diff --git a/src/components/ModeToggle.tsx b/src/components/ModeToggle.tsx
index f764212..23cb033 100644
--- a/src/components/ModeToggle.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ModeToggle.tsx
@@ -11,20 +11,56 @@ import {
 
 export function ModeToggle() {
   const [theme, setThemeState] = React.useState<
-    'theme-light' | 'dark' | 'system'
-  >('theme-light');
+    'light' | 'dark' | 'system'
+  >('system');
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
-    const isDarkMode = document.documentElement.classList.contains('dark');
-    setThemeState(isDarkMode ? 'dark' : 'theme-light');
+    // Initialize theme from localStorage or system preference
+    const getStoredTheme = () => {
+      if (typeof localStorage !== 'undefined' && localStorage.getItem('theme')) {
+        const stored = localStorage.getItem('theme');
+        return stored === 'dark' ? 'dark' : 'light';
+      }
+      return 'system';
+    };
+    
+    setThemeState(getStoredTheme());
   }, []);
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
-    const isDark
-      = theme === 'dark'
-      || (theme === 'system'
-      && window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches);
-    document.documentElement.classList[isDark ? 'add' : 'remove']('dark');
+    const applyTheme = (newTheme: 'light' | 'dark' | 'system') => {
+      const isDark = newTheme === 'dark' || 
+        (newTheme === 'system' && window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches);
+      
+      document.documentElement.classList.toggle('dark', isDark);
+      
+      // Store actual theme preference (not 'system')
+      if (typeof localStorage !== 'undefined') {
+        if (newTheme === 'system') {
+          localStorage.removeItem('theme');
+        } else {
+          localStorage.setItem('theme', newTheme);
+        }
+      }
+    };
+
+    applyTheme(theme);
+
+    // Listen for system theme changes when in system mode
+    if (theme === 'system') {
+      const mediaQuery = window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)');
+      const handleChange = () => applyTheme('system');
+      
+      // Use addEventListener for better Safari compatibility
+      if (mediaQuery.addEventListener) {
+        mediaQuery.addEventListener('change', handleChange);
+        return () => mediaQuery.removeEventListener('change', handleChange);
+      } else {
+        // Fallback for older Safari versions
+        mediaQuery.addListener(handleChange);
+        return () => mediaQuery.removeListener(handleChange);
+      }
+    }
   }, [theme]);
 
   return (
@@ -37,7 +73,7 @@ export function ModeToggle() {
         </Button>
       </DropdownMenuTrigger>
       <DropdownMenuContent align="end">
-        <DropdownMenuItem onClick={() => setThemeState('theme-light')}>
+        <DropdownMenuItem onClick={() => setThemeState('light')}>
           Light
         </DropdownMenuItem>
         <DropdownMenuItem onClick={() => setThemeState('dark')}>
diff --git a/src/layouts/Layout.astro b/src/layouts/Layout.astro
index 277de87..4cf00ba 100644
--- a/src/layouts/Layout.astro
+++ b/src/layouts/Layout.astro
@@ -27,15 +27,29 @@ function getThemePreference() {
   }
   return window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches ? 'dark' : 'light';
 }
-const isDark = getThemePreference() === 'dark';
-document.documentElement.classList[isDark ? 'add' : 'remove']('dark');
 
-if (typeof localStorage !== 'undefined') {
-  const observer = new MutationObserver(() => {
-    const isDark = document.documentElement.classList.contains('dark');
-    localStorage.setItem('theme', isDark ? 'dark' : 'light');
-  });
-  observer.observe(document.documentElement, { attributes: true, attributeFilter: ['class'] });
+function applyTheme() {
+  const theme = getThemePreference();
+  const isDark = theme === 'dark' || 
+    (theme !== 'light' && window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches);
+  document.documentElement.classList.toggle('dark', isDark);
+}
+
+// Apply theme immediately to prevent flash
+applyTheme();
+
+// Listen for system theme changes when no explicit preference is set
+if (typeof localStorage !== 'undefined' && !localStorage.getItem('theme')) {
+  const mediaQuery = window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)');
+  const handleSystemThemeChange = () => applyTheme();
+  
+  // Use addEventListener for better Safari compatibility
+  if (mediaQuery.addEventListener) {
+    mediaQuery.addEventListener('change', handleSystemThemeChange);
+  } else {
+    // Fallback for older Safari versions
+    mediaQuery.addListener(handleSystemThemeChange);
+  }
 }
 </script>