diff --git a/src/App.vue b/src/App.vue
index 683bde6741b..57081c9412c 100644
--- a/src/App.vue
+++ b/src/App.vue
@@ -1390,6 +1390,9 @@ export default {
 		// set the dark mode to the system dark mode if it's different
 		if (settings.load('dark') === undefined) {
 			useBaseStore().setDarkMode(systemThemeDark)
+		} else {
+			// default to white
+			this.$vuetify.theme.dark = settings.load('dark', false)
 		}
 
 		useBaseStore().$onAction(({ name, args }) => {
diff --git a/src/stores/base.js b/src/stores/base.js
index e09c4731e96..56e2f584d2e 100644
--- a/src/stores/base.js
+++ b/src/stores/base.js
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ const useBaseStore = defineStore('base', {
 			newConfigVersion: undefined,
 		},
 		ui: {
-			darkMode: settings.load('dark', false),
+			darkMode: settings.load('dark', undefined), // do not set a default here, otherwise the watch in App.vue will not trigger the change
 			navTabs: settings.load('navTabs', false),
 			compactMode: settings.load('compact', false),
 		},