diff --git a/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/Window Styles/TitlebarTabsVenturaTerminalWindow.swift b/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/Window Styles/TitlebarTabsVenturaTerminalWindow.swift
index 9aa8ec2eb..c0aad46b3 100644
--- a/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/Window Styles/TitlebarTabsVenturaTerminalWindow.swift	
+++ b/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/Window Styles/TitlebarTabsVenturaTerminalWindow.swift	
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@ class TitlebarTabsVenturaTerminalWindow: TerminalWindow {
 
     override func syncAppearance(_ surfaceConfig: Ghostty.SurfaceView.DerivedConfig) {
         super.syncAppearance(surfaceConfig)
+        // override appearance based on the terminal's background color
+        if let preferredBackgroundColor {
+            appearance = (preferredBackgroundColor.isLightColor ? NSAppearance(named: .aqua) : NSAppearance(named: .darkAqua))
+        }
 
         // Update our window light/darkness based on our updated background color
         let themeChanged = isLightTheme != OSColor(surfaceConfig.backgroundColor).isLightColor
diff --git a/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/Window Styles/TransparentTitlebarTerminalWindow.swift b/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/Window Styles/TransparentTitlebarTerminalWindow.swift
index 7ae628341..08d56c83d 100644
--- a/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/Window Styles/TransparentTitlebarTerminalWindow.swift	
+++ b/macos/Sources/Features/Terminal/Window Styles/TransparentTitlebarTerminalWindow.swift	
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ class TransparentTitlebarTerminalWindow: TerminalWindow {
 
     override func syncAppearance(_ surfaceConfig: Ghostty.SurfaceView.DerivedConfig) {
         super.syncAppearance(surfaceConfig)
+        // override appearance based on the terminal's background color
+        if let preferredBackgroundColor {
+            appearance = (preferredBackgroundColor.isLightColor ? NSAppearance(named: .aqua) : NSAppearance(named: .darkAqua))
+        }
 
         // Save our config in case we need to reapply
         lastSurfaceConfig = surfaceConfig
diff --git a/src/config/Config.zig b/src/config/Config.zig
index c9ae121e4..505381977 100644
--- a/src/config/Config.zig
+++ b/src/config/Config.zig
@@ -1765,7 +1765,7 @@ keybind: Keybinds = .{},
 ///   * `ghostty` - Use the background and foreground colors specified in the
 ///     Ghostty configuration. This is only supported on Linux builds.
 ///
-/// On macOS, if `macos-titlebar-style` is "tabs", the window theme will be
+/// On macOS, if `macos-titlebar-style` is `tabs` or `transparent`, the window theme will be
 /// automatically set based on the luminosity of the terminal background color.
 /// This only applies to terminal windows. This setting will still apply to
 /// non-terminal windows within Ghostty.