diff --git a/components/level/grid.tsx b/components/level/grid.tsx
index e9e245ecc..29fe3bd10 100644
--- a/components/level/grid.tsx
+++ b/components/level/grid.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import TileType from '@root/constants/tileType';
-import { AppContext } from '@root/contexts/appContext';
 import { GridContext } from '@root/contexts/gridContext';
 import { GameState } from '@root/helpers/gameStateHelpers';
 import Position from '@root/models/position';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
-import React, { useContext, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { useTheme } from 'next-themes';
+import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import Theme from '../../constants/theme';
 import { teko } from '../../pages/_app';
 import Tile from './tile/tile';
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ interface GridProps {
 }
 
 export default function Grid({ cellClassName, gameState, id, leastMoves, onCellClick }: GridProps) {
-  const { theme } = useContext(AppContext);
+  const { theme } = useTheme();
   const classic = theme === Theme.Classic;
   const height = gameState.board.length;
   const width = gameState.board[0].length;
diff --git a/components/level/tile/block.tsx b/components/level/tile/block.tsx
index ae16d65d0..b813e15dd 100644
--- a/components/level/tile/block.tsx
+++ b/components/level/tile/block.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import TileType from '@root/constants/tileType';
-import { AppContext } from '@root/contexts/appContext';
 import { GridContext } from '@root/contexts/gridContext';
 import TileTypeHelper from '@root/helpers/tileTypeHelper';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
+import { useTheme } from 'next-themes';
 import React, { useContext } from 'react';
 import Theme from '../../../constants/theme';
 import styles from './Block.module.css';
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ interface BlockProps {
 
 export default function Block({ inHole, tileType }: BlockProps) {
   const { borderWidth, innerTileSize } = useContext(GridContext);
-  const { theme } = useContext(AppContext);
+  const { theme } = useTheme();
   const classic = theme === Theme.Classic;
   const fillCenter = classic && tileType === TileType.Block;
   const innerBorderWidth = Math.round(innerTileSize / 4.5);
diff --git a/components/level/tile/player.tsx b/components/level/tile/player.tsx
index 81741bd66..2acdcba73 100644
--- a/components/level/tile/player.tsx
+++ b/components/level/tile/player.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import { AppContext } from '@root/contexts/appContext';
 import { GridContext } from '@root/contexts/gridContext';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
+import { useTheme } from 'next-themes';
 import React, { useContext } from 'react';
 import Theme, { getIconFromTheme } from '../../../constants/theme';
 import TileType from '../../../constants/tileType';
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export default function Player({ atEnd, moveCount }: PlayerProps) {
   const text = String(moveCount);
   const fontSizeRatio = text.length <= 3 ? 2 : (1 + (text.length - 1) / 2);
   const fontSize = innerTileSize / fontSizeRatio;
-  const { theme } = useContext(AppContext);
+  const { theme } = useTheme();
   const classic = theme === Theme.Classic;
   const icon = getIconFromTheme(theme, TileType.Start);
   const overstepped = leastMoves !== 0 && moveCount > leastMoves;
diff --git a/components/level/tile/square.tsx b/components/level/tile/square.tsx
index d1d66c2a1..9ea20736d 100644
--- a/components/level/tile/square.tsx
+++ b/components/level/tile/square.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import { AppContext } from '@root/contexts/appContext';
 import { GridContext } from '@root/contexts/gridContext';
 import TileTypeHelper from '@root/helpers/tileTypeHelper';
+import { useTheme } from 'next-themes';
 import React, { useContext } from 'react';
 import Theme, { getIconFromTheme } from '../../../constants/theme';
 import TileType from '../../../constants/tileType';
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ interface SquareProps {
 
 export default function Square({ text, tileType }: SquareProps) {
   const { borderWidth, innerTileSize, leastMoves, tileSize } = useContext(GridContext);
-  const { theme } = useContext(AppContext);
+  const { theme } = useTheme();
   const classic = theme === Theme.Classic;
   const innerBorderWidth = Math.round(innerTileSize / 4.5);
   const fontSizeRatio = text === undefined || String(text).length <= 3 ?
diff --git a/components/level/tile/tile.tsx b/components/level/tile/tile.tsx
index eedf4eb0c..469b87b82 100644
--- a/components/level/tile/tile.tsx
+++ b/components/level/tile/tile.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import Theme from '@root/constants/theme';
-import { AppContext } from '@root/contexts/appContext';
 import { GridContext } from '@root/contexts/gridContext';
 import Position from '@root/models/position';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
+import { useTheme } from 'next-themes';
 import React, { useContext, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
 import TileType from '../../../constants/tileType';
 import Block from './block';
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export default function Tile({
   const { borderWidth, innerTileSize, tileSize } = useContext(GridContext);
   // initialize the block at the starting position to avoid an animation from the top left
   const [initPos] = useState(new Position(pos.x, pos.y));
-  const { theme } = useContext(AppContext);
+  const { theme } = useTheme();
   const classic = theme === Theme.Classic;
 
   function onClick(e: React.MouseEvent<HTMLDivElement>) {
diff --git a/components/modal/themeModal.tsx b/components/modal/themeModal.tsx
index 59fe5d093..f99941dff 100644
--- a/components/modal/themeModal.tsx
+++ b/components/modal/themeModal.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import RadioButton from '@root/components/page/radioButton';
 import TileType from '@root/constants/tileType';
 import { useTheme } from 'next-themes';
 import React, { useContext, useEffect } from 'react';
@@ -13,32 +12,29 @@ interface ThemeModalProps {
 }
 
 export default function ThemeModal({ closeModal, isOpen }: ThemeModalProps) {
-  const { mutateUser, setTheme, theme } = useContext(AppContext);
-  const { setTheme: setAppTheme } = useTheme();
+  const { mutateUser, userConfig } = useContext(AppContext);
+  const { setTheme, theme } = useTheme();
 
+  // override theme with userConfig theme
   useEffect(() => {
-    for (const className of document.body.classList.values()) {
-      if (className.startsWith('theme-')) {
-        setTheme(className);
+    if (!userConfig?.theme) {
+      return;
+    }
 
-        return;
-      }
+    if (Object.values(Theme).includes(userConfig.theme as Theme) && theme !== userConfig.theme) {
+      setTheme(userConfig.theme);
     }
-  }, [isOpen, setTheme]);
+  // NB: we only want this to run when the userConfig changes
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [userConfig?.theme]);
 
-  // maintain accurate app theme for tailwind dark mode classes
   useEffect(() => {
-    setAppTheme(theme === Theme.Light ? 'light' : 'dark');
-  }, [setAppTheme, theme]);
+    document.documentElement.setAttribute('data-theme-dark', theme === Theme.Light ? 'false' : 'true');
+  }, [theme]);
 
   function onChange(e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) {
-    const newTheme = e.currentTarget.value;
-
-    if (theme !== undefined) {
-      document.body.classList.remove(theme);
-    }
+    const newTheme = e.currentTarget.value as Theme;
 
-    document.body.classList.add(newTheme);
     setTheme(newTheme);
   }
 
@@ -68,28 +64,29 @@ export default function ThemeModal({ closeModal, isOpen }: ThemeModalProps) {
       isOpen={isOpen}
       title={'Theme'}
     >
-      <div>
+      <div className='flex flex-col gap-1'>
         {Object.keys(Theme).map(themeTextStr => {
           const themeText = themeTextStr as keyof typeof Theme;
           const icon = getIconFromTheme(Theme[themeText], TileType.Start);
+          const id = `theme-${Theme[themeText]}`;
 
           return (
-            <div key={`${Theme[themeText]}-parent-div`} className='flex flex-row'>
-              <div>
-                <RadioButton
-                  currentValue={theme}
-                  key={`${Theme[themeText]}`}
-                  name={'theme'}
-                  onChange={onChange}
-                  text={themeText}
-                  value={Theme[themeText]}
-                />
-              </div>
-              <span className='ml-2 w-6 h-6'>
-                {icon && icon({
-                  size: 24
-                } as ThemeIconProps)}
-              </span>
+            <div className='flex gap-2' key={`${Theme[themeText]}-parent-div`}>
+              <input
+                checked={theme === Theme[themeText]}
+                id={id}
+                onChange={onChange}
+                type='radio'
+                value={Theme[themeText]}
+              />
+              <label htmlFor={id}>
+                {themeText}
+              </label>
+              {icon &&
+                <span>
+                  {icon({ size: 24 } as ThemeIconProps)}
+                </span>
+              }
             </div>
           );
         })}
diff --git a/components/page/radioButton.tsx b/components/page/radioButton.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index c2ce1f6d1..000000000
--- a/components/page/radioButton.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-import React from 'react';
-
-interface RadioButtonProps {
-  currentValue: string | undefined;
-  name: string;
-  onChange: (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => void;
-  text: string;
-  value: string;
-}
-
-export default function RadioButton({ currentValue, name, onChange, text, value }: RadioButtonProps) {
-  return (
-    <label>
-      <input
-        checked={currentValue === value}
-        name={name}
-        onChange={onChange}
-        style={{
-          margin: '0 10px 0 0',
-        }}
-        type='radio'
-        value={value}
-      />
-      {text}
-      <br />
-    </label>
-  );
-}
diff --git a/contexts/appContext.ts b/contexts/appContext.ts
index 117e1d0de..1b294a702 100644
--- a/contexts/appContext.ts
+++ b/contexts/appContext.ts
@@ -18,11 +18,9 @@ interface AppContextInterface {
   setNotifications: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<Notification[]>>;
   setShouldAttemptAuth: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<boolean>>;
   setTempCollection: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<Collection | undefined>>;
-  setTheme: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<string | undefined>>;
   shouldAttemptAuth: boolean;
   sounds: { [key: string]: HTMLAudioElement };
   tempCollection?: Collection;
-  theme: string | undefined;
   user?: ReqUser;
   userConfig?: UserConfig;
   userLoading: boolean;
@@ -54,10 +52,8 @@ export const AppContext = createContext<AppContextInterface>({
   setNotifications: () => { return; },
   setShouldAttemptAuth: () => { return; },
   setTempCollection: () => { return; },
-  setTheme: () => { return; },
   shouldAttemptAuth: true,
   sounds: {},
   tempCollection: undefined,
-  theme: undefined,
   userLoading: true,
 });
diff --git a/pages/_app.tsx b/pages/_app.tsx
index 3e9487e94..0e513c746 100644
--- a/pages/_app.tsx
+++ b/pages/_app.tsx
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ MyApp.getInitialProps = async ({ ctx }: { ctx: NextPageContext }) => {
 export default function MyApp({ Component, pageProps, userAgent }: AppProps & { userAgent: string }) {
   const deviceInfo = useDeviceCheck(userAgent);
   const forceUpdate = useForceUpdate();
-  const { user, isLoading, mutateUser } = useUser();
+  const { isLoading, mutateUser, user } = useUser();
   const [notifications, setNotifications] = useState<Notification[]>([]);
   const [multiplayerSocket, setMultiplayerSocket] = useState<MultiplayerSocket>({
     connectedPlayers: [],
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ export default function MyApp({ Component, pageProps, userAgent }: AppProps & {
   const [shouldAttemptAuth, setShouldAttemptAuth] = useState(true);
   const [sounds, setSounds] = useState<{ [key: string]: HTMLAudioElement }>({});
   const [tempCollection, setTempCollection] = useState<Collection>();
-  const [theme, setTheme] = useState<string>();
   const { matches, privateAndInvitedMatches } = multiplayerSocket;
 
   const mutatePlayLater = useCallback(() => {
@@ -251,20 +250,6 @@ export default function MyApp({ Component, pageProps, userAgent }: AppProps & {
     };
   }, [user?._id]);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!user?.config) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    if (Object.values(Theme).includes(user.config.theme as Theme) && theme !== user.config.theme) {
-      // need to remove the default theme so we can add the userConfig theme
-      document.body.classList.remove(Theme.Modern);
-      document.body.classList.add(user.config.theme);
-      setTheme(user.config.theme);
-    }
-  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-  }, [user?.config]);
-
   useEffect(() => {
     for (const match of matches) {
       // if match is active and includes user, then redirect to match page /match/[matchId]
@@ -372,8 +357,8 @@ export default function MyApp({ Component, pageProps, userAgent }: AppProps & {
 
   const isEU = Intl.DateTimeFormat().resolvedOptions().timeZone.startsWith('Europe');
 
-  return (
-    <ThemeProvider attribute='class'>
+  return (<>
+    <ThemeProvider attribute='class' defaultTheme={Theme.Modern} themes={Object.values(Theme)}>
       <Head>
         <meta name='viewport' content='width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, maximum-scale=1.0, user-scalable=0' />
         <meta name='apple-itunes-app' content='app-id=1668925562, app-argument=pathology.gg' />
@@ -421,11 +406,9 @@ export default function MyApp({ Component, pageProps, userAgent }: AppProps & {
           setNotifications: setNotifications,
           setShouldAttemptAuth: setShouldAttemptAuth,
           setTempCollection: setTempCollection,
-          setTheme: setTheme,
           shouldAttemptAuth: shouldAttemptAuth,
           sounds: sounds,
           tempCollection,
-          theme: theme,
           user: user,
           userConfig: user?.config,
           userLoading: isLoading,
@@ -450,5 +433,5 @@ export default function MyApp({ Component, pageProps, userAgent }: AppProps & {
         </AppContext.Provider>
       </GrowthBookProvider>
     </ThemeProvider>
-  );
+  </>);
 }
diff --git a/pages/_document.tsx b/pages/_document.tsx
index aeb43c19f..04da593bf 100644
--- a/pages/_document.tsx
+++ b/pages/_document.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 /* istanbul ignore file */
+import Theme from '@root/constants/theme';
 import User from '@root/models/db/user';
 import { Types } from 'mongoose';
 import Document, { DocumentContext, DocumentInitialProps, Head, Html, Main, NextScript } from 'next/document';
+import Script from 'next/script';
 import React from 'react';
-import Theme from '../constants/theme';
 import { logger } from '../helpers/logger';
 import dbConnect from '../lib/dbConnect';
 import isLocal from '../lib/isLocal';
@@ -83,8 +84,28 @@ class MyDocument extends Document<DocumentProps> {
             dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: this.props.browserTimingHeader }}
             type='text/javascript'
           />
+          <Script
+            id='load-theme'
+            strategy='beforeInteractive'
+            dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{
+              __html: `
+!function() {
+  const theme = localStorage.getItem('theme');
+
+  // set data-theme-dark for Tailwind dark classes
+  document.documentElement.setAttribute('data-theme-dark', theme === 'theme-light' ? 'false' : 'true');
+
+  // check for an invalid theme and default to theme-modern
+  // ThemeProvider doesn't handle this case with defaultTheme so we have to do it manually here
+  if (!${JSON.stringify(Object.values(Theme))}.includes(theme)) {
+    localStorage.setItem('theme', 'theme-modern');
+  }
+}();
+              `,
+            }}
+          />
         </Head>
-        <body className={Theme.Modern}>
+        <body>
           <Main />
           <NextScript />
         </body>
diff --git a/styles/global.css b/styles/global.css
index c769e61c2..bb09af796 100644
--- a/styles/global.css
+++ b/styles/global.css
@@ -258,6 +258,10 @@ body {
   --level-wall: rgb(38, 38, 38);
 }
 
+[data-theme-dark="true"] {
+  color-scheme: dark;
+}
+
 #arrow,
 #arrow::before {
   position: absolute;
diff --git a/tailwind.config.js b/tailwind.config.js
index 8842f8e1a..b80a081e9 100644
--- a/tailwind.config.js
+++ b/tailwind.config.js
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@ module.exports = {
     './components/**/*.{js,jsx,ts,tsx}',
     './pages/**/*.{js,jsx,ts,tsx}',
   ],
-  darkMode: 'class',
+  darkMode: [
+    'class',
+    '[data-theme-dark="true"]',
+  ],
   plugins: [
     require('@headlessui/tailwindcss')
   ],