diff --git a/tools/chatgui/src/chatview.cpp b/tools/chatgui/src/chatview.cpp
index 36349e82..9953db5a 100644
--- a/tools/chatgui/src/chatview.cpp
+++ b/tools/chatgui/src/chatview.cpp
@@ -81,7 +81,9 @@ void ChatView::setBackgroundImage(const QString &path) {
         GUI_WARN("ChatView: failed to load background path=%s", qPrintable(path));
         return;
     }
-    GUI_DEBUG("ChatView: background loaded path=%s size=%dx%d", qPrintable(path), m_background.width(), m_background.height());
+    { QPainter painter(&m_background); painter.fillRect(m_background.rect(), QColor(0, 0, 0, 64)); }
+    GUI_DEBUG("ChatView: background loaded path=%s size=%dx%d black_overlay=64/255",
+              qPrintable(path), m_background.width(), m_background.height());
     viewport()->update();
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/chatgui/src/emojipanel.cpp b/tools/chatgui/src/emojipanel.cpp
index e98da333..1a51eaa7 100644
--- a/tools/chatgui/src/emojipanel.cpp
+++ b/tools/chatgui/src/emojipanel.cpp
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ void EmojiPanel::buildPanel(const QVector<EmojiCategory> &categories) {
     auto *tabs = new EmojiTabWidget();
     tabs->setDocumentMode(true);
     tabs->setTabBar(new EmojiTabBar(tabs));
-    tabs->setStyleSheet("QTabWidget::pane { border: none; background: rgba(255,255,255,0.6); }");
+    tabs->setStyleSheet("QTabWidget::pane { border: none; background: palette(base); }");
 
     for (const auto &cat : categories) {
         tabs->addTab(buildCategoryPage(cat), cat.name);
diff --git a/tools/chatgui/src/main.cpp b/tools/chatgui/src/main.cpp
index c4c14578..f5859843 100644
--- a/tools/chatgui/src/main.cpp
+++ b/tools/chatgui/src/main.cpp
@@ -164,18 +164,23 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
     app.setStyle(QStyleFactory::create("Fusion"));
     QPalette p;
-    p.setColor(QPalette::Window,          QColor(53, 53, 53));
+    p.setColor(QPalette::Window,          QColor(32, 32, 32));
     p.setColor(QPalette::WindowText,      QColor(220, 220, 220));
-    p.setColor(QPalette::Base,            QColor(42, 42, 42));
-    p.setColor(QPalette::AlternateBase,   QColor(66, 66, 66));
-    p.setColor(QPalette::ToolTipBase,     QColor(25, 25, 25));
+    p.setColor(QPalette::Base,            QColor(24, 24, 24));
+    p.setColor(QPalette::AlternateBase,   QColor(38, 38, 38));
+    p.setColor(QPalette::ToolTipBase,     QColor(18, 18, 18));
     p.setColor(QPalette::ToolTipText,     QColor(220, 220, 220));
     p.setColor(QPalette::Text,            QColor(220, 220, 220));
-    p.setColor(QPalette::Button,          QColor(53, 53, 53));
+    p.setColor(QPalette::Button,          QColor(36, 36, 36));
     p.setColor(QPalette::ButtonText,      QColor(220, 220, 220));
+    p.setColor(QPalette::Light,           QColor(53, 53, 53));
+    p.setColor(QPalette::Midlight,        QColor(46, 46, 46));
+    p.setColor(QPalette::Mid,             QColor(30, 30, 30));
+    p.setColor(QPalette::Dark,            QColor(18, 18, 18));
+    p.setColor(QPalette::Shadow,          QColor(8, 8, 8));
     p.setColor(QPalette::BrightText,      Qt::red);
     p.setColor(QPalette::Link,            QColor(42, 130, 218));
-    p.setColor(QPalette::Highlight,       QColor(42, 130, 218));
+    p.setColor(QPalette::Highlight,       QColor(32, 96, 160));
     p.setColor(QPalette::HighlightedText, Qt::white);
     p.setColor(QPalette::Disabled, QPalette::Text, QColor(127, 127, 127));
     p.setColor(QPalette::Disabled, QPalette::ButtonText, QColor(127, 127, 127));
@@ -328,6 +333,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     if (lvl.isEmpty()) lvl = QStringLiteral("info");
     debug_apply_global_level(lvl.toUtf8().constData());
     DEBUG_INFO(DEBUG_CATEGORY_GENERAL, "vibechat: version=%s", qPrintable(app.applicationVersion()));
+    DEBUG_INFO(DEBUG_CATEGORY_GENERAL, "GUI dark palette: window=%s base=%s alternate=%s button=%s light=%s",
+               qPrintable(p.color(QPalette::Window).name()), qPrintable(p.color(QPalette::Base).name()),
+               qPrintable(p.color(QPalette::AlternateBase).name()), qPrintable(p.color(QPalette::Button).name()),
+               qPrintable(p.color(QPalette::Light).name()));
     if (firstRun)
         DEBUG_INFO(DEBUG_CATEGORY_CONFIG, "First-run setup: profile saved, nickname=%s config=%s", qPrintable(cfg.nodeName()), qPrintable(cfgPath));
 #ifdef _WIN32
diff --git a/tools/chatgui/src/message_notification.cpp b/tools/chatgui/src/message_notification.cpp
index b0731b78..738eee76 100644
--- a/tools/chatgui/src/message_notification.cpp
+++ b/tools/chatgui/src/message_notification.cpp
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ MessageNotification::MessageNotification()
 #endif
     setFocusPolicy(Qt::NoFocus);
     setCursor(Qt::PointingHandCursor);
-    setStyleSheet("#messageNotification { background: #353535; border: 1px solid #777; border-radius: 8px; }"
+    setStyleSheet("#messageNotification { background: palette(window); border: 1px solid #777; border-radius: 8px; }"
                   "#messageNotification QLabel { color: #eee; border: none; }"
                   "#messageNotification QPushButton { color: #eee; background: transparent; border: none; padding: 4px; }"
-                  "#messageNotification QPushButton:hover { background: #555; }");
+                  "#messageNotification QPushButton:hover { background: palette(light); }");
     auto* layout = new QVBoxLayout(this);
     layout->setContentsMargins(14, 10, 10, 14);
     auto* heading = new QHBoxLayout();