diff --git a/ui-svelte/src/App.svelte b/ui-svelte/src/App.svelte
index 6ea0606c..b251258a 100644
--- a/ui-svelte/src/App.svelte
+++ b/ui-svelte/src/App.svelte
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   import Playground from "./routes/Playground.svelte";
   import PlaygroundStub from "./routes/PlaygroundStub.svelte";
   import { enableAPIEvents } from "./stores/api";
-  import { initScreenWidth, isDarkMode, appTitle, connectionState } from "./stores/theme";
+  import { initScreenWidth, initSystemThemeListener, isDarkMode, appTitle, connectionState } from "./stores/theme";
   import { currentRoute } from "./stores/route";
 
   const routes = {
@@ -37,10 +37,12 @@
 
   onMount(() => {
     const cleanupScreenWidth = initScreenWidth();
+    const cleanupSystemTheme = initSystemThemeListener();
     enableAPIEvents(true);
 
     return () => {
       cleanupScreenWidth();
+      cleanupSystemTheme();
       enableAPIEvents(false);
     };
   });
diff --git a/ui-svelte/src/components/Header.svelte b/ui-svelte/src/components/Header.svelte
index 08bbe5f2..10665e8e 100644
--- a/ui-svelte/src/components/Header.svelte
+++ b/ui-svelte/src/components/Header.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { link } from "svelte-spa-router";
-  import { screenWidth, toggleTheme, isDarkMode, appTitle, isNarrow } from "../stores/theme";
+  import { screenWidth, toggleTheme, themeMode, appTitle, isNarrow } from "../stores/theme";
   import { currentRoute } from "../stores/route";
   import { playgroundActivity } from "../stores/playgroundActivity";
   import ConnectionStatus from "./ConnectionStatus.svelte";
@@ -94,19 +94,24 @@
     >
       Performance
     </a>
-    <button onclick={toggleTheme} title="Toggle theme">
-      {#if $isDarkMode}
+    <button onclick={toggleTheme} title="Toggle theme (current: {$themeMode})">
+      {#if $themeMode === "system"}
+        <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor" class="w-5 h-5">
+          <path d="M0,9c0-.552,.448-1,1-1H3.108c.147-.874,.472-1.721,1.006-2.471l-1.478-1.478c-.391-.391-.391-1.023,0-1.414s1.023-.391,1.414,0l1.478,1.478c.751-.534,1.598-.859,2.471-1.006V1c0-.552,.448-1,1-1s1,.448,1,1V3.108c.874,.147,1.725,.466,2.477,1.001l1.473-1.473c.391-.391,1.023-.391,1.414,0s.391,1.023,0,1.414L3.963,15.45c-.195,.195-.451,.293-.707,.293s-.512-.098-.707-.293c-.391-.391-.391-1.023,0-1.414l1.56-1.56c-.535-.751-.854-1.602-1.001-2.477H1c-.552,0-1-.448-1-1ZM23.707,.293c-.391-.391-1.023-.391-1.414,0L.293,22.293c-.391,.391-.391,1.023,0,1.414,.195,.195,.451,.293,.707,.293s.512-.098,.707-.293L23.707,1.707c.391-.391,.391-1.023,0-1.414Zm-.283,10.954c.32-.15,.538-.458,.572-.81,.034-.353-.121-.696-.407-.904-.858-.625-1.833-1.066-2.897-1.315-.335-.078-.69,.022-.934,.267l-8.392,8.391c-.244,.244-.345,.597-.267,.933,.843,3.646,4.047,6.191,7.792,6.191,1.695,0,3.32-.53,4.697-1.533,.286-.208,.441-.553,.407-.904-.034-.353-.251-.66-.572-.811-1.842-.861-3.033-2.727-3.033-4.752s1.19-3.891,3.033-4.753Z"/>
+        </svg>
+      {:else if $themeMode === "light"}
         <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor" class="w-5 h-5">
           <path
             fill-rule="evenodd"
-            d="M9.528 1.718a.75.75 0 0 1 .162.819A8.97 8.97 0 0 0 9 6a9 9 0 0 0 9 9 8.97 8.97 0 0 0 3.463-.69.75.75 0 0 1 .981.98 10.503 10.503 0 0 1-9.694 6.46c-5.799 0-10.5-4.7-10.5-10.5 0-4.368 2.667-8.112 6.46-9.694a.75.75 0 0 1 .818.162Z"
-            clip-rule="evenodd"
+            d="M12 2.25a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.75v2.25a.75.75 0 0 1-1.5 0V3a.75.75 0 0 1 .75-.75ZM7.5 12a4.5 4.5 0 1 1 9 0 4.5 4.5 0 0 1-9 0ZM18.894 6.166a.75.75 0 0 0-1.06-1.06l-1.591 1.59a.75.75 0 1 0 1.06 1.061l1.591-1.59ZM21.75 12a.75.75 0 0 1-.75.75h-2.25a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5H21a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.75ZM17.834 18.894a.75.75 0 0 0 1.06-1.06l-1.59-1.591a.75.75 0 1 0-1.061 1.06l1.591 1.591ZM12 18a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.75V21a.75.75 0 0 1-1.5 0v-2.25A.75.75 0 0 1 12 18ZM7.758 17.303a.75.75 0 0 0-1.061-1.06l-1.591 1.59a.75.75 0 0 0 1.06 1.061l1.591-1.59ZM6 12a.75.75 0 0 1-.75.75H3a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5h2.25A.75.75 0 0 1 6 12ZM6.697 7.757a.75.75 0 0 0 1.06-1.06l-1.59-1.591a.75.75 0 0 0-1.061 1.06l1.59 1.591Z"
           />
         </svg>
       {:else}
         <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor" class="w-5 h-5">
           <path
-            d="M12 2.25a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.75v2.25a.75.75 0 0 1-1.5 0V3a.75.75 0 0 1 .75-.75ZM7.5 12a4.5 4.5 0 1 1 9 0 4.5 4.5 0 0 1-9 0ZM18.894 6.166a.75.75 0 0 0-1.06-1.06l-1.591 1.59a.75.75 0 1 0 1.06 1.061l1.591-1.59ZM21.75 12a.75.75 0 0 1-.75.75h-2.25a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5H21a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.75ZM17.834 18.894a.75.75 0 0 0 1.06-1.06l-1.59-1.591a.75.75 0 1 0-1.061 1.06l1.591 1.591ZM12 18a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.75V21a.75.75 0 0 1-1.5 0v-2.25A.75.75 0 0 1 12 18ZM7.758 17.303a.75.75 0 0 0-1.061-1.06l-1.591 1.59a.75.75 0 0 0 1.06 1.061l1.591-1.59ZM6 12a.75.75 0 0 1-.75.75H3a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5h2.25A.75.75 0 0 1 6 12ZM6.697 7.757a.75.75 0 0 0 1.06-1.06l-1.59-1.591a.75.75 0 0 0-1.061 1.06l1.59 1.591Z"
+            fill-rule="evenodd"
+            d="M9.528 1.718a.75.75 0 0 1 .162.819A8.97 8.97 0 0 0 9 6a9 9 0 0 0 9 9 8.97 8.97 0 0 0 3.463-.69.75.75 0 0 1 .981.98 10.503 10.503 0 0 1-9.694 6.46c-5.799 0-10.5-4.7-10.5-10.5 0-4.368 2.667-8.112 6.46-9.694a.75.75 0 0 1 .818.162Z"
+            clip-rule="evenodd"
           />
         </svg>
       {/if}
diff --git a/ui-svelte/src/stores/theme.ts b/ui-svelte/src/stores/theme.ts
index d30e5539..d9238a03 100644
--- a/ui-svelte/src/stores/theme.ts
+++ b/ui-svelte/src/stores/theme.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,50 @@ import { writable, derived } from "svelte/store";
 import { persistentStore } from "./persistent";
 import type { ScreenWidth } from "../lib/types";
 
+export type ThemeMode = "light" | "dark" | "system";
+
+function getInitialThemeMode(): ThemeMode {
+  if (typeof window !== "undefined") {
+    try {
+      const saved = localStorage.getItem("theme");
+      if (saved !== null) {
+        const oldTheme = JSON.parse(saved);
+        localStorage.removeItem("theme");
+        return oldTheme ? "dark" : "light";
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error("Error parsing stored theme", e);
+    }
+  }
+  return "system";
+}
+
 // Persistent stores
-const systemDark = typeof window !== "undefined" && window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)").matches;
-export const isDarkMode = persistentStore<boolean>("theme", systemDark);
+export const themeMode = persistentStore<ThemeMode>("theme-mode", getInitialThemeMode());
 export const appTitle = persistentStore<string>("app-title", "llama-swap");
 
+const prefersDarkQuery = "(prefers-color-scheme: dark)";
+
+function getSystemPrefersDark(): boolean {
+  return (
+    typeof window !== "undefined" &&
+    typeof window.matchMedia === "function" &&
+    window.matchMedia(prefersDarkQuery).matches
+  );
+}
+
+// Internal store for the raw OS dark preference
+const systemPrefersDark = writable(getSystemPrefersDark());
+
+// Derived store for actual dark mode state
+export const isDarkMode = derived(
+  [themeMode, systemPrefersDark],
+  ([$themeMode, $systemPrefersDark]) => {
+    if ($themeMode === "system") return $systemPrefersDark;
+    return $themeMode === "dark";
+  }
+);
+
 // Non-persistent stores
 export const screenWidth = writable<ScreenWidth>("md");
 export const connectionState = writable<"connected" | "connecting" | "disconnected">("disconnected");
@@ -18,9 +57,15 @@ export const isNarrow = derived(screenWidth, ($screenWidth) => {
 
 // Function to toggle theme
 export function toggleTheme(): void {
-  isDarkMode.update((current) => !current);
+  themeMode.update((current) => {
+    if (current === "system") return "light";
+    if (current === "light") return "dark";
+    return "system";
+  });
 }
 
+
+
 // Function to check and update screen width
 export function checkScreenWidth(): void {
   const innerWidth = window.innerWidth;
@@ -52,3 +97,17 @@ export function initScreenWidth(): () => void {
     window.removeEventListener("resize", checkScreenWidth);
   };
 }
+
+// Initialize system theme listener
+export function initSystemThemeListener(): () => void {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined" || typeof window.matchMedia !== "function") return () => {};
+
+  const mediaQuery = window.matchMedia(prefersDarkQuery);
+  systemPrefersDark.set(mediaQuery.matches);
+  const handleChange = (e: MediaQueryListEvent) => {
+    systemPrefersDark.set(e.matches);
+  };
+
+  mediaQuery.addEventListener("change", handleChange);
+  return () => mediaQuery.removeEventListener("change", handleChange);
+}