diff --git a/src/services/options_init.ts b/src/services/options_init.ts
index 1dc7602d2..ba1789f93 100644
--- a/src/services/options_init.ts
+++ b/src/services/options_init.ts
@@ -38,10 +38,9 @@ interface DefaultOption {
  * Initializes the default options for new databases only.
  * 
  * @param initialized `true` if the database has been fully initialized (i.e. a new database was created), or `false` if the database is created for sync.
- * @param theme the theme to set as default, based on a user's system preference.
  * @param opts additional options to be initialized, for example the sync configuration.
  */
-async function initNotSyncedOptions(initialized: boolean, theme: string, opts: NotSyncedOpts = {}) {
+async function initNotSyncedOptions(initialized: boolean, opts: NotSyncedOpts = {}) {
     optionService.createOption('openNoteContexts', JSON.stringify([
         {
             notePath: 'root',
@@ -59,7 +58,7 @@ async function initNotSyncedOptions(initialized: boolean, theme: string, opts: N
     optionService.createOption('lastSyncedPull', '0', false);
     optionService.createOption('lastSyncedPush', '0', false);    
 
-    optionService.createOption('theme', theme, false);
+    optionService.createOption('theme', 'next', false);
     
     optionService.createOption('syncServerHost', opts.syncServerHost || '', false);
     optionService.createOption('syncServerTimeout', '120000', false);
diff --git a/src/services/sql_init.ts b/src/services/sql_init.ts
index 256971423..85ddef334 100644
--- a/src/services/sql_init.ts
+++ b/src/services/sql_init.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ async function createInitialDatabase() {
 
     const schema = fs.readFileSync(`${resourceDir.DB_INIT_DIR}/schema.sql`, "utf-8");
     const demoFile = fs.readFileSync(`${resourceDir.DB_INIT_DIR}/demo.zip`);
-    const defaultTheme = await getDefaultTheme();
 
     let rootNote!: BNote;
 
@@ -90,7 +89,7 @@ async function createInitialDatabase() {
         }).save();
         
         optionsInitService.initDocumentOptions();
-        optionsInitService.initNotSyncedOptions(true, defaultTheme, {});
+        optionsInitService.initNotSyncedOptions(true, {});
         optionsInitService.initStartupOptions();
         password.resetPassword();
     });
@@ -128,7 +127,6 @@ async function createDatabaseForSync(options: OptionRow[], syncServerHost = '',
         throw new Error("DB is already initialized");
     }
 
-    const defaultTheme = await getDefaultTheme();
     const schema = fs.readFileSync(`${resourceDir.DB_INIT_DIR}/schema.sql`, "utf8");
 
     // We have to import async since options init requires keyboard actions which require translations.
@@ -137,7 +135,7 @@ async function createDatabaseForSync(options: OptionRow[], syncServerHost = '',
     sql.transactional(() => {
         sql.executeScript(schema);
 
-        optionsInitService.initNotSyncedOptions(false, defaultTheme, { syncServerHost, syncProxy });
+        optionsInitService.initNotSyncedOptions(false, { syncServerHost, syncProxy });
 
         // document options required for sync to kick off
         for (const opt of options) {
@@ -148,16 +146,6 @@ async function createDatabaseForSync(options: OptionRow[], syncServerHost = '',
     log.info("Schema and not synced options generated.");
 }
 
-async function getDefaultTheme() {
-    if (utils.isElectron()) {
-        const {nativeTheme} = await import("electron");
-        return nativeTheme.shouldUseDarkColors ? 'dark' : 'light';
-    } else {
-        // default based on the poll in https://github.com/zadam/trilium/issues/2516
-        return "dark";
-    }
-}
-
 function setDbAsInitialized() {
     if (!isDbInitialized()) {
         optionService.setOption('initialized', 'true');