diff --git a/web/src/app/Session.js b/web/src/app/Session.js
index 976e9f3c..58c69ceb 100644
--- a/web/src/app/Session.js
+++ b/web/src/app/Session.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import Dexie from "dexie";
+import { fadeOut } from "./transition";
 
 /**
  * Manages the logged-in user's session and access token.
@@ -42,7 +43,13 @@ class Session {
     localStorage.setItem("token", token);
   }
 
-  async resetAndRedirect(url) {
+  async resetAndRedirect(url, { fade = false } = {}) {
+    // For user-initiated exits (logout, account deletion) fade the app out first -- while the data
+    // is still intact -- so the wipe + reload below doesn't flash a broken/empty UI. Error-driven
+    // redirects (e.g. an expired session) pass no options and cut straight to the target page.
+    if (fade) {
+      await fadeOut();
+    }
     await this.db.delete();
     localStorage.removeItem("user");
     localStorage.removeItem("token");
diff --git a/web/src/app/transition.js b/web/src/app/transition.js
index 641d22a7..173348c5 100644
--- a/web/src/app/transition.js
+++ b/web/src/app/transition.js
@@ -4,15 +4,20 @@
 
 const FADE_MS = 150;
 
-// Fade #root out and return it (or null if not found / no document).
-const fadeOutRoot = () => {
-  const node = document.getElementById("root");
-  if (node) {
+// Fade #root out over FADE_MS, resolving once the fade has finished (immediately if #root isn't in
+// the document). Exported so callers that need to run their own teardown between the fade-out and
+// the reload -- e.g. session.resetAndRedirect() wiping IndexedDB -- can await it first.
+export const fadeOut = () =>
+  new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const node = document.getElementById("root");
+    if (!node) {
+      resolve();
+      return;
+    }
     node.style.transition = `opacity ${FADE_MS}ms ease-out`;
     node.style.opacity = "0";
-  }
-  return node;
-};
+    setTimeout(resolve, FADE_MS);
+  });
 
 // Fade #root back in, then remove the inline styles we added so nothing is left behind on the
 // element -- otherwise the lingering `transition` would silently animate any future opacity change
@@ -33,24 +38,16 @@ const fadeInRoot = () => {
 // Fade the app out, run a client-side navigation, then fade the new page back in. Used for
 // app -> login/signup, which stay within the same document (no reload).
 export const fadeNavigate = (navigate, to) => {
-  if (!fadeOutRoot()) {
-    navigate(to);
-    return;
-  }
-  setTimeout(() => {
+  fadeOut().then(() => {
     navigate(to);
     fadeInRoot();
-  }, FADE_MS);
+  });
 };
 
 // Fade the app out, then do a full page reload to `url`. Used for login/signup -> app, which must
 // reload (the per-user IndexedDB changes). The splash screen fades the reloaded app back in.
 export const fadeReload = (url) => {
-  if (!fadeOutRoot()) {
+  fadeOut().then(() => {
     window.location.href = url;
-    return;
-  }
-  setTimeout(() => {
-    window.location.href = url;
-  }, FADE_MS);
+  });
 };
diff --git a/web/src/components/Account.jsx b/web/src/components/Account.jsx
index b22d0167..be0a4a51 100644
--- a/web/src/components/Account.jsx
+++ b/web/src/components/Account.jsx
@@ -1396,7 +1396,7 @@ const DeleteAccountDialog = (props) => {
       await accountApi.delete(password);
       await db().delete();
       console.debug(`[Account] Account deleted`);
-      await session.resetAndRedirect(routes.app);
+      await session.resetAndRedirect(routes.app, { fade: true });
     } catch (e) {
       console.log(`[Account] Error deleting account`, e);
       if (e instanceof IncorrectPasswordError) {
diff --git a/web/src/components/ActionBar.jsx b/web/src/components/ActionBar.jsx
index d3afe2c6..13483f9c 100644
--- a/web/src/components/ActionBar.jsx
+++ b/web/src/components/ActionBar.jsx
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ const ProfileIcon = () => {
       await accountApi.logout();
       await db().delete();
     } finally {
-      await session.resetAndRedirect(routes.app);
+      await session.resetAndRedirect(routes.app, { fade: true });
     }
   };
 
diff --git a/web/src/components/Preferences.jsx b/web/src/components/Preferences.jsx
index e617deed..f057ed31 100644
--- a/web/src/components/Preferences.jsx
+++ b/web/src/components/Preferences.jsx
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import accountApi, { Permission, Role } from "../app/AccountApi";
 import { Pref, PrefGroup } from "./Pref";
 import AccountContext from "./AccountContext";
 import { Paragraph } from "./styles";
-import prefs, { THEME } from "../app/Prefs";
+import prefs, { THEME, THEME_LOCALSTORAGE_KEY } from "../app/Prefs";
 import { PermissionDenyAll, PermissionRead, PermissionReadWrite, PermissionWrite } from "./ReserveIcons";
 import { ReserveAddDialog, ReserveDeleteDialog, ReserveEditDialog } from "./ReserveDialogs";
 import { UnauthorizedError } from "../app/errors";
@@ -230,7 +230,10 @@ const DeleteAfter = () => {
 const Theme = () => {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const labelId = "prefTheme";
-  const theme = useCachedPref(() => prefs.theme(), "pref.theme", THEME.SYSTEM);
+  // Reuse the same localStorage key Prefs already mirrors for the splash (THEME_LOCALSTORAGE_KEY),
+  // rather than a second cache key, so the value isn't stored twice. The cached value renders the
+  // dropdown instantly; the live query then confirms it from IndexedDB.
+  const theme = useLiveQuery(() => prefs.theme()) ?? localStorage.getItem(THEME_LOCALSTORAGE_KEY) ?? THEME.SYSTEM;
   const handleChange = async (ev) => {
     await prefs.setTheme(ev.target.value);
   };