diff --git a/assets/js/navbar.js b/assets/js/navbar.js
index e7e43cc8..2db93bbf 100644
--- a/assets/js/navbar.js
+++ b/assets/js/navbar.js
@@ -6,10 +6,6 @@ const colorsBG = ['body', 'secondary', 'tertiary']
 
 let scrollPosition = 0
 
-function sleep(ms) {
-  return new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, ms))
-}
-
 function getStyle(el, styleProp) {
     let y
     
@@ -65,7 +61,10 @@ function getBackgroundColor (section) {
 
   // use body background when section background is undefined or transparent
   if (color === 'rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)' || color === 'transparent') {
-    color = window.getComputedStyle(document.body).getPropertyValue('background-color')
+    const style = window.getComputedStyle(document.body)
+    // custom properties are not animated, so this yields the target color of a color mode
+    // switch rather than the intermediate color the body is currently fading through
+    color = style.getPropertyValue('--bs-body-bg').trim() || style.getPropertyValue('background-color')
   }
 
   return color
@@ -126,6 +125,18 @@ function parseRGB (color) {
       b: parseInt(match[3])
     }
   }
+
+  // custom properties such as --bs-body-bg resolve to a hex color
+  const hex = color.match(/^#([\da-f]{3}|[\da-f]{6})$/i)
+  if (hex) {
+    const digits = hex[1].length === 3 ? hex[1].replace(/./g, c => c + c) : hex[1]
+    return {
+      r: parseInt(digits.slice(0, 2), 16),
+      g: parseInt(digits.slice(2, 4), 16),
+      b: parseInt(digits.slice(4, 6), 16)
+    }
+  }
+
   return null
 }
 
@@ -167,7 +178,7 @@ function updateNavbar () {
 
       const targetTheme = defaultTheme ? defaultTheme : storedTheme
       if (targetTheme) {
-        navbar.setAttribute('data-bs-theme', defaultTheme)
+        navbar.setAttribute('data-bs-theme', targetTheme)
       }
     }
   }
@@ -214,12 +225,9 @@ if (navbar !== null && togglers !== null) {
     attributeFilter: ['data-bs-theme']
   }
   const Observer = new MutationObserver(() => {
-    if (fixed) {
-      // wait for the theme animation to finish
-      sleep(600).then(() => { 
-        updateNavbar() 
-      })
-    }
+    // switch along with the body rather than after it; the colors sampled by updateNavbar
+    // come from custom properties, which hold their target value from the outset
+    fixed && updateNavbar()
   })
   Observer.observe(html, config)
 
diff --git a/assets/scss/common/_styles.scss b/assets/scss/common/_styles.scss
index 299125e4..d73fecac 100644
--- a/assets/scss/common/_styles.scss
+++ b/assets/scss/common/_styles.scss
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 @if $enable-dark-mode {
     [data-bs-theme-animate="true"] body {
-        transition: background-color 0.5s, color 0.5s;
+        transition: $theme-mode-transition;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/assets/scss/common/_variables-dart.scss b/assets/scss/common/_variables-dart.scss
index 149c3781..2ee5e584 100644
--- a/assets/scss/common/_variables-dart.scss
+++ b/assets/scss/common/_variables-dart.scss
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ $link-color-dark:                   mix(white, h.$primary, h.$dark-mode-tint) !d
 $primary-bg-subtle-dark:            mix(black, h.$primary, h.$dark-mode-shade) !default;
 $primary-border-subtle-dark:        mix(black, h.$primary, calc(h.$dark-mode-shade / 2)) !default;
 
+// Shared by every element that repaints on a color mode switch, so they stay in sync.
+$theme-mode-transition: background-color .5s ease-in-out, color .5s ease-in-out, border-color .5s ease-in-out !default;
+
 $dropdown-transition: opacity .15s ease-in-out !default;
 $dropdown-horizontal-margin-top: calc((-1.5 * 1rem) - 2px);
 $dropdown-horizontal-padding-y: calc(1rem + 2px);
diff --git a/assets/scss/common/_variables.scss b/assets/scss/common/_variables.scss
index 75aad7a6..1830b6f0 100644
--- a/assets/scss/common/_variables.scss
+++ b/assets/scss/common/_variables.scss
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ $primary-bg-subtle-dark:            mix(black, $primary, $dark-mode-shade) !defa
 $primary-border-subtle-dark:        mix(black, $primary, $dark-mode-shade / 2) !default;
 // scss-docs-end color-mode
 
+// scss-docs-start color-mode-transition
+// Shared by every element that repaints on a color mode switch, so they stay in sync.
+$theme-mode-transition: background-color .5s ease-in-out, color .5s ease-in-out, border-color .5s ease-in-out !default;
+// scss-docs-end color-mode-transition
+
 // scss-docs-start horizontal-nav
 $dropdown-transition: opacity .15s ease-in-out !default;
 $dropdown-horizontal-margin-top: calc((-1.5 * 1rem) - 2px);
diff --git a/assets/scss/components/_navbar.scss b/assets/scss/components/_navbar.scss
index 02a09c0b..d592ea65 100644
--- a/assets/scss/components/_navbar.scss
+++ b/assets/scss/components/_navbar.scss
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@
 
 @if $enable-dark-mode {
     [data-bs-theme-animate="true"] .navbar {
-        transition: 0.5s ease-in-out;
+        transition: $theme-mode-transition;
     }
 }
 
@@ -102,7 +102,10 @@
 
 .navbar[data-transparent="true"] {
     backdrop-filter: none;
-    transition: all 0.3s ease;
+
+    // this rule would otherwise shadow the color mode transition, as it shares its
+    // specificity but comes later; keep the blur on its own, faster curve
+    transition: $theme-mode-transition, backdrop-filter 0.3s ease;
 
     &.navbar-scrolled {
         backdrop-filter: blur(10px);