diff --git a/web/__test__/store/theme.test.ts b/web/__test__/store/theme.test.ts
index f301ac2f2d..286bdfd9c7 100644
--- a/web/__test__/store/theme.test.ts
+++ b/web/__test__/store/theme.test.ts
@@ -298,5 +298,17 @@ describe('Theme Store', () => {
       expect(document.body.classList.remove).toHaveBeenCalledWith('dark');
       expect(store.darkMode).toBe(false);
     });
+
+    it('should remove stale dark classes when only the dark mode CSS variable is light', () => {
+      document.documentElement.style.setProperty('--theme-dark-mode', '0');
+      originalDocumentElementAddClass.call(document.documentElement.classList, 'dark');
+      originalAddClassFn.call(document.body.classList, 'dark');
+
+      const store = createStore();
+
+      expect(document.documentElement.classList.remove).toHaveBeenCalledWith('dark');
+      expect(document.body.classList.remove).toHaveBeenCalledWith('dark');
+      expect(store.darkMode).toBe(false);
+    });
   });
 });
diff --git a/web/src/store/theme.ts b/web/src/store/theme.ts
index cd0f6178ef..e4f3208330 100644
--- a/web/src/store/theme.ts
+++ b/web/src/store/theme.ts
@@ -68,12 +68,6 @@ const applyDarkClass = (isDark: boolean, darkModeRef?: { value: boolean }) => {
   }
 };
 
-const bootstrapDarkClass = (darkModeRef?: { value: boolean }) => {
-  if (isDarkModeActive()) {
-    applyDarkClass(true, darkModeRef);
-  }
-};
-
 const sanitizeTheme = (data: Partial<Theme> | null | undefined): Theme | null => {
   if (!data || typeof data !== 'object') {
     return null;
@@ -216,8 +210,7 @@ export const useThemeStore = defineStore('theme', () => {
     setTheme({ name: domThemeName });
     applyDarkClass(isDarkThemeName(domThemeName), darkMode);
   } else if (isDomAvailable()) {
-    darkMode.value = isDarkModeActive();
-    bootstrapDarkClass(darkMode);
+    applyDarkClass(isDarkModeActive(), darkMode);
   }
 
   return {