diff --git a/qt/aqt/preferences.py b/qt/aqt/preferences.py
index 8f183030a..af9f36958 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/preferences.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/preferences.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import aqt
 from anki.lang import _
 from aqt import AnkiQt
 from aqt.qt import *
-from aqt.theme import theme_manager
 from aqt.utils import TR, askUser, openHelp, showInfo, showWarning, tr
 
 
@@ -250,11 +249,7 @@ Not currently enabled; click the sync button in the main window to enable."""
         self.form.pasteInvert.setChecked(self.prof.get("pasteInvert", False))
         self.form.showPlayButtons.setChecked(self.prof.get("showPlayButtons", True))
         self.form.nightMode.setChecked(self.mw.pm.night_mode())
-        if theme_manager.macos_dark_mode():
-            self.form.nightMode.setChecked(True)
-            self.form.nightMode.setText(tr(TR.PREFERENCES_DARK_MODE_ACTIVE))
-        else:
-            self.form.nightMode.setChecked(self.mw.pm.night_mode())
+        self.form.nightMode.setChecked(self.mw.pm.night_mode())
         self.form.interrupt_audio.setChecked(self.mw.pm.interrupt_audio())
 
     def updateOptions(self):
@@ -268,17 +263,9 @@ Not currently enabled; click the sync button in the main window to enable."""
             restart_required = True
         self.prof["showPlayButtons"] = self.form.showPlayButtons.isChecked()
 
-        if theme_manager.macos_dark_mode():
-            if not self.form.nightMode.isChecked():
-                # user is trying to turn it off, but it's forced
-                showInfo(
-                    tr(TR.PREFERENCES_DARK_MODE_DISABLE), textFormat="rich",
-                )
-                openHelp("profileprefs")
-        else:
-            if self.mw.pm.night_mode() != self.form.nightMode.isChecked():
-                self.mw.pm.set_night_mode(not self.mw.pm.night_mode())
-                restart_required = True
+        if self.mw.pm.night_mode() != self.form.nightMode.isChecked():
+            self.mw.pm.set_night_mode(not self.mw.pm.night_mode())
+            restart_required = True
 
         self.mw.pm.set_interrupt_audio(self.form.interrupt_audio.isChecked())
 
diff --git a/qt/aqt/profiles.py b/qt/aqt/profiles.py
index ccef2f1b5..5ca697625 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/profiles.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/profiles.py
@@ -496,6 +496,9 @@ create table if not exists profiles
     def set_night_mode(self, on: bool) -> None:
         self.meta["night_mode"] = on
 
+    def dark_mode_widgets(self) -> bool:
+        return self.meta.get("dark_mode_widgets", False)
+
     # Profile-specific
     ######################################################################
 
diff --git a/qt/aqt/theme.py b/qt/aqt/theme.py
index b77e248c6..19a2db660 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/theme.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/theme.py
@@ -3,13 +3,12 @@
 # License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 
 import platform
-import sys
-from typing import Dict, Optional
+from typing import Dict
 
 from anki.utils import isMac
 from aqt import QApplication, gui_hooks, isWin
 from aqt.colors import colors
-from aqt.qt import QColor, QIcon, QPalette, QPixmap, QStyleFactory, Qt, qtminor
+from aqt.qt import QColor, QIcon, QPalette, QPixmap, QStyleFactory, Qt
 
 
 class ThemeManager:
@@ -17,25 +16,18 @@ class ThemeManager:
     _icon_cache_light: Dict[str, QIcon] = {}
     _icon_cache_dark: Dict[str, QIcon] = {}
     _icon_size = 128
-    _macos_dark_mode_cached: Optional[bool] = None
 
     def macos_dark_mode(self) -> bool:
-        if not getattr(sys, "frozen", False):
-            return False
+        "True if the user has night mode on, and has forced native widgets."
         if not isMac:
             return False
-        if qtminor < 13:
-            return False
-        if self._macos_dark_mode_cached is None:
-            import darkdetect  # pylint: disable=import-error
 
-            # cache the value, as the interface gets messed up
-            # if the value changes after starting Anki
-            self._macos_dark_mode_cached = darkdetect.isDark() is True
-        return self._macos_dark_mode_cached
+        from aqt import mw
+
+        return self._night_mode_preference and mw.pm.dark_mode_widgets()
 
     def get_night_mode(self) -> bool:
-        return self.macos_dark_mode() or self._night_mode_preference
+        return self._night_mode_preference
 
     def set_night_mode(self, val: bool) -> None:
         self._night_mode_preference = val
diff --git a/qt/setup.py b/qt/setup.py
index 98d207714..456c9dcb1 100644
--- a/qt/setup.py
+++ b/qt/setup.py
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ install_requires = [
     "pyqt5>=5.9",
     'psutil; sys.platform == "win32"',
     'pywin32; sys.platform == "win32"',
-    'darkdetect; sys.platform == "darwin"',
 ]