop {"
-		"background-color: @theme_bg_color;"
-		"background-image: none;"
-		"color: @theme_fg_color;"
-		"border-color: @theme_bg_color;"
-		"}"
-		"window.%s menuitem:hover, window.%s menuitem:selected {"
-		"background-color: @theme_selected_bg_color;"
-		"background-image: none;"
-		"color: @theme_selected_fg_color;"
-		"border-color: @theme_selected_bg_color;"
-		"}"
-		"window.%s, window.%s:backdrop, .%s {"
-		"background-color: #f6f6f6;"
-		"color: #101010;"
-		"border-color: #f6f6f6;"
-		"}"
-		"window.%s menubar, window.%s menubar:backdrop, window.%s menubar box, window.%s menubar box:backdrop, window.%s menuitem, window.%s menuitem:backdrop {"
-		"background-color: @theme_bg_color;"
-		"background-image: none;"
-		"color: @theme_fg_color;"
-		"border-color: @theme_bg_color;"
-		"}"
-		"window.%s menuitem:hover, window.%s menuitem:selected {"
-		"background-color: @theme_selected_bg_color;"
-		"background-image: none;"
-		"color: @theme_selected_fg_color;"
-		"border-color: @theme_selected_bg_color;"
-		"}",
-		theme_css_selector_dark_class,
-		theme_css_selector_dark_class,
-		theme_css_selector_dark_class,
-		theme_css_selector_dark_class,
-		theme_css_selector_dark_class,
-		theme_css_selector_dark_class,
-		theme_css_selector_dark_class,
-		theme_css_selector_dark_class,
-		theme_css_selector_dark_class,
-		theme_css_selector_dark_class,
-		theme_css_selector_dark_class,
-		theme_css_selector_light_class,
-		theme_css_selector_light_class,
-		theme_css_selector_light_class,
-		theme_css_selector_light_class,
-		theme_css_selector_light_class,
-		theme_css_selector_light_class,
-		theme_css_selector_light_class,
-		theme_css_selector_light_class,
-		theme_css_selector_light_class,
-		theme_css_selector_light_class,
-		theme_css_selector_light_class);
+	/* Windows, dialogs and menus must render with the colors of the active
+	 * GTK3 theme (system or in-app selected).  zoitechat-dark and
+	 * zoitechat-light are marker classes only; painting fixed colors here
+	 * overrides every theme (issue #334). */
+	return g_strdup ("");
 }
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-css.h
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-css.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 * theme_css_apply_widget_provider:
 * Use for widget-local CSS providers attached to a specific widget context.
 */
+const char *theme_css_palette_class_name (void);
 void theme_css_apply_app_provider (GtkStyleProvider *provider);
 void theme_css_remove_app_provider (GtkStyleProvider *provider);
 void theme_css_apply_widget_provider (GtkWidget *widget, GtkStyleProvider *provider);
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-gtk3.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-gtk3.c
@@ -33,11 +33,60 @@

 static GPtrArray *theme_gtk3_providers_base;
 static GPtrArray *theme_gtk3_providers_variant;
+static GtkCssProvider *theme_gtk3_chrome_provider;
+static GHashTable *theme_gtk3_theme_colors;
 static GHashTable *theme_gtk3_provider_cache;
 static gboolean theme_gtk3_active;
 static char *theme_gtk3_current_id;
 static ThemeGtk3Variant theme_gtk3_current_variant;

+/* Menu bar and menus fall back to the base gtk-theme-name theme (the OS
+ * theme) for any property the selected in-app theme's CSS does not define,
+ * which mixes OS dark/light colors into the chrome (issue: dark menu bar on
+ * a light in-app theme when the OS is in dark mode).  While an in-app theme
+ * is active, backfill those widgets with the theme's own named colors.  The
+ * provider sits just below the theme providers, so a theme that styles its
+ * menus keeps full control. */
+#define THEME_GTK3_CHROME_PRIORITY (GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER_PRIORITY_USER - 1)
+/* Concrete color values are formatted in: desktop integration CSS (e.g.
+ * KDE's color-scheme sync in ~/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css) redefines the
+ * standard named colors with the OS palette at USER priority, so a
+ * "@theme_bg_color" reference here would resolve to the OS dark/light
+ * colors instead of the selected theme's. */
+static const char theme_gtk3_chrome_css_template[] =
+	".background, .background:backdrop {"
+	" background-color: %s;"
+	" color: %s;"
+	"}"
+	"headerbar, headerbar:backdrop, .titlebar, .titlebar:backdrop {"
+	" background-color: %s;"
+	" background-image: none;"
+	" color: %s;"
+	"}";
+
+/* The menu bar body and the menu items are separate CSS surfaces; desktop
+ * integration CSS or a theme can style one but not the other, splitting
+ * the menu bar row into two colors.  These rules sit above the theme and
+ * the desktop CSS so body and items always render as one surface. */
+#define THEME_GTK3_MENU_UNIFORM_PRIORITY (GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER_PRIORITY_USER + 40)
+static const char theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_template[] =
+	"menubar, menubar:backdrop, menubar > menuitem, menubar > menuitem:backdrop,"
+	"menu, menu:backdrop, .menu, .menu:backdrop, menu > menuitem, menu > menuitem:backdrop {"
+	" background-color: %s;"
+	" background-image: none;"
+	" color: %s;"
+	"}"
+	"menubar > menuitem:hover, menubar > menuitem:selected,"
+	"menu > menuitem:hover, menu > menuitem:selected,"
+	".menu menuitem:hover, .menu menuitem:selected {"
+	" background-color: %s;"
+	" background-image: none;"
+	" color: %s;"
+	"}"
+	"menubar > menuitem:disabled, menu > menuitem:disabled {"
+	" color: alpha(%s, 0.5);"
+	"}";
+
 typedef struct
 {
 	GHashTable *defaults;
@@ -49,6 +98,7 @@ typedef struct
 static ThemeGtk3SettingsState theme_gtk3_settings_state;

 static gboolean settings_apply_property (GtkSettings *settings, const char *property_name, const char *raw_value);
+static void theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_apply (const char *bg, const char *fg, const char *sel_bg, const char *sel_fg);

 static gboolean
 theme_gtk3_theme_name_is_dark (const char *name)
@@ -399,6 +449,21 @@ settings_theme_link_search_path (const char *theme_root, const char *theme_name)
 	}

 	link_path = g_build_filename (themes_root, theme_name, NULL);
+
+	/* A leftover symlink from a removed or relocated theme would satisfy
+	 * the EXISTS check while pointing at the wrong (or no) theme, leaving
+	 * the base gtk-theme-name on the OS theme.  Replace it. */
+	{
+		char *link_target = g_file_read_link (link_path, NULL);
+		if (link_target)
+		{
+			if (g_strcmp0 (link_target, theme_root) != 0 ||
+			    !g_file_test (link_path, G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR))
+				g_unlink (link_path);
+			g_free (link_target);
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (!g_file_test (link_path, G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
 	{
 		GFile *link_file = g_file_new_for_path (link_path);
@@ -757,12 +822,176 @@ settings_apply_from_file (const char *theme_root, const char *css_dir)
 	g_ptr_array_unref (settings_paths);
 }

+static gboolean
+theme_gtk3_providers_define_color (const char *name)
+{
+	char *needle = g_strdup_printf ("@define-color %s ", name);
+	gboolean found = FALSE;
+	guint i;
+
+	for (i = 0; !found && theme_gtk3_providers_base && i < theme_gtk3_providers_base->len; i++)
+	{
+		char *dump = gtk_css_provider_to_string (g_ptr_array_index (theme_gtk3_providers_base, i));
+		found = dump && strstr (dump, needle) != NULL;
+		g_free (dump);
+	}
+	for (i = 0; !found && theme_gtk3_providers_variant && i < theme_gtk3_providers_variant->len; i++)
+	{
+		char *dump = gtk_css_provider_to_string (g_ptr_array_index (theme_gtk3_providers_variant, i));
+		found = dump && strstr (dump, needle) != NULL;
+		g_free (dump);
+	}
+
+	g_free (needle);
+	return found;
+}
+
+/* Resolve a named color from the selected theme itself.  The lookup
+ * context layers the theme's providers over the screen cascade, so the
+ * theme's own @define-color wins; when the theme does not define the
+ * name at all, fall back to a neutral palette matching the theme's
+ * variant instead of whatever the desktop injected into the cascade. */
+static char *
+theme_gtk3_chrome_resolve_color (GtkStyleContext *lookup, const char *name, const char *fallback)
+{
+	GdkRGBA color;
+
+	if (!theme_gtk3_providers_define_color (name) ||
+	    !gtk_style_context_lookup_color (lookup, name, &color))
+		g_assert (gdk_rgba_parse (&color, fallback));
+
+	if (!theme_gtk3_theme_colors)
+		theme_gtk3_theme_colors = g_hash_table_new_full (g_str_hash, g_str_equal, g_free, g_free);
+	{
+		GdkRGBA *stored = g_new (GdkRGBA, 1);
+		*stored = color;
+		g_hash_table_insert (theme_gtk3_theme_colors, g_strdup (name), stored);
+	}
+
+	return gdk_rgba_to_string (&color);
+}
+
+gboolean
+theme_gtk3_lookup_theme_color (const char *name, GdkRGBA *out_color)
+{
+	GdkRGBA *stored;
+
+	if (!theme_gtk3_active || !theme_gtk3_theme_colors || !name || !out_color)
+		return FALSE;
+
+	stored = g_hash_table_lookup (theme_gtk3_theme_colors, name);
+	if (!stored)
+		return FALSE;
+
+	*out_color = *stored;
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
+static void
+theme_gtk3_chrome_provider_apply (gboolean prefer_dark)
+{
+	GdkScreen *screen = gdk_screen_get_default ();
+	GtkStyleContext *lookup;
+	char *bg;
+	char *fg;
+	char *sel_bg;
+	char *sel_fg;
+	char *css;
+	guint i;
+
+	if (!screen)
+		return;
+
+	lookup = gtk_style_context_new ();
+	for (i = 0; theme_gtk3_providers_base && i < theme_gtk3_providers_base->len; i++)
+		gtk_style_context_add_provider (lookup,
+			GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (g_ptr_array_index (theme_gtk3_providers_base, i)),
+			GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER_PRIORITY_USER);
+	for (i = 0; theme_gtk3_providers_variant && i < theme_gtk3_providers_variant->len; i++)
+		gtk_style_context_add_provider (lookup,
+			GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (g_ptr_array_index (theme_gtk3_providers_variant, i)),
+			GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER_PRIORITY_USER);
+
+	if (theme_gtk3_theme_colors)
+		g_hash_table_remove_all (theme_gtk3_theme_colors);
+
+	bg = theme_gtk3_chrome_resolve_color (lookup, "theme_bg_color",
+					      prefer_dark ? "#242424" : "#f6f5f4");
+	fg = theme_gtk3_chrome_resolve_color (lookup, "theme_fg_color",
+					      prefer_dark ? "#eeeeee" : "#2e3436");
+	sel_bg = theme_gtk3_chrome_resolve_color (lookup, "theme_selected_bg_color", "#3584e4");
+	sel_fg = theme_gtk3_chrome_resolve_color (lookup, "theme_selected_fg_color", "#ffffff");
+	/* Not used by the chrome CSS itself, but resolved and stored for the
+	 * mapped-palette sampling fallback (chat area and friends). */
+	g_free (theme_gtk3_chrome_resolve_color (lookup, "theme_base_color",
+						 prefer_dark ? "#1e1e1e" : "#ffffff"));
+	g_object_unref (lookup);
+
+	css = g_strdup_printf (theme_gtk3_chrome_css_template,
+			       bg, fg,
+			       bg, fg);
+
+	if (!theme_gtk3_chrome_provider)
+		theme_gtk3_chrome_provider = gtk_css_provider_new ();
+	gtk_css_provider_load_from_data (theme_gtk3_chrome_provider, css, -1, NULL);
+
+	gtk_style_context_add_provider_for_screen (screen,
+		GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (theme_gtk3_chrome_provider),
+		THEME_GTK3_CHROME_PRIORITY);
+
+	theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_apply (bg, fg, sel_bg, sel_fg);
+
+	g_free (css);
+	g_free (sel_fg);
+	g_free (sel_bg);
+	g_free (fg);
+	g_free (bg);
+}
+
+static GtkCssProvider *theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_provider;
+
+static void
+theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_apply (const char *bg, const char *fg, const char *sel_bg, const char *sel_fg)
+{
+	GdkScreen *screen = gdk_screen_get_default ();
+	char *css;
+
+	if (!screen)
+		return;
+
+	css = g_strdup_printf (theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_template, bg, fg, sel_bg, sel_fg, fg);
+	if (!theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_provider)
+		theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_provider = gtk_css_provider_new ();
+	gtk_css_provider_load_from_data (theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_provider, css, -1, NULL);
+	gtk_style_context_add_provider_for_screen (screen,
+		GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_provider),
+		THEME_GTK3_MENU_UNIFORM_PRIORITY);
+	g_free (css);
+}
+
+static void
+theme_gtk3_chrome_provider_remove (void)
+{
+	GdkScreen *screen = gdk_screen_get_default ();
+
+	if (!screen)
+		return;
+
+	if (theme_gtk3_chrome_provider)
+		gtk_style_context_remove_provider_for_screen (screen,
+			GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (theme_gtk3_chrome_provider));
+	if (theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_provider)
+		gtk_style_context_remove_provider_for_screen (screen,
+			GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER (theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_provider));
+}
+
 static void
 theme_gtk3_remove_provider (void)
 {
 	GdkScreen *screen = gdk_screen_get_default ();
 	guint i;

+	theme_gtk3_chrome_provider_remove ();
 	if (screen && theme_gtk3_providers_variant)
 	{
 		for (i = 0; i < theme_gtk3_providers_variant->len; i++)
@@ -866,6 +1095,7 @@ load_css_with_variant (ZoitechatGtk3Theme *theme, ThemeGtk3Variant variant, GErr
 	}

 	g_ptr_array_unref (chain);
+	theme_gtk3_chrome_provider_apply (prefer_dark);
 	settings_apply_for_variant (variant);
 	theme_gtk3_reset_widgets ();
 	theme_gtk3_active = TRUE;
@@ -876,24 +1106,35 @@ static gboolean
 theme_gtk3_apply_internal (const char *theme_id, ThemeGtk3Variant variant, gboolean force_reload, GError **error)
 {
 	ZoitechatGtk3Theme *theme;
-	char *previous_id = g_strdup (theme_gtk3_current_id);
-	ThemeGtk3Variant previous_variant = theme_gtk3_current_variant;
-	gboolean had_previous = theme_gtk3_active && previous_id && previous_id[0];
+	char *previous_id;
+	ThemeGtk3Variant previous_variant;
+	gboolean had_previous;
 	gboolean ok;

+	theme = zoitechat_gtk3_theme_find_by_id (theme_id);
+	if (!theme)
+		return g_set_error_literal (error, G_FILE_ERROR, G_FILE_ERROR_NOENT, "GTK3 theme not found."), FALSE;
+
+	/* An explicitly selected in-app theme pins the rendering to that
+	 * theme: it must not flip with the OS light/dark preference.  Legacy
+	 * configs still carry FOLLOW_SYSTEM (the pre-inference default), so
+	 * resolve it to the variant the theme itself provides. */
+	if (variant == THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM)
+		variant = theme_gtk3_infer_variant (theme);
+
 	if (!force_reload &&
 		theme_gtk3_active &&
 		g_strcmp0 (theme_gtk3_current_id, theme_id) == 0 &&
 		theme_gtk3_current_variant == variant)
-		return TRUE;
-
-	theme = zoitechat_gtk3_theme_find_by_id (theme_id);
-	if (!theme)
 	{
-		g_free (previous_id);
-		return g_set_error_literal (error, G_FILE_ERROR, G_FILE_ERROR_NOENT, "GTK3 theme not found."), FALSE;
+		zoitechat_gtk3_theme_free (theme);
+		return TRUE;
 	}

+	previous_id = g_strdup (theme_gtk3_current_id);
+	previous_variant = theme_gtk3_current_variant;
+	had_previous = theme_gtk3_active && previous_id && previous_id[0];
+
 	theme_gtk3_remove_provider ();
 	if (force_reload)
 		theme_gtk3_invalidate_provider_cache ();
@@ -961,6 +1202,12 @@ void
 theme_gtk3_disable (void)
 {
 	theme_gtk3_remove_provider ();
+	g_clear_object (&theme_gtk3_chrome_provider);
+	g_clear_pointer (&theme_gtk3_theme_colors, g_hash_table_destroy);
+	/* Following the system theme: keep the menu bar body and the menu
+	 * items on one surface too, using the system's own colors. */
+	theme_gtk3_menu_uniform_apply ("@theme_bg_color", "@theme_fg_color",
+				       "@theme_selected_bg_color", "@theme_selected_fg_color");
 	g_clear_pointer (&theme_gtk3_current_id, g_free);
 	theme_gtk3_invalidate_provider_cache ();
 	g_clear_pointer (&theme_gtk3_provider_cache, g_hash_table_destroy);
@@ -990,3 +1237,13 @@ theme_gtk3_is_active (void)
 {
 	return theme_gtk3_active;
 }
+
+ThemeGtk3Variant
+theme_gtk3_active_variant (void)
+{
+	/* Always resolved to PREFER_LIGHT or PREFER_DARK while a theme is
+	 * active; FOLLOW_SYSTEM only when no in-app theme is applied. */
+	if (!theme_gtk3_active)
+		return THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM;
+	return theme_gtk3_current_variant;
+}
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-gtk3.h
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-gtk3.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #define ZOITECHAT_THEME_GTK3_H

 #include <glib.h>
+#include <gdk/gdk.h>

 typedef enum
 {
@@ -38,5 +39,7 @@ ThemeGtk3Variant theme_gtk3_variant_for_theme (const char *theme_id);
 void theme_gtk3_invalidate_provider_cache (void);
 void theme_gtk3_disable (void);
 gboolean theme_gtk3_is_active (void);
+ThemeGtk3Variant theme_gtk3_active_variant (void);
+gboolean theme_gtk3_lookup_theme_color (const char *name, GdkRGBA *out_color);

 #endif
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-manager.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-manager.c
@@ -58,10 +58,52 @@ typedef struct
 	gboolean resolved_dark_preference;
 	char gtk3_theme_id[sizeof prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme];
 	int gtk3_variant;
+	char *gtk_theme_name;
 } ThemeManagerAutoRefreshCache;

 static ThemeManagerAutoRefreshCache theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache;

+static void
+theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache_reset (void)
+{
+	g_free (theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk_theme_name);
+	memset (&theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache, 0, sizeof (theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache));
+}
+
+static void
+theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache_store (gboolean resolved_dark_preference, char *gtk_theme_name)
+{
+	theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.initialized = TRUE;
+	theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.resolved_dark_preference = resolved_dark_preference;
+	theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk3_variant = prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant;
+	g_strlcpy (theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk3_theme_id,
+		   prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme,
+		   sizeof (theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk3_theme_id));
+	g_free (theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk_theme_name);
+	theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk_theme_name = gtk_theme_name;
+}
+
+static char *
+theme_manager_dup_gtk_theme_name (void)
+{
+	GtkSettings *settings = gtk_settings_get_default ();
+	char *gtk_theme_name = NULL;
+
+	if (settings)
+		g_object_get (settings, "gtk-theme-name", &gtk_theme_name, NULL);
+	return gtk_theme_name;
+}
+
+/* Record the state the application started up with so that the first queued
+ * auto refresh only reacts to real changes; startup already applied the
+ * current theme, and consumers such as the tray are not ready yet. */
+static void
+theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache_prime (void)
+{
+	theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache_store (theme_policy_system_prefers_dark (),
+						theme_manager_dup_gtk_theme_name ());
+}
+
 static void theme_manager_apply_platform_window_theme (GtkWidget *window);

 static void
@@ -145,7 +187,9 @@ theme_manager_auto_dark_mode_changed (GtkSettings *settings, GParamSpec *pspec,
 	gboolean color_change = FALSE;
 	gboolean should_refresh_gtk3;
 	gboolean gtk3_refresh;
+	gboolean follows_system_theme;
 	gboolean resolved_dark_preference;
+	char *gtk_theme_name = NULL;
 	static gboolean in_handler = FALSE;

 	(void) settings;
@@ -154,39 +198,47 @@ theme_manager_auto_dark_mode_changed (GtkSettings *settings, GParamSpec *pspec,

 	resolved_dark_preference = theme_policy_system_prefers_dark ();
 	gtk3_refresh = theme_manager_should_refresh_gtk3 ();
+	follows_system_theme = prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme[0] == '\0';
 	should_refresh_gtk3 = gtk3_refresh || prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode == ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_AUTO;

+	gtk_theme_name = theme_manager_dup_gtk_theme_name ();
+
 	if (theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.initialized &&
 	    theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.resolved_dark_preference == resolved_dark_preference &&
 	    theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk3_variant == prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant &&
-	    g_strcmp0 (theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk3_theme_id, prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme) == 0)
+	    g_strcmp0 (theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk3_theme_id, prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme) == 0 &&
+	    g_strcmp0 (theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk_theme_name, gtk_theme_name) == 0)
+	{
+		g_free (gtk_theme_name);
 		return;
+	}

-	theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.initialized = TRUE;
-	theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.resolved_dark_preference = resolved_dark_preference;
-	theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk3_variant = prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant;
-	g_strlcpy (theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk3_theme_id,
-		   prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_theme,
-		   sizeof (theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache.gtk3_theme_id));
+	theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache_store (resolved_dark_preference, gtk_theme_name);

-	if (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode != ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_AUTO && !gtk3_refresh)
+	if (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode != ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_AUTO && !gtk3_refresh && !follows_system_theme)
 		return;
 	if (in_handler)
 		return;

 	in_handler = TRUE;

-	if (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode == ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_AUTO)
+	if (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode == ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_AUTO || follows_system_theme)
 	{
-		fe_set_auto_dark_mode_state (resolved_dark_preference);
 		theme_manager_commit_preferences (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode, &color_change);
-		if (color_change)
-			theme_manager_dispatch_changed (THEME_CHANGED_REASON_PALETTE | THEME_CHANGED_REASON_WIDGET_STYLE | THEME_CHANGED_REASON_USERLIST | THEME_CHANGED_REASON_MODE);
+		if (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode == ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_AUTO)
+			fe_set_auto_dark_mode_state (resolved_dark_preference);
 	}

 	if (should_refresh_gtk3)
 		theme_gtk3_apply_current (NULL);

+	if (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode == ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_AUTO || follows_system_theme)
+	{
+		/* The system theme feeds the mapped palette (chat area, user
+		 * list, channel tree), so consumers must re-resolve colors. */
+		theme_manager_dispatch_changed (THEME_CHANGED_REASON_PALETTE | THEME_CHANGED_REASON_WIDGET_STYLE | THEME_CHANGED_REASON_USERLIST | THEME_CHANGED_REASON_MODE);
+	}
+
 	in_handler = FALSE;
 }

@@ -204,18 +256,28 @@ theme_manager_run_auto_refresh (gpointer data)
 static void
 theme_manager_queue_auto_refresh (GtkSettings *settings, GParamSpec *pspec, gpointer data)
 {
+	guint source_id;
+
 	(void) settings;
 	(void) pspec;

 	if (theme_manager_auto_refresh_source != 0)
 		return;

-	theme_manager_auto_refresh_source = theme_manager_idle_add_func (theme_manager_run_auto_refresh, data);
+	theme_manager_auto_refresh_source = 1;
+	source_id = theme_manager_idle_add_func (theme_manager_run_auto_refresh, data);
+	/* An injected idle-add may run the refresh synchronously and already
+	 * have cleared the pending marker; only keep the id while pending. */
+	if (theme_manager_auto_refresh_source != 0)
+		theme_manager_auto_refresh_source = source_id;
 }

 void
 theme_manager_init (void)
 {
+	static gboolean settings_signals_connected = FALSE;
+	GtkSettings *settings;
+
 	if (!theme_manager_listeners)
 		theme_manager_listeners = g_hash_table_new_full (g_direct_hash, g_direct_equal, NULL,
 									 theme_listener_free);
@@ -223,10 +285,25 @@ theme_manager_init (void)
 	if (!theme_manager_setup_listener_id)
 		theme_manager_setup_listener_id = theme_listener_register ("setup.apply", theme_manager_setup_apply_listener, NULL);

-	fe_set_auto_dark_mode_state (FALSE);
+	theme_policy_init ();
+	theme_policy_set_appearance_changed_callback (theme_manager_refresh_auto_mode);
+
+	settings = gtk_settings_get_default ();
+	if (settings && !settings_signals_connected)
+	{
+		g_signal_connect (settings, "notify::gtk-theme-name",
+				  G_CALLBACK (theme_manager_queue_auto_refresh), NULL);
+		g_signal_connect (settings, "notify::gtk-application-prefer-dark-theme",
+				  G_CALLBACK (theme_manager_queue_auto_refresh), NULL);
+		settings_signals_connected = TRUE;
+	}
+
+	fe_set_auto_dark_mode_state (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode == ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_AUTO ?
+				     theme_policy_system_prefers_dark () : FALSE);
 	theme_application_apply_mode (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode, NULL);
 	theme_gtk3_init ();
 	zoitechat_set_theme_post_apply_callback (theme_manager_handle_theme_applied);
+	theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache_prime ();
 }

 gboolean
@@ -513,13 +590,9 @@ theme_manager_apply_platform_window_theme (GtkWidget *window)

 	context = gtk_widget_get_style_context (window);
 	if (theme_gtk3_is_active ())
-	{
-		dark = prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant == THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_DARK;
-		if (prefs.hex_gui_gtk3_variant == THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_FOLLOW_SYSTEM)
-			dark = theme_policy_system_prefers_dark ();
-	}
+		dark = theme_gtk3_active_variant () == THEME_GTK3_VARIANT_PREFER_DARK;
 	else
-		dark = theme_runtime_is_dark_active ();
+		dark = theme_policy_is_dark_mode_active (prefs.hex_gui_dark_mode);
 	if (context)
 	{
 		gtk_style_context_remove_class (context, "zoitechat-dark");
@@ -712,4 +785,5 @@ theme_manager_set_idle_add_func (ThemeManagerIdleAddFunc idle_add_func)
 {
 	theme_manager_idle_add_func = idle_add_func ? idle_add_func : g_idle_add;
 	theme_manager_auto_refresh_source = 0;
+	theme_manager_auto_refresh_cache_reset ();
 }
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-policy.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-policy.c
@@ -20,14 +20,379 @@

 #include "theme-policy.h"

+#include <string.h>
+
+#include <gtk/gtk.h>
+#include <gio/gio.h>
+
+#include "theme-gtk3.h"
 #include "../fe-gtk.h"
 #include "../../common/zoitechat.h"
 #include "../../common/zoitechatc.h"

+/* org.freedesktop.appearance color-scheme values (XDG desktop portal) */
+enum
+{
+	THEME_POLICY_COLOR_SCHEME_NO_PREFERENCE = 0,
+	THEME_POLICY_COLOR_SCHEME_PREFER_DARK = 1,
+	THEME_POLICY_COLOR_SCHEME_PREFER_LIGHT = 2
+};
+
+static ThemePolicyAppearanceChangedFunc policy_appearance_changed_cb;
+
+/* GtkSettings state captured before ZoiteChat writes to it, so that values
+ * coming from the user's own GTK configuration are not mistaken for values
+ * this application set. */
+static gboolean policy_initial_gtk_state_captured;
+static gboolean policy_initial_prefer_dark;
+static char *policy_initial_theme_name;
+
+#ifndef G_OS_WIN32
+static gboolean policy_portal_watch_started;
+static gboolean policy_portal_value_valid;
+static guint32 policy_portal_color_scheme;
+
+static gboolean policy_gsettings_checked;
+static GSettings *policy_gsettings_interface;
+#endif
+
+static void
+policy_capture_initial_gtk_state (void)
+{
+	GtkSettings *settings;
+
+	if (policy_initial_gtk_state_captured)
+		return;
+
+	settings = gtk_settings_get_default ();
+	if (!settings)
+		return;
+
+	g_object_get (settings,
+	              "gtk-application-prefer-dark-theme", &policy_initial_prefer_dark,
+	              "gtk-theme-name", &policy_initial_theme_name,
+	              NULL);
+	policy_initial_gtk_state_captured = TRUE;
+}
+
+static gboolean
+policy_theme_name_is_dark (const char *name)
+{
+	char *lower;
+	gboolean dark;
+
+	if (!name || !name[0])
+		return FALSE;
+
+	lower = g_ascii_strdown (name, -1);
+	dark = strstr (lower, "dark") != NULL || strstr (lower, "noir") != NULL ||
+	       strstr (lower, "black") != NULL;
+	g_free (lower);
+	return dark;
+}
+
+#ifndef G_OS_WIN32
+
+static void
+policy_notify_appearance_changed (void)
+{
+	if (policy_appearance_changed_cb)
+		policy_appearance_changed_cb ();
+}
+
+static gboolean
+policy_color_scheme_from_variant (GVariant *value, guint32 *color_scheme)
+{
+	GVariant *inner;
+	gboolean ok = FALSE;
+
+	if (!value || !color_scheme)
+		return FALSE;
+
+	inner = g_variant_ref (value);
+	while (g_variant_is_of_type (inner, G_VARIANT_TYPE_VARIANT))
+	{
+		GVariant *unwrapped = g_variant_get_variant (inner);
+
+		g_variant_unref (inner);
+		inner = unwrapped;
+	}
+
+	if (g_variant_is_of_type (inner, G_VARIANT_TYPE_UINT32))
+	{
+		*color_scheme = g_variant_get_uint32 (inner);
+		ok = TRUE;
+	}
+
+	g_variant_unref (inner);
+	return ok;
+}
+
+static void
+policy_portal_store_color_scheme (guint32 color_scheme)
+{
+	gboolean changed;
+
+	changed = !policy_portal_value_valid || policy_portal_color_scheme != color_scheme;
+	policy_portal_value_valid = TRUE;
+	policy_portal_color_scheme = color_scheme;
+
+	if (changed)
+		policy_notify_appearance_changed ();
+}
+
+static void
+policy_portal_setting_changed_cb (GDBusConnection *connection, const char *sender_name,
+                                  const char *object_path, const char *interface_name,
+                                  const char *signal_name, GVariant *parameters,
+                                  gpointer user_data)
+{
+	const char *setting_namespace = NULL;
+	const char *setting_key = NULL;
+	GVariant *value = NULL;
+	guint32 color_scheme = THEME_POLICY_COLOR_SCHEME_NO_PREFERENCE;
+
+	(void) connection;
+	(void) sender_name;
+	(void) object_path;
+	(void) interface_name;
+	(void) signal_name;
+	(void) user_data;
+
+	if (!parameters || !g_variant_is_of_type (parameters, G_VARIANT_TYPE ("(ssv)")))
+		return;
+
+	g_variant_get (parameters, "(&s&sv)", &setting_namespace, &setting_key, &value);
+	if (g_strcmp0 (setting_namespace, "org.freedesktop.appearance") == 0 &&
+	    g_strcmp0 (setting_key, "color-scheme") == 0 &&
+	    policy_color_scheme_from_variant (value, &color_scheme))
+		policy_portal_store_color_scheme (color_scheme);
+
+	if (value)
+		g_variant_unref (value);
+}
+
+static void
+policy_portal_read_ready_cb (GObject *source, GAsyncResult *result, gpointer user_data)
+{
+	GVariant *reply;
+	GVariant *value = NULL;
+	guint32 color_scheme = THEME_POLICY_COLOR_SCHEME_NO_PREFERENCE;
+
+	(void) user_data;
+
+	reply = g_dbus_connection_call_finish (G_DBUS_CONNECTION (source), result, NULL);
+	if (!reply)
+		return;
+
+	if (g_variant_is_of_type (reply, G_VARIANT_TYPE ("(v)")))
+	{
+		g_variant_get (reply, "(v)", &value);
+		if (policy_color_scheme_from_variant (value, &color_scheme))
+			policy_portal_store_color_scheme (color_scheme);
+		if (value)
+			g_variant_unref (value);
+	}
+
+	g_variant_unref (reply);
+}
+
+static void
+policy_portal_bus_ready_cb (GObject *source, GAsyncResult *result, gpointer user_data)
+{
+	GDBusConnection *connection;
+
+	(void) source;
+	(void) user_data;
+
+	connection = g_bus_get_finish (result, NULL);
+	if (!connection)
+		return;
+
+	g_dbus_connection_signal_subscribe (connection,
+	                                    "org.freedesktop.portal.Desktop",
+	                                    "org.freedesktop.portal.Settings",
+	                                    "SettingChanged",
+	                                    "/org/freedesktop/portal/desktop",
+	                                    NULL,
+	                                    G_DBUS_SIGNAL_FLAGS_NONE,
+	                                    policy_portal_setting_changed_cb,
+	                                    NULL,
+	                                    NULL);
+
+	g_dbus_connection_call (connection,
+	                        "org.freedesktop.portal.Desktop",
+	                        "/org/freedesktop/portal/desktop",
+	                        "org.freedesktop.portal.Settings",
+	                        "Read",
+	                        g_variant_new ("(ss)", "org.freedesktop.appearance", "color-scheme"),
+	                        G_VARIANT_TYPE ("(v)"),
+	                        G_DBUS_CALL_FLAGS_NONE,
+	                        3000,
+	                        NULL,
+	                        policy_portal_read_ready_cb,
+	                        NULL);
+	g_object_unref (connection);
+}
+
+static void
+policy_portal_watch_start (void)
+{
+	if (policy_portal_watch_started)
+		return;
+
+	policy_portal_watch_started = TRUE;
+	g_bus_get (G_BUS_TYPE_SESSION, NULL, policy_portal_bus_ready_cb, NULL);
+}
+
+static void
+policy_gsettings_changed_cb (GSettings *settings, const char *key, gpointer user_data)
+{
+	(void) settings;
+	(void) key;
+	(void) user_data;
+
+	policy_notify_appearance_changed ();
+}
+
+static GSettings *
+policy_get_interface_gsettings (void)
+{
+	GSettingsSchemaSource *source;
+	GSettingsSchema *schema;
+	gboolean has_key;
+
+	if (policy_gsettings_checked)
+		return policy_gsettings_interface;
+
+	policy_gsettings_checked = TRUE;
+
+	source = g_settings_schema_source_get_default ();
+	if (!source)
+		return NULL;
+
+	schema = g_settings_schema_source_lookup (source, "org.gnome.desktop.interface", TRUE);
+	if (!schema)
+		return NULL;
+
+	/* Requires GLib 2.40, always satisfied by the GTK 3.22 dependency. */
+	G_GNUC_BEGIN_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
+	has_key = g_settings_schema_has_key (schema, "color-scheme");
+	G_GNUC_END_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
+	g_settings_schema_unref (schema);
+	if (!has_key)
+		return NULL;
+
+	policy_gsettings_interface = g_settings_new ("org.gnome.desktop.interface");
+	g_signal_connect (policy_gsettings_interface, "changed::color-scheme",
+	                  G_CALLBACK (policy_gsettings_changed_cb), NULL);
+	return policy_gsettings_interface;
+}
+
+static gboolean
+policy_gsettings_color_scheme (gboolean *prefers_dark)
+{
+	GSettings *settings;
+	char *scheme;
+	gboolean explicit_preference = FALSE;
+
+	settings = policy_get_interface_gsettings ();
+	if (!settings)
+		return FALSE;
+
+	scheme = g_settings_get_string (settings, "color-scheme");
+	if (g_strcmp0 (scheme, "prefer-dark") == 0)
+	{
+		*prefers_dark = TRUE;
+		explicit_preference = TRUE;
+	}
+	else if (g_strcmp0 (scheme, "prefer-light") == 0)
+	{
+		*prefers_dark = FALSE;
+		explicit_preference = TRUE;
+	}
+	g_free (scheme);
+	return explicit_preference;
+}
+
+static gboolean
+policy_gtk_heuristic_prefers_dark (void)
+{
+	GtkSettings *settings;
+	char *theme_name = NULL;
+	gboolean dark;
+
+	policy_capture_initial_gtk_state ();
+
+	/* gtk-application-prefer-dark-theme is overwritten by ZoiteChat at
+	 * runtime, so only its captured startup value (settings.ini, XSETTINGS)
+	 * reflects the user's own configuration. */
+	if (policy_initial_gtk_state_captured && policy_initial_prefer_dark)
+		return TRUE;
+
+	if (theme_gtk3_is_active ())
+	{
+		/* gtk-theme-name currently holds the in-app theme override;
+		 * fall back to the captured system theme name. */
+		theme_name = g_strdup (policy_initial_theme_name);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		settings = gtk_settings_get_default ();
+		if (settings)
+			g_object_get (settings, "gtk-theme-name", &theme_name, NULL);
+	}
+
+	dark = policy_theme_name_is_dark (theme_name);
+	g_free (theme_name);
+	return dark;
+}
+
+#endif /* !G_OS_WIN32 */
+
+void
+theme_policy_init (void)
+{
+	policy_capture_initial_gtk_state ();
+#ifndef G_OS_WIN32
+	policy_portal_watch_start ();
+#endif
+}
+
+void
+theme_policy_set_appearance_changed_callback (ThemePolicyAppearanceChangedFunc callback)
+{
+	policy_appearance_changed_cb = callback;
+}
+
 gboolean
 theme_policy_system_prefers_dark (void)
 {
-	return FALSE;
+#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
+	gboolean prefer_dark = FALSE;
+
+	policy_capture_initial_gtk_state ();
+
+	if (fe_win32_high_contrast_is_enabled ())
+		return FALSE;
+	if (fe_win32_try_get_system_dark (&prefer_dark))
+		return prefer_dark;
+	return policy_theme_name_is_dark (policy_initial_theme_name);
+#else
+	gboolean prefers_dark = FALSE;
+
+	policy_capture_initial_gtk_state ();
+	policy_portal_watch_start ();
+
+	if (policy_portal_value_valid &&
+	    policy_portal_color_scheme != THEME_POLICY_COLOR_SCHEME_NO_PREFERENCE)
+		return policy_portal_color_scheme == THEME_POLICY_COLOR_SCHEME_PREFER_DARK;
+
+	if (policy_gsettings_color_scheme (&prefers_dark))
+		return prefers_dark;
+
+	return policy_gtk_heuristic_prefers_dark ();
+#endif
 }

 gboolean
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-policy.h
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-policy.h
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@

 #include "../fe-gtk.h"

+typedef void (*ThemePolicyAppearanceChangedFunc) (void);
+
+void theme_policy_init (void);
+void theme_policy_set_appearance_changed_callback (ThemePolicyAppearanceChangedFunc callback);
 gboolean theme_policy_system_prefers_dark (void);
 gboolean theme_policy_is_dark_mode_active (unsigned int mode);
 gboolean theme_policy_is_app_dark_mode_active (void);
--- a/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-preferences.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/theme/theme-preferences.c
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ typedef struct
        gboolean changed;
        gboolean snapshot_valid[THEME_TOKEN_COUNT];
        gboolean staged_valid[THEME_TOKEN_COUNT];
+        /* Only explicitly edited tokens are written back to the runtime
+         * palette; untouched tokens keep following the GTK3 theme. */
+        gboolean staged_dirty[THEME_TOKEN_COUNT];
        GdkRGBA snapshot[THEME_TOKEN_COUNT];
        GdkRGBA staged[THEME_TOKEN_COUNT];
 } theme_preferences_stage_state;
@@ -147,7 +150,8 @@ theme_preferences_stage_sync_runtime_to_snapshot (void)

        for (token = THEME_TOKEN_MIRC_0; token < THEME_TOKEN_COUNT; token++)
        {
-                if (theme_preferences_stage.snapshot_valid[token])
+                if (theme_preferences_stage.snapshot_valid[token] &&
+                    theme_preferences_stage.staged_dirty[token])
                        theme_manager_set_token_color (ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_LIGHT, token,
                                                       &theme_preferences_stage.snapshot[token], NULL);
        }
@@ -160,7 +164,8 @@ theme_preferences_stage_sync_runtime_to_staged (void)

        for (token = THEME_TOKEN_MIRC_0; token < THEME_TOKEN_COUNT; token++)
        {
-                if (theme_preferences_stage.staged_valid[token])
+                if (theme_preferences_stage.staged_valid[token] &&
+                    theme_preferences_stage.staged_dirty[token])
                        theme_manager_set_token_color (ZOITECHAT_DARK_MODE_LIGHT, token,
                                                       &theme_preferences_stage.staged[token], NULL);
        }
@@ -179,6 +184,7 @@ theme_preferences_staged_set_color (ThemeSemanticToken token, const GdkRGBA *rgb
        {
                theme_preferences_stage.staged[token] = *rgba;
                theme_preferences_stage.staged_valid[token] = TRUE;
+                theme_preferences_stage.staged_dirty[token] = TRUE;
                theme_preferences_stage_recompute_changed ();
                if (color_change_flag)
                        *color_change_flag = theme_preferences_stage.changed;
@@ -841,6 +847,10 @@ theme_preferences_manager_dialog_response_cb (GtkDialog *dialog, gint response_i
                        ThemeSemanticToken token;
                        ThemeWidgetStyleValues style_values;

+                        /* The runtime palette was just reset; drop any
+                         * pending edits so the reset is not re-pinned. */
+                        memset (theme_preferences_stage.staged_dirty, 0,
+                                sizeof (theme_preferences_stage.staged_dirty));
                        for (token = THEME_TOKEN_MIRC_0; token < THEME_TOKEN_COUNT; token++)
                        {
                                GdkRGBA rgba;
@@ -855,7 +865,6 @@ theme_preferences_manager_dialog_response_cb (GtkDialog *dialog, gint response_i
                        theme_preferences_stage.staged_valid[THEME_TOKEN_TEXT_FOREGROUND] = TRUE;
                        theme_preferences_stage.staged[THEME_TOKEN_TEXT_BACKGROUND] = style_values.background;
                        theme_preferences_stage.staged_valid[THEME_TOKEN_TEXT_BACKGROUND] = TRUE;
-                        theme_preferences_stage_sync_runtime_to_staged ();
                        theme_preferences_stage_recompute_changed ();
                        if (ui->color_change_flag)
                                *ui->color_change_flag = theme_preferences_stage.changed;
@@ -1534,6 +1543,25 @@ theme_preferences_gtk3_sync_remove_state (theme_preferences_ui *ui)
        gtk_widget_set_sensitive (ui->gtk3_remove, source == ZOITECHAT_GTK3_THEME_SOURCE_USER);
 }

+static void
+theme_preferences_stage_rebase_color (ThemeSemanticToken token, const GdkRGBA *rgba)
+{
+	if (token < 0 || token >= THEME_TOKEN_COUNT || !rgba)
+		return;
+	if (!theme_preferences_stage.active)
+		return;
+
+	/* The theme changed underneath the dialog: shift the baseline so the
+	 * new theme-provided value is neither treated as a user edit nor
+	 * pinned into the runtime palette. */
+	theme_preferences_stage.snapshot[token] = *rgba;
+	theme_preferences_stage.staged[token] = *rgba;
+	theme_preferences_stage.snapshot_valid[token] = TRUE;
+	theme_preferences_stage.staged_valid[token] = TRUE;
+	theme_preferences_stage.staged_dirty[token] = FALSE;
+	theme_preferences_stage_recompute_changed ();
+}
+
 static void
 theme_preferences_gtk3_sync_runtime_palette (theme_preferences_ui *ui)
 {
@@ -1549,22 +1577,16 @@ theme_preferences_gtk3_sync_runtime_palette (theme_preferences_ui *ui)

 	theme_get_widget_style_values_for_widget (style_source, &style_values);

-	theme_preferences_staged_set_color (THEME_TOKEN_TEXT_FOREGROUND,
-	                                    &style_values.foreground,
-	                                    NULL,
-	                                    TRUE);
-	theme_preferences_staged_set_color (THEME_TOKEN_TEXT_BACKGROUND,
-	                                    &style_values.background,
-	                                    NULL,
-	                                    TRUE);
-	theme_preferences_staged_set_color (THEME_TOKEN_SELECTION_FOREGROUND,
-	                                    &style_values.selection_foreground,
-	                                    NULL,
-	                                    TRUE);
-	theme_preferences_staged_set_color (THEME_TOKEN_SELECTION_BACKGROUND,
-	                                    &style_values.selection_background,
-	                                    NULL,
-	                                    TRUE);
+	/* Leave the mapped tokens unpinned so the user list, channel tree and
+	 * input box keep resolving their colors from whatever GTK3 theme is
+	 * active (system or in-app selected), and only refresh what the
+	 * dialog shows.  Pinning theme-derived values here freezes them into
+	 * the runtime palette (and colors.conf), which left those widgets
+	 * with stale colors until the next restart. */
+	theme_preferences_stage_rebase_color (THEME_TOKEN_TEXT_FOREGROUND, &style_values.foreground);
+	theme_preferences_stage_rebase_color (THEME_TOKEN_TEXT_BACKGROUND, &style_values.background);
+	theme_preferences_stage_rebase_color (THEME_TOKEN_SELECTION_FOREGROUND, &style_values.selection_foreground);
+	theme_preferences_stage_rebase_color (THEME_TOKEN_SELECTION_BACKGROUND, &style_values.selection_background);
 }

 static gboolean
Author	SHA1	Message	Date
deepend-tildeclub	2db3076c92	Merge pull request #350 from ZoiteChat/fix-gtk3-quirks fix a few GTK3 theming quirks	2026-07-16 02:29:43 -06:00
deepend-tildeclub	90daed18df	fix a few GTK3 theming quirks	2026-07-15 23:56:05 -06:00
deepend-tildeclub	65dd2c645a	Merge pull request #345 from ZoiteChat/gtk3-consistency-fixes theming: respect system theme by default	2026-07-14 14:27:08 -06:00
deepend-tildeclub	89d70a940c	theming: respect system theme by default	2026-07-13 13:26:55 -06:00
deepend-tildeclub	4944517a0e	Merge pull request #344 from ZoiteChat/ask_sasl_password_reconnect Prompt SASL password again on reconnect	2026-07-13 09:53:41 -06:00
deepend-tildeclub	2a7ee7f0b2	Prompt SASL password again on reconnect	2026-07-13 09:18:19 -06:00