diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 77dc3a73..ac7d6571 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -1107,8 +1107,12 @@ parse_section_main(struct context *ctx)
             sizeof(conf->initial_color_theme) == sizeof(int),
             "enum is not 32-bit");
 
-        return value_to_enum(ctx, (const char*[]){"1", "2", NULL},
-                             (int *)&conf->initial_color_theme);
+        int initial_color_theme = conf->initial_color_theme;
+        bool status = value_to_enum(ctx, (const char*[]){"1", "2", NULL},
+                             (int *)&initial_color_theme);
+        if(initial_color_theme != -1)
+            conf->initial_color_theme = initial_color_theme;
+        return status;
     }
 
     else {
diff --git a/terminal.c b/terminal.c
index 2e23f749..d50806fe 100644
--- a/terminal.c
+++ b/terminal.c
@@ -1266,7 +1266,7 @@ term_init(const struct config *conf, struct fdm *fdm, struct reaper *reaper,
             ? wayl_do_linear_blending(wayl, conf) ? SHM_BITS_16 : SHM_BITS_8
             : conf->tweak.surface_bit_depth;
 
-    const struct color_theme *theme = NULL;
+    const struct color_theme *theme = &conf->colors;
     switch (conf->initial_color_theme) {
     case COLOR_THEME1: theme = &conf->colors; break;
     case COLOR_THEME2: theme = &conf->colors2; break;
@@ -2169,7 +2169,7 @@ term_reset(struct terminal *term, bool hard)
     if (!hard)
         return;
 
-    const struct color_theme *theme = NULL;
+    const struct color_theme *theme = &term->conf->colors;
 
     switch (term->conf->initial_color_theme) {
     case COLOR_THEME1: theme = &term->conf->colors; break;