diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/BaseActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/BaseActivity.java
index d34dd6df8..983817ac6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/BaseActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/BaseActivity.java
@@ -66,13 +66,15 @@ public abstract class BaseActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements Injectab
 
         SharedPreferences preferences = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(this);
 
-        /* There isn't presently a way to globally change the theme of a whole application at
-         * runtime, just individual activities. So, each activity has to set its theme before any
-         * views are created. */
-        String theme = preferences.getString("appTheme", ThemeUtils.APP_THEME_DEFAULT);
-        Log.d("activeTheme", theme);
-        if (theme.equals("black")) {
-            setTheme(R.style.TuskyBlackTheme);
+        if (!setsTheme()) {
+            /* There isn't presently a way to globally change the theme of a whole application at
+             * runtime, just individual activities. So, each activity has to set its theme before any
+             * views are created. */
+            String theme = preferences.getString("appTheme", ThemeUtils.APP_THEME_DEFAULT);
+            Log.d("activeTheme", theme);
+            if (theme.equals("black")) {
+                setTheme(R.style.TuskyBlackTheme);
+            }
         }
 
         /* set the taskdescription programmatically, the theme would turn it blue */
@@ -101,6 +103,12 @@ public abstract class BaseActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements Injectab
         return true;
     }
 
+    /* override this in your activity if it does set it's own theme
+       and BaseActivity should not handle it*/
+    protected boolean setsTheme() {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     private static int textStyle(String name) {
         int style;
         switch (name) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/MainActivity.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/MainActivity.kt
index 5cc8612a0..7ed2d7625 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/MainActivity.kt
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ import com.keylesspalace.tusky.settings.PrefKeys
 import com.keylesspalace.tusky.util.ThemeUtils
 import com.keylesspalace.tusky.util.deleteStaleCachedMedia
 import com.keylesspalace.tusky.util.emojify
+import com.keylesspalace.tusky.util.getNonNullString
 import com.keylesspalace.tusky.util.hide
 import com.keylesspalace.tusky.util.removeShortcut
 import com.keylesspalace.tusky.util.updateShortcut
@@ -160,7 +161,13 @@ class MainActivity : BottomSheetActivity(), ActionButtonActivity, HasAndroidInje
     }
 
     override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
+        val theme = preferences.getNonNullString("appTheme", ThemeUtils.APP_THEME_DEFAULT)
+        if (theme == "black") {
+            setTheme(R.style.BlackSplashTheme)
+        }
+
         installSplashScreen()
+
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
 
         // delete old notification channels
@@ -278,6 +285,8 @@ class MainActivity : BottomSheetActivity(), ActionButtonActivity, HasAndroidInje
         }
     }
 
+    override fun setsTheme() = true
+
     override fun onResume() {
         super.onResume()
         NotificationHelper.clearNotificationsForActiveAccount(this, accountManager)
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml
index d342d6d43..7aad1024b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@
         <item name="postSplashScreenTheme">@style/TuskyTheme</item>
     </style>
 
+    <style name="BlackSplashTheme" parent="Theme.SplashScreen">
+        <item name="windowSplashScreenAnimatedIcon">@drawable/ic_splash</item>
+        <item name="windowSplashScreenBackground">@color/black</item>
+        <item name="postSplashScreenTheme">@style/TuskyBlackTheme</item>
+    </style>
+
     <style name="TuskyTheme" parent="TuskyBaseTheme" />
 
     <style name="TuskyDialogActivityTheme" parent="@style/TuskyTheme" />