diff --git a/src/AppearanceManager.cpp b/src/AppearanceManager.cpp
index e30664a..489abb0 100644
--- a/src/AppearanceManager.cpp
+++ b/src/AppearanceManager.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@
 
 namespace {
 
+const QPalette &initialApplicationPalette()
+{
+    static const QPalette palette = QApplication::palette();
+    return palette;
+}
+
 double relativeLuminance(const QColor &color)
 {
     auto linearChannel = [](int channel) {
@@ -46,6 +52,7 @@ AppearanceManager::AppearanceManager(ApplicationSettings *settings,
     })
     , mode(modeFromString(settings->appearance()))
     , effective(EffectiveAppearance::Light)
+    , lightPalette(initialApplicationPalette())
 {
     AppearanceTrace::initialize();
     if (mode == Mode::System)
@@ -197,6 +204,16 @@ void AppearanceManager::restoreSystemPalette()
     hasSystemPaletteSnapshot = true;
 }
 
+void AppearanceManager::restoreLightPalette()
+{
+    if (QApplication::palette() == lightPalette)
+        return;
+
+    applyingPalette = true;
+    QApplication::setPalette(lightPalette);
+    applyingPalette = false;
+}
+
 void AppearanceManager::applyApplicationAppearance()
 {
     if (mode == Mode::System) {
@@ -206,6 +223,11 @@ void AppearanceManager::applyApplicationAppearance()
     }
 
     currentTokens = effective == EffectiveAppearance::Dark ? darkTokens() : lightTokens();
+    if (effective == EffectiveAppearance::Light) {
+        restoreLightPalette();
+        return;
+    }
+
     applyingPalette = true;
     QApplication::setPalette(explicitPalette(currentTokens));
     applyingPalette = false;
@@ -328,7 +350,7 @@ AppearanceTokens AppearanceManager::lightTokens()
         QColor(0, 120, 212, 128), QColor(128, 128, 128, 80),
         QColor(QStringLiteral("#A1260D")), QColor(QStringLiteral("#8A6D00")),
         QColor(QStringLiteral("#107C10")), QColor(QStringLiteral("#0067B8")),
-        QColor(QStringLiteral("#000000")), QColor(QStringLiteral("#FFF4CE")),
+        QColor(QStringLiteral("#000000")), QColor(QStringLiteral("#E8E8FF")),
         QColor(QStringLiteral("#A0A0A0")), QColor(QStringLiteral("#C0C0C0")),
         QColor(QStringLiteral("#707070")), QColor(QStringLiteral("#0078D4")),
         QColor(QStringLiteral("#A1260D")), QColor(QStringLiteral("#008000")),
diff --git a/src/AppearanceManager.h b/src/AppearanceManager.h
index 6b9aa92..fdf5fc3 100644
--- a/src/AppearanceManager.h
+++ b/src/AppearanceManager.h
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ public slots:
     EffectiveAppearance resolveEffectiveAppearance() const;
     EffectiveAppearance paletteFallback() const;
     void restoreSystemPalette();
+    void restoreLightPalette();
     void applyApplicationAppearance();
     void applyNativeAppearance();
     void applyNativeAppearance(QWidget *window);
@@ -124,6 +125,7 @@ public slots:
     Mode mode;
     EffectiveAppearance effective;
     AppearanceTokens currentTokens;
+    QPalette lightPalette;
     QPalette systemPaletteSnapshot;
     bool hasSystemPaletteSnapshot = false;
     bool applyingPalette = false;
diff --git a/src/dialogs/MainWindow.cpp b/src/dialogs/MainWindow.cpp
index e9c924b..241a9ac 100644
--- a/src/dialogs/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/dialogs/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -2011,7 +2011,10 @@ void MainWindow::applyStyleSheet()
     bool hasCustomStyleSheet = false;
     {
         AppearanceTrace::Scope readTrace(QStringLiteral("stylesheet-read"));
-        QFile f(":/stylesheets/npp.css");
+        const QString styleSheetPath = app->getAppearanceManager()->isDark()
+            ? QStringLiteral(":/stylesheets/npp.css")
+            : QStringLiteral(":/stylesheets/npp-light.css");
+        QFile f(styleSheetPath);
         qInfo() << "Loading stylesheet:" << f.fileName();
 
         f.open(QFile::ReadOnly);
diff --git a/src/resources.qrc b/src/resources.qrc
index 4929146..b7245cd 100644
--- a/src/resources.qrc
+++ b/src/resources.qrc
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
         <file>icons/wrap.png</file>
         <file>icons/find.png</file>
         <file>stylesheets/npp.css</file>
+        <file>stylesheets/npp-light.css</file>
         <file>icons/findReplace.png</file>
         <file>icons/readonly.png</file>
         <file>icons/startRecord.png</file>
diff --git a/src/stylesheets/npp-light.css b/src/stylesheets/npp-light.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b70e2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/stylesheets/npp-light.css
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+QStatusBar {
+    border-top: 1px solid darkgray;
+}
+
+ads--CDockWidgetTab ads--CElidingLabel {
+    color : black;
+}
+
+ads--CDockWidgetTab {
+    background: rgb(192, 192, 192);
+    margin-top: 2px;
+    border-left: 1px solid white;
+    border-top: 2px solid white;
+    border-right: 2px solid gray;
+    padding: 2px 2px 0px 2px;
+    border-top-left-radius: 2px;
+    border-top-right-radius: 2px;
+}
+
+ads--CDockWidgetTab[activeTab="true"]
+{
+    background: rgb(240, 240, 240);
+    border-top: 4px solid rgb(255, 202, 176);
+    padding-bottom: 2px;
+    margin-top: 1px;
+}
+
+ads--CDockWidgetTab[focused="true"]
+{
+    background: rgb(240, 240, 240);
+    border-top: 4px solid orange;
+    padding-bottom: 2px;
+    margin-top: 1px;
+}
+
+ads--CDockWidgetTab:hover[activeTab="false"] {
+    background: rgb(210, 210, 210);
+}
+
+ads--CDockAreaTitleBar
+{
+    background: transparent;
+    border-bottom: 1px solid darkgray;
+    padding-bottom: 0px;
+}
+
+ads--CDockWidgetTab[activeTab="false"] QLabel {
+    color: gray;
+}
+
+#tabCloseButton
+{
+    background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 16);
+    margin-bottom: 1px;
+    margin-left: 4px;
+    border: none;
+    padding: 0px -2px;
+}
+
+#tabCloseButton:hover
+{
+    border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 32);
+    background-color: rgb(251, 115, 115);
+    color: green;
+}
+
+#tabCloseButton:pressed
+{
+    background: red;
+}
+
+#QuickFindWidget {
+    border-left: 1px solid darkgray;
+    border-right: 1px solid darkgray;
+    border-bottom: 3px solid blue;
+    background: palette(window);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/stylesheets/npp.css b/src/stylesheets/npp.css
index 35ace27..f9a7983 100644
--- a/src/stylesheets/npp.css
+++ b/src/stylesheets/npp.css
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ QMenuBar::item:selected, QMenu::item:selected {
 }
 
 QMenu::separator {
+    height: 1px;
     background: palette(mid);
+    margin: 4px 6px;
 }
 
 QToolTip {
@@ -22,6 +24,25 @@ QToolTip {
     border: 1px solid palette(mid);
 }
 
+QMessageBox {
+    background: palette(window);
+}
+
+QMessageBox QLabel {
+    background: transparent;
+    color: palette(window-text);
+}
+
+QMessageBox QDialogButtonBox {
+    background: palette(button);
+    border-top: 1px solid palette(mid);
+}
+
+QMessageBox QPushButton {
+    min-width: 72px;
+    padding: 5px 12px;
+}
+
 QLineEdit, QComboBox, QSpinBox, QDoubleSpinBox, QTextEdit, QPlainTextEdit,
 QListView, QTreeView, QTableView {
     background: palette(base);
diff --git a/tests/AppearanceManagerTests.cpp b/tests/AppearanceManagerTests.cpp
index 6bcbea8..eeb0f63 100644
--- a/tests/AppearanceManagerTests.cpp
+++ b/tests/AppearanceManagerTests.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class AppearanceManagerTests : public QObject
 private slots:
     void parsesOnlyCanonicalWireValues();
     void defaultsMissingSettingsToClassicLight();
+    void explicitLightRestoresNativePalette();
     void defaultsInvalidSettingsToSystem();
     void persistsExplicitMode();
     void emitsOnlyWhenEffectiveAppearanceChanges();
@@ -76,10 +77,36 @@ void AppearanceManagerTests::defaultsMissingSettingsToClassicLight()
 
     ApplicationSettings settings(directory.filePath(QStringLiteral("settings.ini")), QSettings::IniFormat);
     QCOMPARE(settings.appearance(), QStringLiteral("light"));
+    QVERIFY(!QApplication::testAttribute(Qt::AA_SetPalette));
 
     AppearanceManager manager(&settings, [] { return Qt::ColorScheme::Dark; });
     QCOMPARE(manager.requestedMode(), AppearanceManager::Mode::Light);
     QCOMPARE(manager.effectiveAppearance(), AppearanceManager::EffectiveAppearance::Light);
+    QVERIFY(!QApplication::testAttribute(Qt::AA_SetPalette));
+}
+
+void AppearanceManagerTests::explicitLightRestoresNativePalette()
+{
+    QTemporaryDir directory;
+    QVERIFY(directory.isValid());
+
+    const QPalette nativePalette = QApplication::palette();
+    ApplicationSettings settings(directory.filePath(QStringLiteral("settings.ini")), QSettings::IniFormat);
+    AppearanceManager manager(&settings, [] { return Qt::ColorScheme::Light; });
+
+    manager.setRequestedMode(AppearanceManager::Mode::Dark);
+    QVERIFY(QApplication::palette() != nativePalette);
+
+    manager.setRequestedMode(AppearanceManager::Mode::Light);
+    const QPalette actualPalette = QApplication::palette();
+    for (QPalette::ColorGroup group : {QPalette::Active, QPalette::Inactive, QPalette::Disabled}) {
+        for (int role = 0; role < QPalette::NColorRoles; ++role) {
+            if (role == QPalette::NoRole)
+                continue;
+            QCOMPARE(actualPalette.color(group, static_cast<QPalette::ColorRole>(role)),
+                     nativePalette.color(group, static_cast<QPalette::ColorRole>(role)));
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 void AppearanceManagerTests::defaultsInvalidSettingsToSystem()
diff --git a/tests/CompareSessionTests.cpp b/tests/CompareSessionTests.cpp
index 4c03583..9e4edec 100644
--- a/tests/CompareSessionTests.cpp
+++ b/tests/CompareSessionTests.cpp
@@ -21,9 +21,14 @@
 #include <QElapsedTimer>
 #include <QFile>
 #include <QIcon>
+#include <QImage>
 #include <QLabel>
 #include <QMainWindow>
+#include <QMenu>
+#include <QMessageBox>
 #include <QPointer>
+#include <QPushButton>
+#include <QScopeGuard>
 #include <QSplitter>
 #include <QTemporaryDir>
 #include <QTest>
@@ -40,6 +45,122 @@ class CompareSessionTests : public QObject
     Q_OBJECT
 
 private slots:
+    void lightStylePreservesNativeControls()
+    {
+        QFile styleSheet(QStringLiteral(":/stylesheets/npp-light.css"));
+        QVERIFY(styleSheet.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly | QIODevice::Text));
+        const QString css = QString::fromUtf8(styleSheet.readAll())
+            + DockedEditor::tabTitleStyleSheet(Qt::black, Qt::gray);
+
+        QWidget nativeHost;
+        QWidget lightHost;
+        lightHost.setStyleSheet(css);
+
+        QMessageBox nativeMessageBox(&nativeHost);
+        QMessageBox lightMessageBox(&lightHost);
+        auto addButtons = [](QMessageBox &messageBox) {
+            QPushButton *saveButton = messageBox.addButton(
+                QStringLiteral("Save"), QMessageBox::AcceptRole);
+            messageBox.addButton(QStringLiteral("Discard"), QMessageBox::DestructiveRole);
+            messageBox.addButton(QMessageBox::Cancel);
+            return saveButton;
+        };
+        QPushButton *nativeSaveButton = addButtons(nativeMessageBox);
+        QPushButton *lightSaveButton = addButtons(lightMessageBox);
+
+        QMenu nativeMenu(&nativeHost);
+        QMenu lightMenu(&lightHost);
+        nativeMenu.addAction(QStringLiteral("First"));
+        QAction *nativeSeparator = nativeMenu.addSeparator();
+        nativeMenu.addAction(QStringLiteral("Second"));
+        lightMenu.addAction(QStringLiteral("First"));
+        QAction *lightSeparator = lightMenu.addSeparator();
+        lightMenu.addAction(QStringLiteral("Second"));
+
+        nativeMessageBox.show();
+        lightMessageBox.show();
+        nativeMenu.show();
+        lightMenu.show();
+        QCoreApplication::processEvents();
+
+        QCOMPARE(lightSaveButton->size(), nativeSaveButton->size());
+        QCOMPARE(lightMenu.actionGeometry(lightSeparator).height(),
+                 nativeMenu.actionGeometry(nativeSeparator).height());
+    }
+
+    void darkStyleKeepsMenuSeparatorsCompact()
+    {
+        QFile styleSheet(QStringLiteral(":/stylesheets/npp.css"));
+        QVERIFY(styleSheet.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly | QIODevice::Text));
+
+        QWidget host;
+        QPalette palette = host.palette();
+        palette.setColor(QPalette::Window, QColor(QStringLiteral("#101010")));
+        palette.setColor(QPalette::Mid, QColor(QStringLiteral("#5A5A5A")));
+        host.setPalette(palette);
+        host.setStyleSheet(QString::fromUtf8(styleSheet.readAll()));
+        QMenu menu(&host);
+        menu.addAction(QStringLiteral("First"));
+        QAction *separator = menu.addSeparator();
+        menu.addAction(QStringLiteral("Second"));
+        menu.show();
+        QCoreApplication::processEvents();
+
+        QImage image(menu.size(), QImage::Format_ARGB32);
+        image.fill(Qt::transparent);
+        menu.render(&image);
+
+        const QRect separatorGeometry = menu.actionGeometry(separator);
+        const int sampleX = separatorGeometry.center().x();
+        const QColor backgroundColor = image.pixelColor(sampleX, separatorGeometry.top());
+        int separatorRows = 0;
+        for (int y = separatorGeometry.top(); y <= separatorGeometry.bottom(); ++y) {
+            if (image.pixelColor(sampleX, y) != backgroundColor)
+                ++separatorRows;
+        }
+        QCOMPARE(separatorRows, 1);
+    }
+
+    void darkStyleKeepsMessageBoxesDark()
+    {
+        QFile styleSheet(QStringLiteral(":/stylesheets/npp.css"));
+        QVERIFY(styleSheet.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly | QIODevice::Text));
+
+        QWidget host;
+        QPalette darkPalette = host.palette();
+        darkPalette.setColor(QPalette::Window, QColor(QStringLiteral("#191A1B")));
+        darkPalette.setColor(QPalette::WindowText, QColor(QStringLiteral("#BFBFBF")));
+        darkPalette.setColor(QPalette::Button, QColor(QStringLiteral("#202122")));
+        darkPalette.setColor(QPalette::ButtonText, QColor(QStringLiteral("#BFBFBF")));
+        darkPalette.setColor(QPalette::Mid, QColor(QStringLiteral("#333536")));
+        const QPalette originalPalette = QApplication::palette();
+        const auto restorePalette = qScopeGuard([originalPalette] {
+            QApplication::setPalette(originalPalette);
+        });
+        QApplication::setPalette(darkPalette);
+        host.setPalette(darkPalette);
+        host.setStyleSheet(QString::fromUtf8(styleSheet.readAll()));
+
+        QMessageBox messageBox(&host);
+        messageBox.setIcon(QMessageBox::Question);
+        messageBox.setText(QStringLiteral("Save changes to <b>New 1</b>?"));
+        messageBox.addButton(QStringLiteral("Save"), QMessageBox::AcceptRole);
+        messageBox.addButton(QStringLiteral("Discard"), QMessageBox::DestructiveRole);
+        messageBox.addButton(QMessageBox::Cancel);
+        messageBox.show();
+        QCoreApplication::processEvents();
+
+        QImage image(messageBox.size(), QImage::Format_ARGB32);
+        image.fill(Qt::transparent);
+        messageBox.render(&image);
+
+        const QColor bodyPixel = image.pixelColor(messageBox.width() / 2, 12);
+        const QColor footerPixel = image.pixelColor(12, messageBox.height() - 12);
+        QCOMPARE(bodyPixel, darkPalette.color(QPalette::Window));
+        QVERIFY(footerPixel.lightness() < 80);
+        QVERIFY(messageBox.buttons().first()->width() >= 72);
+    }
+
     void darkStyleKeepsInactiveTabTitlesReadable()
     {
         QFile styleSheet(QStringLiteral(":/stylesheets/npp.css"));
diff --git a/tests/EditorAppearanceTests.cpp b/tests/EditorAppearanceTests.cpp
index 1eb3ff1..ac7376b 100644
--- a/tests/EditorAppearanceTests.cpp
+++ b/tests/EditorAppearanceTests.cpp
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ void EditorAppearanceTests::switchesTheSameEditorBackToLight()
     EditorAppearance::apply(&editor, manager.tokens(), QStringLiteral("Courier New"), 11);
     QCOMPARE(editor.styleBack(STYLE_DEFAULT),
              static_cast<sptr_t>(AppearanceManager::scintillaColor(QColor(QStringLiteral("#FFFFFF")))));
+    QCOMPARE(static_cast<quint32>(editor.elementColour(SC_ELEMENT_CARET_LINE_BACK)),
+             0xFFFFE8E8u);
 }
 
 void EditorAppearanceTests::preservesExistingLexerStyleAssignments()