4 files changed, 38 insertions, 11 deletions
diff --git a/helix-term/src/application.rs b/helix-term/src/application.rs
index 90330751..3e0b6d59 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/application.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/application.rs
@@ -76,17 +76,27 @@ impl Application {
             None => Ok(def_lang_conf),
         };
 
-        let theme = if let Some(theme) = &config.theme {
-            match theme_loader.load(theme) {
-                Ok(theme) => theme,
-                Err(e) => {
-                    log::warn!("failed to load theme `{}` - {}", theme, e);
+        let true_color = config.editor.true_color || crate::true_color();
+        let theme = config
+            .theme
+            .as_ref()
+            .and_then(|theme| {
+                theme_loader
+                    .load(theme)
+                    .map_err(|e| {
+                        log::warn!("failed to load theme `{}` - {}", theme, e);
+                        e
+                    })
+                    .ok()
+                    .filter(|theme| (true_color || theme.is_16_color()))
+            })
+            .unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                if true_color {
                     theme_loader.default()
+                } else {
+                    theme_loader.base16_default()
                 }
-            }
-        } else {
-            theme_loader.default()
-        };
+            });
 
         let syn_loader_conf: helix_core::syntax::Configuration = lang_conf
             .and_then(|conf| conf.try_into())
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index 0ae225e9..22c23043 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -2366,8 +2366,18 @@ pub mod cmd {
         args: &[Cow<str>],
         _event: PromptEvent,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-        let theme = args.first().context("theme not provided")?;
-        cx.editor.set_theme_from_name(theme)
+        let theme = args.first().context("Theme not provided")?;
+        let theme = cx
+            .editor
+            .theme_loader
+            .load(theme)
+            .with_context(|| format!("Failed setting theme {}", theme))?;
+        let true_color = cx.editor.config.true_color || crate::true_color();
+        if !(true_color || theme.is_16_color()) {
+            bail!("Unsupported theme: theme requires true color support");
+        }
+        cx.editor.set_theme(theme);
+        Ok(())
     }
 
     fn yank_main_selection_to_clipboard(
diff --git a/helix-term/src/lib.rs b/helix-term/src/lib.rs
index f5e3a8cd..4fe76cd5 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/lib.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/lib.rs
@@ -9,3 +9,9 @@ pub mod config;
 pub mod job;
 pub mod keymap;
 pub mod ui;
+
+fn true_color() -> bool {
+    std::env::var("COLORTERM")
+        .map(|v| matches!(v.as_str(), "truecolor" | "24bit"))
+        .unwrap_or(false)
+}
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
index cdf42311..f57e2e2b 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ pub mod completers {
             &helix_core::config_dir().join("themes"),
         ));
         names.push("default".into());
+        names.push("base16_default".into());
 
         let mut names: Vec<_> = names
             .into_iter()