diff --git a/gulpfile.js b/gulpfile.js
index 273043bc..60c91df3 100644
--- a/gulpfile.js
+++ b/gulpfile.js
@@ -154,6 +154,10 @@ const build = {
       .pipe(dest(path.build + '/js', {
         sourcemaps: '.'
       }))
+  },
+  initialBackground: function() {
+    return src(path.src + '/js/initial-background.js')
+      .pipe(dest(path.build + '/js'))
   }
 }
 
@@ -209,8 +213,16 @@ const dev = {
       return src(jsFiles)
         .pipe(dest(path.dev + '/js'))
     })
+  },
+  initialBackground: function() {
+    watch(path.src + '/js/initial-background.js', {
+      ignoreInitial: false
+    }, function() {
+      return src(path.src + '/js/initial-background.js')
+        .pipe(dest(path.dev + '/js'))
+    })
   }
 }
 
-exports.dev = parallel(dev.manifest, dev.html, dev.fonts, dev.icons, dev.css, dev.js)
-exports.build = parallel(build.manifest, build.html, build.fonts, build.icons, build.css, build.js)
+exports.dev = parallel(dev.manifest, dev.html, dev.fonts, dev.icons, dev.css, dev.js, dev.initialBackground)
+exports.build = parallel(build.manifest, build.html, build.fonts, build.icons, build.css, build.js, build.initialBackground)
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 470744fe..4d6568a9 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "nightTab",
-  "version": "5.76.0",
+  "version": "5.77.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 1,
   "requires": true,
   "dependencies": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 626f1a62..45258856 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "nightTab",
-  "version": "5.76.0",
+  "version": "5.77.0",
   "description": "A neutral new tab page accented with a chosen colour. Customise the layout, style, background and bookmarks in nightTab.",
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/src/index.html b/src/index.html
index 0ce2e1e0..33c62858 100644
--- a/src/index.html
+++ b/src/index.html
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, user-scalable=no">
   <title>New Tab</title>
 
-  <style media="screen">
+  <style media="screen" type="text/css">
     @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
 
       html,
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 
   @@include("./html/link-css.html")
 
+  <script src="js/initial-background.js" async></script>
+
 </head>
 
 <body>
diff --git a/src/js/initial-background.js b/src/js/initial-background.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d00546a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/js/initial-background.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+// inital check for systems which do not have light or dark mode
+if (localStorage.getItem("nightTabStyle")) {
+  var style = document.createElement("style");
+  style.type = "text/css";
+  style.media = "screen";
+  switch (localStorage.getItem("nightTabStyle")) {
+    case "light":
+      style.innerHTML = "html, body {background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);}";
+      break;
+    case "dark":
+      style.innerHTML = "html, body {background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);}";
+      break;
+  };
+  document.querySelector("head").appendChild(style);
+};
diff --git a/src/js/theme.js b/src/js/theme.js
index 598bd232..61a8bb13 100644
--- a/src/js/theme.js
+++ b/src/js/theme.js
@@ -124,12 +124,16 @@ var theme = (function() {
   };
 
   mod.style = {
+    save: function() {
+      data.mod.set("nightTabStyle", state.get.current().theme.style);
+    },
     light: function() {
       helper.setObject({
         object: state.get.current(),
         path: "theme.style",
         newValue: "light"
       });
+      mod.style.save();
     },
     dark: function() {
       helper.setObject({
@@ -137,6 +141,7 @@ var theme = (function() {
         path: "theme.style",
         newValue: "dark"
       });
+      mod.style.save();
     },
     system: function() {
       helper.setObject({
diff --git a/src/js/version.js b/src/js/version.js
index c0657927..25db62b7 100644
--- a/src/js/version.js
+++ b/src/js/version.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 var version = (function() {
 
-  var current = "5.76.0";
+  var current = "5.77.0";
 
   var name = "Jaded Raven";
 
diff --git a/src/manifest.json b/src/manifest.json
index a3f33d76..cb6c2837 100644
--- a/src/manifest.json
+++ b/src/manifest.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "name": "nightTab",
   "short_name": "nightTab",
   "description": "A neutral new tab page accented with a chosen colour. Customise the layout, style, background and bookmarks in nightTab.",
-  "version": "5.76.0",
+  "version": "5.77.0",
   "manifest_version": 2,
   "chrome_url_overrides": {
     "newtab": "index.html"
