diff --git a/beta/src/components/Layout/Nav/Nav.tsx b/beta/src/components/Layout/Nav/Nav.tsx
index af8f2066..98a130ce 100644
--- a/beta/src/components/Layout/Nav/Nav.tsx
+++ b/beta/src/components/Layout/Nav/Nav.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ import {MenuContext} from 'components/useMenu';
 import {Logo} from '../../Logo';
 import NavLink from './NavLink';
 
+declare global {
+  interface Window {
+    __theme: string;
+    __setPreferredTheme: (theme: string) => void;
+  }
+}
+
 const feedbackIcon = (
   <svg
     xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
@@ -92,14 +99,6 @@ function inferSection(pathname: string): 'learn' | 'reference' | 'home' {
 export default function Nav() {
   const {pathname} = useRouter();
   const {isOpen, toggleOpen} = React.useContext(MenuContext);
-  // TODO: persist
-  // TODO: respect system pref
-  const [isDark, setIsDark] = React.useState(() => {
-    if (typeof document === 'undefined') {
-      return false;
-    }
-    return document.documentElement.classList.contains('dark');
-  });
   const section = inferSection(pathname);
 
   function handleFeedback() {
@@ -137,21 +136,28 @@ export default function Nav() {
             Beta
           </div>
         </div>
-        <button
-          type="button"
-          aria-label={isDark ? 'Use Light Mode' : 'Use Dark Mode'}
-          onClick={() => {
-            if (isDark) {
-              document.documentElement.classList.remove('dark');
-              setIsDark(false);
-            } else {
-              document.documentElement.classList.add('dark');
-              setIsDark(true);
-            }
-          }}
-          className="hidden lg:flex items-center h-full pr-2">
-          {isDark ? lightIcon : darkIcon}
-        </button>
+        <div className="block dark:hidden">
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            aria-label="Use Dark Mode"
+            onClick={() => {
+              window.__setPreferredTheme('dark');
+            }}
+            className="hidden lg:flex items-center h-full pr-2">
+            {darkIcon}
+          </button>
+        </div>
+        <div className="hidden dark:block">
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            aria-label="Use Light Mode"
+            onClick={() => {
+              window.__setPreferredTheme('light');
+            }}
+            className="hidden lg:flex items-center h-full pr-2">
+            {lightIcon}
+          </button>
+        </div>
       </div>
       <div className="px-0 pt-2 w-full 2xl:max-w-xs hidden lg:flex items-center self-center border-b-0 lg:border-b border-border dark:border-border-dark">
         <NavLink href="/" isActive={section === 'home'}>
@@ -172,21 +178,28 @@ export default function Nav() {
           onClick={handleFeedback}>
           {feedbackIcon}
         </button>
-        <button
-          type="button"
-          aria-label={isDark ? 'Use Light Mode' : 'Use Dark Mode'}
-          onClick={() => {
-            if (isDark) {
-              document.documentElement.classList.remove('dark');
-              setIsDark(false);
-            } else {
-              document.documentElement.classList.add('dark');
-              setIsDark(true);
-            }
-          }}
-          className="flex lg:hidden items-center p-1 h-full ml-4 lg:ml-6">
-          {isDark ? lightIcon : darkIcon}
-        </button>
+        <div className="block dark:hidden">
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            aria-label="Use Dark Mode"
+            onClick={() => {
+              window.__setPreferredTheme('dark');
+            }}
+            className="flex lg:hidden items-center p-1 h-full ml-4 lg:ml-6">
+            {darkIcon}
+          </button>
+        </div>
+        <div className="hidden dark:block">
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            aria-label="Use Light Mode"
+            onClick={() => {
+              window.__setPreferredTheme('light');
+            }}
+            className="flex lg:hidden items-center p-1 h-full ml-4 lg:ml-6">
+            {lightIcon}
+          </button>
+        </div>
       </div>
     </nav>
   );
diff --git a/beta/src/pages/_document.tsx b/beta/src/pages/_document.tsx
index a948e9d8..51da08cc 100644
--- a/beta/src/pages/_document.tsx
+++ b/beta/src/pages/_document.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,49 @@ class MyDocument extends Document {
       <Html lang="en">
         <Head />
         <body className="font-sans antialiased text-lg bg-wash dark:bg-wash-dark text-secondary dark:text-secondary-dark leading-base">
+          <script
+            dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{
+              __html: `
+                (function () {
+                  function setTheme(newTheme) {
+                    window.__theme = newTheme;
+                    if (newTheme === 'dark') {
+                      document.documentElement.classList.add('dark');
+                    } else if (newTheme === 'light') {
+                      document.documentElement.classList.remove('dark');
+                    }
+                  }
+
+                  var preferredTheme;
+                  try {
+                    preferredTheme = localStorage.getItem('theme');
+                  } catch (err) { }
+
+                  window.__setPreferredTheme = function(newTheme) {
+                    preferredTheme = newTheme;
+                    setTheme(newTheme);
+                    try {
+                      localStorage.setItem('theme', newTheme);
+                    } catch (err) { }
+                  };
+
+                  var initialTheme = preferredTheme;
+                  var darkQuery = window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)');
+
+                  if (!initialTheme) {
+                    initialTheme = darkQuery.matches ? 'dark' : 'light';
+                  }
+                  setTheme(initialTheme);
+
+                  darkQuery.addListener(function (e) {
+                    if (!preferredTheme) {
+                      setTheme(e.matches ? 'dark' : 'light');
+                    }
+                  });
+                })();
+              `,
+            }}
+          />
           <Main />
           <NextScript />
         </body>