From 21dac524f384a8519734ef08c35410301e712151 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Dax Raad <d@ironbay.co>
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2026 17:20:09 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] fix(tui): defer palette probe until first frame

---
 packages/tui/src/app.tsx           | 2 --
 packages/tui/src/context/theme.tsx | 8 +++-----
 2 files changed, 3 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/packages/tui/src/app.tsx b/packages/tui/src/app.tsx
index 976eef49af1..ba0348901eb 100644
--- a/packages/tui/src/app.tsx
+++ b/packages/tui/src/app.tsx
@@ -285,8 +285,6 @@ export const run = Effect.fn("Tui.run")(function* (input: TuiInput) {
       )
       renderer.once("destroy", () => shutdown.openUnsafe())
       yield* Effect.tryPromise(async () => {
-        // Prewarm palette before ThemeProvider mounts so `system` theme avoids a first-paint fallback flash.
-        void renderer.getPalette({ size: 16 }).catch(() => undefined)
         const mode = handoff?.mode ?? (await renderer.waitForThemeMode(1000)) ?? "dark"
         if (renderer.isDestroyed) return
 
diff --git a/packages/tui/src/context/theme.tsx b/packages/tui/src/context/theme.tsx
index a8c9984f08c..741ba6ce96a 100644
--- a/packages/tui/src/context/theme.tsx
+++ b/packages/tui/src/context/theme.tsx
@@ -184,11 +184,9 @@ const themeContext = createSimpleContext({
     }
 
     onMount(() => {
-      const systemTheme = resolveSystemTheme(store.mode)
-      void Promise.allSettled([
-        store.active === "system" ? systemTheme : Promise.resolve(),
-        syncCustomThemes(),
-      ]).finally(() => {
+      // Terminal palette queries serialize with frame output. Use the mode fallback for the first paint;
+      // App asks for the system palette after that frame and updates the theme in place.
+      void syncCustomThemes().finally(() => {
         valuesV2()
         setStore("ready", true)
       })