diff --git a/templates-api/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/templates/base/util/AndroidManifestBuilder.kt b/templates-api/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/templates/base/util/AndroidManifestBuilder.kt
index ea1211898..210eff4a0 100644
--- a/templates-api/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/templates/base/util/AndroidManifestBuilder.kt
+++ b/templates-api/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/templates/base/util/AndroidManifestBuilder.kt
@@ -179,7 +179,11 @@ class AndroidManifestBuilder {
       androidAttr("roundIcon", (roundIcon ?: icon).value())
       androidAttr("label", "@string/${appLabelRes}")
       androidAttr("supportsRtl", rtl.toString())
-      androidAttr("theme", "@style/${themeRes}")
+
+      if (themeRes.isNotBlank()) {
+        androidAttr("theme", "@style/${themeRes}")
+      }
+
       configurators[APPLICATION_ATTR]?.forEach { configurator -> configurator() }
       closeStartElement()
 
diff --git a/templates-impl/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/templates/impl/noAndroidXActivity/noAndroidXActivityTemplate.kt b/templates-impl/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/templates/impl/noAndroidXActivity/noAndroidXActivityTemplate.kt
index 0ceb3d784..8a69ff65d 100644
--- a/templates-impl/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/templates/impl/noAndroidXActivity/noAndroidXActivityTemplate.kt
+++ b/templates-impl/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/templates/impl/noAndroidXActivity/noAndroidXActivityTemplate.kt
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import com.itsaky.androidide.templates.base.util.AndroidModuleResManager.Resourc
 import com.itsaky.androidide.templates.base.util.AndroidModuleResManager.ResourceType.VALUES
 import com.itsaky.androidide.templates.impl.R
 import com.itsaky.androidide.templates.impl.base.createRecipe
-import com.itsaky.androidide.templates.impl.base.emptyThemesAndColors
 import com.itsaky.androidide.templates.impl.base.emptyValuesFile
 import com.itsaky.androidide.templates.impl.base.writeMainActivity
 import com.itsaky.androidide.templates.impl.baseProjectImpl
@@ -36,17 +35,21 @@ fun noAndroidXActivityProject() = baseProjectImpl {
     uiMode = ResTableConfig.UI_MODE.NIGHT_YES
   }
   defaultAppModule(addAndroidX = false) {
+
+    // do not set a theme resource to the application
+    manifest.themeRes = ""
+
     recipe = createRecipe {
       res {
         // values
         writeXmlResource("colors", VALUES, source = emptyValuesFile())
-        writeXmlResource("themes", VALUES, source = noAndroidXTheme("Light"))
+        writeXmlResource("themes", VALUES, source = emptyValuesFile())
 
         // values-night
         writeXmlResource("colors", VALUES, config = configNight,
-        source = emptyValuesFile())
+          source = emptyValuesFile())
         writeXmlResource("themes", VALUES, config = configNight,
-        source = noAndroidXTheme("Dark"))
+          source = emptyValuesFile())
 
         writeXmlResource("activity_main", LAYOUT,
           source = noAndroidXActivityLayout())
diff --git a/templates-impl/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/templates/impl/noAndroidXActivity/noAndroidXTheme.kt b/templates-impl/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/templates/impl/noAndroidXActivity/noAndroidXTheme.kt
deleted file mode 100644
index a1bcc18c8..000000000
--- a/templates-impl/src/main/java/com/itsaky/androidide/templates/impl/noAndroidXActivity/noAndroidXTheme.kt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-/*
- *  This file is part of AndroidIDE.
- *
- *  AndroidIDE is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
- *  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- *  the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
- *  (at your option) any later version.
- *
- *  AndroidIDE is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
- *  GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- *   along with AndroidIDE.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-package com.itsaky.androidide.templates.impl.noAndroidXActivity
-
-import com.itsaky.androidide.templates.base.AndroidModuleTemplateBuilder
-
-internal fun AndroidModuleTemplateBuilder.noAndroidXTheme(themeMode: String) = """
-<resources xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
-    <!-- Base application theme. -->
-    <style name="Base.${manifest.themeRes}" parent="android:Theme.Material.$themeMode.DarkActionBar">
-        <!-- Customize your theme here. -->
-    </style>
-    
-    <style name="${manifest.themeRes}" parent="Base.${manifest.themeRes}" />
-</resources>
-""".trim()