diff --git a/packages/ui/src/hooks/use-theme.ts b/packages/ui/src/hooks/use-theme.ts
index 1c859fb..30080bc 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/hooks/use-theme.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/hooks/use-theme.ts
@@ -13,15 +13,44 @@ export function getTheme(): Theme {
   return document.documentElement.getAttribute('data-theme') === 'dark' ? 'dark' : 'light';
 }
 
+const DARK_QUERY = '(prefers-color-scheme: dark)';
+
+function prefersDark(): boolean {
+  return typeof window !== 'undefined' && !!window.matchMedia?.(DARK_QUERY).matches;
+}
+
+export function resolveInitialTheme(
+  stored: Theme | null,
+  initial: Theme | null | undefined,
+  systemPrefersDark: boolean,
+): Theme {
+  return stored ?? initial ?? (systemPrefersDark ? 'dark' : 'light');
+}
+
 export function useTheme(initialTheme?: Theme | null) {
   const [theme, setTheme] = useState<Theme>(
-    () => getStoredTheme() || initialTheme || 'light'
+    () => resolveInitialTheme(getStoredTheme(), initialTheme, prefersDark())
   );
 
   useLayoutEffect(() => {
     document.documentElement.setAttribute('data-theme', theme);
   }, [theme]);
 
+  // Keep following the system until the reader picks a theme themselves.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (getStoredTheme() || initialTheme || typeof window === 'undefined' || !window.matchMedia) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const query = window.matchMedia(DARK_QUERY);
+    const onChange = (event: MediaQueryListEvent): void => {
+      setTheme(event.matches ? 'dark' : 'light');
+    };
+
+    query.addEventListener('change', onChange);
+    return () => query.removeEventListener('change', onChange);
+  }, [initialTheme]);
+
   const toggleTheme = useCallback(() => {
     setTheme(prev => {
       const next = prev === 'light' ? 'dark' : 'light';
diff --git a/packages/ui/tests/theme.test.ts b/packages/ui/tests/theme.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..96e2b41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ui/tests/theme.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { resolveInitialTheme } from '../src/hooks/use-theme';
+
+describe('resolveInitialTheme', () => {
+  it('follows the system when nothing else was chosen', () => {
+    expect(resolveInitialTheme(null, null, true)).toBe('dark');
+    expect(resolveInitialTheme(null, null, false)).toBe('light');
+  });
+
+  it('prefers an explicit flag over the system preference', () => {
+    expect(resolveInitialTheme(null, 'light', true)).toBe('light');
+    expect(resolveInitialTheme(null, 'dark', false)).toBe('dark');
+  });
+
+  it('prefers the reader\'s stored choice over everything else', () => {
+    expect(resolveInitialTheme('light', 'dark', true)).toBe('light');
+    expect(resolveInitialTheme('dark', 'light', false)).toBe('dark');
+  });
+
+  it('treats a missing initial theme the same as a null one', () => {
+    expect(resolveInitialTheme(null, undefined, true)).toBe('dark');
+  });
+});