diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/layout/project-switcher/project-switcher.tsx b/apps/ui/src/components/layout/project-switcher/project-switcher.tsx
index 9fa772da..541fa83c 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/layout/project-switcher/project-switcher.tsx
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/layout/project-switcher/project-switcher.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { useState, useCallback, useEffect } from 'react';
 import { Plus, Bug, FolderOpen, BookOpen } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useNavigate, useLocation } from '@tanstack/react-router';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
-import { useAppStore, type ThemeMode } from '@/store/app-store';
+import { useAppStore } from '@/store/app-store';
 import { useOSDetection } from '@/hooks/use-os-detection';
 import { ProjectSwitcherItem } from './components/project-switcher-item';
 import { ProjectContextMenu } from './components/project-context-menu';
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { EditProjectDialog } from './components/edit-project-dialog';
 import { NotificationBell } from './components/notification-bell';
 import { NewProjectModal } from '@/components/dialogs/new-project-modal';
 import { OnboardingDialog } from '@/components/layout/sidebar/dialogs';
-import { useProjectCreation, useProjectTheme } from '@/components/layout/sidebar/hooks';
+import { useProjectCreation } from '@/components/layout/sidebar/hooks';
 import { SIDEBAR_FEATURE_FLAGS } from '@/components/layout/sidebar/constants';
 import type { Project } from '@/lib/electron';
 import { getElectronAPI } from '@/lib/electron';
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ export function ProjectSwitcher() {
     projects,
     currentProject,
     setCurrentProject,
-    trashedProjects,
     upsertAndSetCurrentProject,
     specCreatingForProject,
     setSpecCreatingForProject,
@@ -69,9 +68,6 @@ export function ProjectSwitcher() {
   const appMode = import.meta.env.VITE_APP_MODE || '?';
   const versionSuffix = `${getOSAbbreviation(os)}${appMode}`;
 
-  // Get global theme for project creation
-  const { globalTheme } = useProjectTheme();
-
   // Project creation state and handlers
   const {
     showNewProjectModal,
@@ -84,9 +80,6 @@ export function ProjectSwitcher() {
     handleCreateFromTemplate,
     handleCreateFromCustomUrl,
   } = useProjectCreation({
-    trashedProjects,
-    currentProject,
-    globalTheme,
     upsertAndSetCurrentProject,
   });
 
@@ -161,13 +154,8 @@ export function ProjectSwitcher() {
         }
 
         // Upsert project and set as current (handles both create and update cases)
-        // Theme preservation is handled by the store action
-        const trashedProject = trashedProjects.find((p) => p.path === path);
-        const effectiveTheme =
-          (trashedProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          (currentProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          globalTheme;
-        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(path, name, effectiveTheme);
+        // Theme handling (trashed project recovery or undefined for global) is done by the store
+        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(path, name);
 
         // Check if app_spec.txt exists
         const specExists = await hasAppSpec(path);
@@ -198,7 +186,7 @@ export function ProjectSwitcher() {
         });
       }
     }
-  }, [trashedProjects, upsertAndSetCurrentProject, currentProject, globalTheme, navigate]);
+  }, [upsertAndSetCurrentProject, navigate]);
 
   // Handler for creating initial spec from the setup dialog
   const handleCreateInitialSpec = useCallback(async () => {
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/layout/sidebar.tsx b/apps/ui/src/components/layout/sidebar.tsx
index 0baa81cf..05ff1328 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/layout/sidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/layout/sidebar.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { useNavigate, useLocation } from '@tanstack/react-router';
 
 const logger = createLogger('Sidebar');
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
-import { useAppStore, type ThemeMode } from '@/store/app-store';
+import { useAppStore } from '@/store/app-store';
 import { useNotificationsStore } from '@/store/notifications-store';
 import { useKeyboardShortcuts, useKeyboardShortcutsConfig } from '@/hooks/use-keyboard-shortcuts';
 import { getElectronAPI } from '@/lib/electron';
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ import {
   useProjectCreation,
   useSetupDialog,
   useTrashOperations,
-  useProjectTheme,
   useUnviewedValidations,
 } from './sidebar/hooks';
 
@@ -79,9 +78,6 @@ export function Sidebar() {
   // State for trash dialog
   const [showTrashDialog, setShowTrashDialog] = useState(false);
 
-  // Project theme management (must come before useProjectCreation which uses globalTheme)
-  const { globalTheme } = useProjectTheme();
-
   // Project creation state and handlers
   const {
     showNewProjectModal,
@@ -97,9 +93,6 @@ export function Sidebar() {
     handleCreateFromTemplate,
     handleCreateFromCustomUrl,
   } = useProjectCreation({
-    trashedProjects,
-    currentProject,
-    globalTheme,
     upsertAndSetCurrentProject,
   });
 
@@ -198,13 +191,8 @@ export function Sidebar() {
         }
 
         // Upsert project and set as current (handles both create and update cases)
-        // Theme preservation is handled by the store action
-        const trashedProject = trashedProjects.find((p) => p.path === path);
-        const effectiveTheme =
-          (trashedProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          (currentProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          globalTheme;
-        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(path, name, effectiveTheme);
+        // Theme handling (trashed project recovery or undefined for global) is done by the store
+        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(path, name);
 
         // Check if app_spec.txt exists
         const specExists = await hasAppSpec(path);
@@ -232,7 +220,7 @@ export function Sidebar() {
         });
       }
     }
-  }, [trashedProjects, upsertAndSetCurrentProject, currentProject, globalTheme]);
+  }, [upsertAndSetCurrentProject]);
 
   // Navigation sections and keyboard shortcuts (defined after handlers)
   const { navSections, navigationShortcuts } = useNavigation({
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/layout/sidebar/hooks/use-project-creation.ts b/apps/ui/src/components/layout/sidebar/hooks/use-project-creation.ts
index 2720bb98..45cd816a 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/layout/sidebar/hooks/use-project-creation.ts
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/layout/sidebar/hooks/use-project-creation.ts
@@ -6,20 +6,13 @@ const logger = createLogger('ProjectCreation');
 import { initializeProject } from '@/lib/project-init';
 import { toast } from 'sonner';
 import type { StarterTemplate } from '@/lib/templates';
-import type { ThemeMode } from '@/store/app-store';
-import type { TrashedProject, Project } from '@/lib/electron';
+import type { Project } from '@/lib/electron';
 
 interface UseProjectCreationProps {
-  trashedProjects: TrashedProject[];
-  currentProject: Project | null;
-  globalTheme: ThemeMode;
-  upsertAndSetCurrentProject: (path: string, name: string, theme: ThemeMode) => Project;
+  upsertAndSetCurrentProject: (path: string, name: string) => Project;
 }
 
 export function useProjectCreation({
-  trashedProjects,
-  currentProject,
-  globalTheme,
   upsertAndSetCurrentProject,
 }: UseProjectCreationProps) {
   // Modal state
@@ -67,14 +60,8 @@ export function useProjectCreation({
 </project_specification>`
         );
 
-        // Determine theme: try trashed project theme, then current project theme, then global
-        const trashedProject = trashedProjects.find((p) => p.path === projectPath);
-        const effectiveTheme =
-          (trashedProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          (currentProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          globalTheme;
-
-        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(projectPath, projectName, effectiveTheme);
+        // Let the store handle theme (trashed project recovery or undefined for global)
+        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(projectPath, projectName);
 
         setShowNewProjectModal(false);
 
@@ -92,7 +79,7 @@ export function useProjectCreation({
         throw error;
       }
     },
-    [trashedProjects, currentProject, globalTheme, upsertAndSetCurrentProject]
+    [upsertAndSetCurrentProject]
   );
 
   /**
@@ -169,14 +156,8 @@ export function useProjectCreation({
 </project_specification>`
         );
 
-        // Determine theme
-        const trashedProject = trashedProjects.find((p) => p.path === projectPath);
-        const effectiveTheme =
-          (trashedProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          (currentProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          globalTheme;
-
-        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(projectPath, projectName, effectiveTheme);
+        // Let the store handle theme (trashed project recovery or undefined for global)
+        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(projectPath, projectName);
         setShowNewProjectModal(false);
         setNewProjectName(projectName);
         setNewProjectPath(projectPath);
@@ -194,7 +175,7 @@ export function useProjectCreation({
         setIsCreatingProject(false);
       }
     },
-    [trashedProjects, currentProject, globalTheme, upsertAndSetCurrentProject]
+    [upsertAndSetCurrentProject]
   );
 
   /**
@@ -244,14 +225,8 @@ export function useProjectCreation({
 </project_specification>`
         );
 
-        // Determine theme
-        const trashedProject = trashedProjects.find((p) => p.path === projectPath);
-        const effectiveTheme =
-          (trashedProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          (currentProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          globalTheme;
-
-        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(projectPath, projectName, effectiveTheme);
+        // Let the store handle theme (trashed project recovery or undefined for global)
+        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(projectPath, projectName);
         setShowNewProjectModal(false);
         setNewProjectName(projectName);
         setNewProjectPath(projectPath);
@@ -269,7 +244,7 @@ export function useProjectCreation({
         setIsCreatingProject(false);
       }
     },
-    [trashedProjects, currentProject, globalTheme, upsertAndSetCurrentProject]
+    [upsertAndSetCurrentProject]
   );
 
   return {
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/views/dashboard-view.tsx b/apps/ui/src/components/views/dashboard-view.tsx
index 80f9624b..872b97a8 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/views/dashboard-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/views/dashboard-view.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useState, useCallback } from 'react';
 import { createLogger } from '@automaker/utils/logger';
 import { useNavigate } from '@tanstack/react-router';
-import { useAppStore, type ThemeMode } from '@/store/app-store';
+import { useAppStore } from '@/store/app-store';
 import { useOSDetection } from '@/hooks/use-os-detection';
 import { getElectronAPI, isElectron } from '@/lib/electron';
 import { initializeProject } from '@/lib/project-init';
@@ -76,14 +76,11 @@ export function DashboardView() {
 
   const {
     projects,
-    trashedProjects,
-    currentProject,
     upsertAndSetCurrentProject,
     addProject,
     setCurrentProject,
     toggleProjectFavorite,
     moveProjectToTrash,
-    theme: globalTheme,
   } = useAppStore();
 
   const [showNewProjectModal, setShowNewProjectModal] = useState(false);
@@ -143,12 +140,8 @@ export function DashboardView() {
           return;
         }
 
-        const trashedProject = trashedProjects.find((p) => p.path === path);
-        const effectiveTheme =
-          (trashedProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          (currentProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          globalTheme;
-        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(path, name, effectiveTheme);
+        // Theme handling (trashed project recovery or undefined for global) is done by the store
+        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(path, name);
 
         toast.success('Project opened', {
           description: `Opened ${name}`,
@@ -164,15 +157,7 @@ export function DashboardView() {
         setIsOpening(false);
       }
     },
-    [
-      projects,
-      trashedProjects,
-      currentProject,
-      globalTheme,
-      upsertAndSetCurrentProject,
-      navigate,
-      moveProjectToTrash,
-    ]
+    [projects, upsertAndSetCurrentProject, navigate, moveProjectToTrash]
   );
 
   const handleOpenProject = useCallback(async () => {
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/views/setup-view/steps/theme-step.tsx b/apps/ui/src/components/views/setup-view/steps/theme-step.tsx
index 2698ca7c..36d999f5 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/views/setup-view/steps/theme-step.tsx
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/views/setup-view/steps/theme-step.tsx
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ export function ThemeStep({ onNext, onBack }: ThemeStepProps) {
 
   const handleThemeClick = (themeValue: string) => {
     setTheme(themeValue as typeof theme);
-    // Also update the current project's theme if one exists
-    // This ensures the selected theme is visible since getEffectiveTheme() prioritizes project theme
-    if (currentProject) {
-      setProjectTheme(currentProject.id, themeValue as typeof theme);
+    // Clear the current project's theme so it uses the global theme
+    // This ensures "Use Global Theme" is checked and the project inherits the global theme
+    if (currentProject && currentProject.theme !== undefined) {
+      setProjectTheme(currentProject.id, null);
     }
     setPreviewTheme(null);
   };
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/components/views/welcome-view.tsx b/apps/ui/src/components/views/welcome-view.tsx
index 46e4d88c..bfe0d92a 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/components/views/welcome-view.tsx
+++ b/apps/ui/src/components/views/welcome-view.tsx
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import {
   DialogHeader,
   DialogTitle,
 } from '@/components/ui/dialog';
-import { useAppStore, type ThemeMode } from '@/store/app-store';
+import { useAppStore } from '@/store/app-store';
 import { getElectronAPI } from '@/lib/electron';
 import { initializeProject } from '@/lib/project-init';
 import {
@@ -38,15 +38,7 @@ import { useNavigate } from '@tanstack/react-router';
 const logger = createLogger('WelcomeView');
 
 export function WelcomeView() {
-  const {
-    projects,
-    trashedProjects,
-    currentProject,
-    upsertAndSetCurrentProject,
-    addProject,
-    setCurrentProject,
-    theme: globalTheme,
-  } = useAppStore();
+  const { projects, upsertAndSetCurrentProject, addProject, setCurrentProject } = useAppStore();
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const [showNewProjectModal, setShowNewProjectModal] = useState(false);
   const [isCreating, setIsCreating] = useState(false);
@@ -109,13 +101,8 @@ export function WelcomeView() {
         }
 
         // Upsert project and set as current (handles both create and update cases)
-        // Theme preservation is handled by the store action
-        const trashedProject = trashedProjects.find((p) => p.path === path);
-        const effectiveTheme =
-          (trashedProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          (currentProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined) ||
-          globalTheme;
-        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(path, name, effectiveTheme);
+        // Theme handling (trashed project recovery or undefined for global) is done by the store
+        upsertAndSetCurrentProject(path, name);
 
         // Show initialization dialog if files were created
         if (initResult.createdFiles && initResult.createdFiles.length > 0) {
@@ -150,14 +137,7 @@ export function WelcomeView() {
         setIsOpening(false);
       }
     },
-    [
-      trashedProjects,
-      currentProject,
-      globalTheme,
-      upsertAndSetCurrentProject,
-      analyzeProject,
-      navigate,
-    ]
+    [upsertAndSetCurrentProject, analyzeProject, navigate]
   );
 
   const handleOpenProject = useCallback(async () => {
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/store/app-store.ts b/apps/ui/src/store/app-store.ts
index ee8ca98a..c1fde9bb 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/store/app-store.ts
+++ b/apps/ui/src/store/app-store.ts
@@ -1627,16 +1627,18 @@ export const useAppStore = create<AppState & AppActions>()((set, get) => ({
       const updatedProjects = projects.map((p) => (p.id === existingProject.id ? project : p));
       set({ projects: updatedProjects });
     } else {
-      // Create new project - check for trashed project with same path first (preserves theme if deleted/recreated)
-      // Then fall back to provided theme, then current project theme, then global theme
+      // Create new project - only set theme if explicitly provided or recovering from trash
+      // Otherwise leave undefined so project uses global theme ("Use Global Theme" checked)
       const trashedProject = trashedProjects.find((p) => p.path === path);
-      const effectiveTheme = theme || trashedProject?.theme || currentProject?.theme || globalTheme;
+      const projectTheme =
+        theme !== undefined ? theme : (trashedProject?.theme as ThemeMode | undefined);
+
       project = {
         id: `project-${Date.now()}`,
         name,
         path,
         lastOpened: new Date().toISOString(),
-        theme: effectiveTheme,
+        theme: projectTheme, // May be undefined - intentional!
       };
       // Add the new project to the store
       set({