diff --git a/electrum/gui/qt/__init__.py b/electrum/gui/qt/__init__.py
index 3c46a1d07..647417f88 100644
--- a/electrum/gui/qt/__init__.py
+++ b/electrum/gui/qt/__init__.py
@@ -133,7 +133,10 @@ class ElectrumGui(BaseElectrumGui, Logger):
         self._init_tray()
         self.app.new_window_signal.connect(self.start_new_window)
         self.app.quit_signal.connect(self.app.quit, Qt.QueuedConnection)
-        self.set_dark_theme_if_needed()
+        # maybe set dark theme
+        self._default_qtstylesheet = self.app.styleSheet()
+        self.reload_app_stylesheet()
+
         run_hook('init_qt', self)
 
     def _init_tray(self):
@@ -143,7 +146,7 @@ class ElectrumGui(BaseElectrumGui, Logger):
         self.build_tray_menu()
         self.tray.show()
 
-    def set_dark_theme_if_needed(self):
+    def reload_app_stylesheet(self):
         use_dark_theme = self.config.get('qt_gui_color_theme', 'default') == 'dark'
         if use_dark_theme:
             try:
@@ -152,6 +155,8 @@ class ElectrumGui(BaseElectrumGui, Logger):
             except BaseException as e:
                 use_dark_theme = False
                 self.logger.warning(f'Error setting dark theme: {repr(e)}')
+        else:
+            self.app.setStyleSheet(self._default_qtstylesheet)
         # Apply any necessary stylesheet patches
         patch_qt_stylesheet(use_dark_theme=use_dark_theme)
         # Even if we ourselves don't set the dark theme,
diff --git a/electrum/gui/qt/settings_dialog.py b/electrum/gui/qt/settings_dialog.py
index 02a5734b9..82ad5f406 100644
--- a/electrum/gui/qt/settings_dialog.py
+++ b/electrum/gui/qt/settings_dialog.py
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ class SettingsDialog(WindowModalDialog):
         colortheme_label = QLabel(_('Color theme') + ':')
         def on_colortheme(x):
             self.config.set_key('qt_gui_color_theme', colortheme_combo.itemData(x), True)
-            self.need_restart = True
+            self.window.gui_object.reload_app_stylesheet()
         colortheme_combo.currentIndexChanged.connect(on_colortheme)
         gui_widgets.append((colortheme_label, colortheme_combo))