diff --git a/src/services/options_init.ts b/src/services/options_init.ts
index a50d57296..b07300150 100644
--- a/src/services/options_init.ts
+++ b/src/services/options_init.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ interface NotSyncedOpts {
     syncProxy?: string;
 }
 
-async function initNotSyncedOptions(initialized: boolean, opts: NotSyncedOpts = {}) {
+async function initNotSyncedOptions(initialized: boolean, theme: string, opts: NotSyncedOpts = {}) {
     optionService.createOption('openNoteContexts', JSON.stringify([
         {
             notePath: 'root',
@@ -32,15 +32,7 @@ async function initNotSyncedOptions(initialized: boolean, opts: NotSyncedOpts =
     optionService.createOption('initialized', initialized ? 'true' : 'false', false);
 
     optionService.createOption('lastSyncedPull', '0', false);
-    optionService.createOption('lastSyncedPush', '0', false);
-
-    let theme = 'dark'; // default based on the poll in https://github.com/zadam/trilium/issues/2516
-
-    if (utils.isElectron()) {
-        const {nativeTheme} = await import("electron");
-
-        theme = nativeTheme.shouldUseDarkColors ? 'dark' : 'light';
-    }
+    optionService.createOption('lastSyncedPush', '0', false);    
 
     optionService.createOption('theme', theme, false);
 
diff --git a/src/services/setup.ts b/src/services/setup.ts
index 0f3d26f58..b632e8d08 100644
--- a/src/services/setup.ts
+++ b/src/services/setup.ts
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ async function setupSyncFromSyncServer(syncServerHost: string, syncProxy: string
             }
         }
 
-        sqlInit.createDatabaseForSync(resp.options, syncServerHost, syncProxy);
-
+        await sqlInit.createDatabaseForSync(resp.options, syncServerHost, syncProxy);
+        
         triggerSync();
 
         return { result: 'success' };
diff --git a/src/services/sql_init.ts b/src/services/sql_init.ts
index a93750476..715514746 100644
--- a/src/services/sql_init.ts
+++ b/src/services/sql_init.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ 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;
 
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ async function createInitialDatabase() {
         }).save();
 
         optionsInitService.initDocumentOptions();
-        optionsInitService.initNotSyncedOptions(true, {});
+        optionsInitService.initNotSyncedOptions(true, defaultTheme, {});
         optionsInitService.initStartupOptions();
         password.resetPassword();
     });
@@ -118,19 +119,20 @@ async function createInitialDatabase() {
     initDbConnection();
 }
 
-function createDatabaseForSync(options: OptionRow[], syncServerHost = '', syncProxy = '') {
+async function createDatabaseForSync(options: OptionRow[], syncServerHost = '', syncProxy = '') {
     log.info("Creating database for sync");
 
     if (isDbInitialized()) {
         throw new Error("DB is already initialized");
     }
 
+    const defaultTheme = await getDefaultTheme();
     const schema = fs.readFileSync(`${resourceDir.DB_INIT_DIR}/schema.sql`, "utf8");
 
     sql.transactional(() => {
         sql.executeScript(schema);
 
-        optionsInitService.initNotSyncedOptions(false,  { syncServerHost, syncProxy });
+        optionsInitService.initNotSyncedOptions(false, defaultTheme, { syncServerHost, syncProxy });
 
         // document options required for sync to kick off
         for (const opt of options) {
@@ -141,6 +143,16 @@ function createDatabaseForSync(options: OptionRow[], syncServerHost = '', syncPr
     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');