diff --git a/ui/goose2/src/shared/theme/ThemeProvider.test.tsx b/ui/goose2/src/shared/theme/ThemeProvider.test.tsx
index f7d96ab7d7..5d2902aa5d 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/src/shared/theme/ThemeProvider.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/goose2/src/shared/theme/ThemeProvider.test.tsx
@@ -35,6 +35,17 @@ vi.mock("./theme-loader", () => ({
   loadThemeData: mockLoadThemeData,
 }));
 
+function createDeferred<T>() {
+  let resolve!: (value: T) => void;
+  let reject!: (reason?: unknown) => void;
+  const promise = new Promise<T>((res, rej) => {
+    resolve = res;
+    reject = rej;
+  });
+
+  return { promise, resolve, reject };
+}
+
 function createMediaQueryList(initialMatches: boolean) {
   let matches = initialMatches;
   const listeners = new Set<(event: MediaQueryListEvent) => void>();
@@ -369,4 +380,52 @@ describe("ThemeProvider", () => {
       document.documentElement.style.getPropertyValue("--background"),
     ).not.toBe("");
   });
+
+  it("ignores stale theme loads that finish after a newer request", async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+    createMediaQueryList(false);
+
+    const githubLight = createDeferred<Record<string, never>>();
+    const dracula = createDeferred<Record<string, never>>();
+
+    mockLoadThemeData.mockImplementation((themeName: string) => {
+      if (themeName === "github-light") {
+        return githubLight.promise;
+      }
+
+      if (themeName === "dracula") {
+        return dracula.promise;
+      }
+
+      return Promise.resolve({});
+    });
+
+    render(
+      <ThemeProvider>
+        <ThemeConsumer />
+      </ThemeProvider>,
+    );
+
+    await user.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Set Dracula" }));
+
+    dracula.resolve({});
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByTestId("resolved-theme")).toHaveTextContent("dracula");
+      expect(document.documentElement).toHaveClass("dark");
+    });
+
+    githubLight.resolve({});
+
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("resolved-theme")).toHaveTextContent("dracula");
+    expect(document.documentElement).toHaveClass("dark");
+    expect(
+      JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem("goose-theme-cache") ?? "{}"),
+    ).toMatchObject({
+      resolvedThemeName: "dracula",
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/ui/goose2/src/shared/theme/ThemeProvider.tsx b/ui/goose2/src/shared/theme/ThemeProvider.tsx
index 44c9455201..76dc51d11a 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/src/shared/theme/ThemeProvider.tsx
+++ b/ui/goose2/src/shared/theme/ThemeProvider.tsx
@@ -229,26 +229,16 @@ async function applyTheme(resolvedThemeName: SyntaxThemeName) {
     modified: info.modified,
   });
 
-  const root = document.documentElement;
-  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(vars)) {
-    root.style.setProperty(key, value);
-  }
-  applyResolvedMode(isDark);
-
   const cachedTheme: CachedThemeState = {
     isDark,
     resolvedThemeName,
     vars,
   };
-  window.localStorage.setItem(
-    THEME_CACHE_STORAGE_KEY,
-    JSON.stringify(cachedTheme),
-  );
 
   return cachedTheme;
 }
 
-function applyFallbackTheme(systemPrefersDark: boolean): CachedThemeState {
+function createFallbackTheme(systemPrefersDark: boolean): CachedThemeState {
   const fallbackMode = systemPrefersDark ? "dark" : "light";
   const resolvedThemeName = DEFAULT_SYSTEM_THEMES[fallbackMode];
   const fallbackTheme = BUILTIN_FALLBACK_THEMES[fallbackMode];
@@ -263,23 +253,20 @@ function applyFallbackTheme(systemPrefersDark: boolean): CachedThemeState {
     },
   );
 
-  const root = document.documentElement;
-  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(vars)) {
-    root.style.setProperty(key, value);
-  }
-  applyResolvedMode(isDark);
-
-  const cachedTheme: CachedThemeState = {
+  return {
     isDark,
     resolvedThemeName,
     vars,
   };
-  window.localStorage.setItem(
-    THEME_CACHE_STORAGE_KEY,
-    JSON.stringify(cachedTheme),
-  );
+}
 
-  return cachedTheme;
+function commitTheme(theme: CachedThemeState) {
+  const root = document.documentElement;
+  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(theme.vars)) {
+    root.style.setProperty(key, value);
+  }
+  applyResolvedMode(theme.isDark);
+  window.localStorage.setItem(THEME_CACHE_STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify(theme));
 }
 
 export function ThemeProvider({
@@ -321,8 +308,15 @@ export function ThemeProvider({
     () => getResolvedThemeName(selectedThemeName, systemPrefersDark),
     [selectedThemeName, systemPrefersDark],
   );
+  const themeLoadSignature = `${selectedThemeName ?? "system"}:${resolvedThemeName}:${systemPrefersDark}`;
+  const latestThemeLoadSignatureRef = React.useRef(themeLoadSignature);
+  const themeLoadGenerationRef = React.useRef(0);
 
-  const loadingThemeRef = React.useRef<SyntaxThemeName | null>(null);
+  if (latestThemeLoadSignatureRef.current !== themeLoadSignature) {
+    latestThemeLoadSignatureRef.current = themeLoadSignature;
+    themeLoadGenerationRef.current += 1;
+  }
+  const themeLoadGeneration = themeLoadGenerationRef.current;
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
     if (selectedThemeName) {
@@ -368,25 +362,23 @@ export function ThemeProvider({
   }, [density]);
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
-    loadingThemeRef.current = resolvedThemeName;
     setIsLoading(true);
 
     void (async () => {
-      let nextIsDark: boolean;
+      let nextTheme: CachedThemeState;
 
       try {
-        const nextTheme = await applyTheme(resolvedThemeName);
-        nextIsDark = nextTheme.isDark;
+        nextTheme = await applyTheme(resolvedThemeName);
       } catch {
-        const fallbackTheme = applyFallbackTheme(systemPrefersDark);
-        nextIsDark = fallbackTheme.isDark;
+        nextTheme = createFallbackTheme(systemPrefersDark);
       }
 
-      if (loadingThemeRef.current !== resolvedThemeName) {
+      if (themeLoadGenerationRef.current !== themeLoadGeneration) {
         return;
       }
 
-      setIsDark(nextIsDark);
+      commitTheme(nextTheme);
+      setIsDark(nextTheme.isDark);
       setIsLoading(false);
       if (selectedThemeName) {
         applyAccentColor(
@@ -397,7 +389,12 @@ export function ThemeProvider({
         clearAccentColor();
       }
     })();
-  }, [resolvedThemeName, selectedThemeName, systemPrefersDark]);
+  }, [
+    resolvedThemeName,
+    selectedThemeName,
+    systemPrefersDark,
+    themeLoadGeneration,
+  ]);
 
   const setTheme = React.useCallback((themeName: SyntaxThemeName | null) => {
     setSelectedThemeName(themeName);