diff --git a/bin/omarchy-theme-set b/bin/omarchy-theme-set
index 782b4ba7..e440ee43 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-theme-set
+++ b/bin/omarchy-theme-set
@@ -10,8 +10,10 @@ if [[ -z $1 ]]; then
 fi
 
 CURRENT_THEME_PATH="$HOME/.local/state/omarchy/current/theme"
+CURRENT_THEME_NAME_PATH="$HOME/.local/state/omarchy/current/theme.name"
 NEXT_THEME_PATH="$HOME/.local/state/omarchy/current/next-theme"
 CURRENT_BACKGROUND_LINK="$HOME/.local/state/omarchy/current/background"
+THEME_BACKGROUND_STATE_PATH="$HOME/.local/state/omarchy/theme-backgrounds"
 BACKGROUND_TRANSITION_CACHE="$HOME/.cache/omarchy/background-transitions"
 THEME_SET_LOCK="${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-/tmp}/omarchy-theme-set.lock"
 USER_THEMES_PATH="$HOME/.config/omarchy/themes"
@@ -74,6 +76,24 @@ snapshot_current_background() {
   snapshot_background_path "$current_background" "previous"
 }
 
+theme_background_state_file() {
+  local theme="$1"
+
+  [[ -n $theme && ${theme##*/} == $theme && $theme != "." && $theme != ".." ]] || return 1
+  printf '%s/%s\n' "$THEME_BACKGROUND_STATE_PATH" "$theme"
+}
+
+remember_current_theme_background() {
+  local current_background state_file
+
+  state_file=$(theme_background_state_file "$PREVIOUS_THEME_NAME") || return
+  current_background=$(readlink -f "$CURRENT_BACKGROUND_LINK" 2>/dev/null || true)
+  [[ -f $current_background ]] || return
+
+  mkdir -p "$THEME_BACKGROUND_STATE_PATH"
+  printf '%s\n' "$current_background" >"$state_file"
+}
+
 background_transition_uses_snapshots() {
   local next_background="$1"
   local current_background
@@ -86,7 +106,7 @@ choose_theme_background() {
   local theme_path="${1:-$CURRENT_THEME_PATH}"
   local current_theme_backgrounds="$CURRENT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds"
   local backgrounds=()
-  local current_background index next_index i
+  local current_background remembered_background state_file index next_index i
 
   CHOSEN_THEME_BACKGROUND=""
   mapfile -d '' -t backgrounds < <(
@@ -98,25 +118,40 @@ choose_theme_background() {
 
   (( ${#backgrounds[@]} > 0 )) || return 1
 
-  current_background=$(readlink "$CURRENT_BACKGROUND_LINK" 2>/dev/null || true)
-  if [[ $theme_path != $CURRENT_THEME_PATH && ${current_background%/*} == $current_theme_backgrounds ]]; then
-    current_background="$theme_path/backgrounds/${current_background##*/}"
-  fi
-
-  index=-1
-  for i in "${!backgrounds[@]}"; do
-    if [[ ${backgrounds[$i]} == $current_background ]]; then
-      index=$i
-      break
+  if [[ $PREVIOUS_THEME_NAME == "$THEME_NAME" ]]; then
+    current_background=$(readlink "$CURRENT_BACKGROUND_LINK" 2>/dev/null || true)
+    if [[ $theme_path != $CURRENT_THEME_PATH && ${current_background%/*} == $current_theme_backgrounds ]]; then
+      current_background="$theme_path/backgrounds/${current_background##*/}"
     fi
-  done
 
-  if (( index == -1 )); then
-    CHOSEN_THEME_BACKGROUND="${backgrounds[0]}"
-  else
-    next_index=$(((index + 1) % ${#backgrounds[@]}))
-    CHOSEN_THEME_BACKGROUND="${backgrounds[$next_index]}"
+    index=-1
+    for i in "${!backgrounds[@]}"; do
+      if [[ ${backgrounds[$i]} == $current_background ]]; then
+        index=$i
+        break
+      fi
+    done
+
+    if (( index != -1 )); then
+      next_index=$(((index + 1) % ${#backgrounds[@]}))
+      CHOSEN_THEME_BACKGROUND="${backgrounds[$next_index]}"
+    else
+      CHOSEN_THEME_BACKGROUND="${backgrounds[0]}"
+    fi
+    return
   fi
+
+  state_file=$(theme_background_state_file "$THEME_NAME" 2>/dev/null || true)
+  remembered_background=$(cat "$state_file" 2>/dev/null || true)
+  if [[ $theme_path != $CURRENT_THEME_PATH && ${remembered_background%/*} == $current_theme_backgrounds ]]; then
+    remembered_background="$theme_path/backgrounds/${remembered_background##*/}"
+  fi
+  if [[ -f $remembered_background ]]; then
+    CHOSEN_THEME_BACKGROUND="$remembered_background"
+    return
+  fi
+
+  CHOSEN_THEME_BACKGROUND="${backgrounds[0]}"
 }
 
 choose_staged_theme_background() {
@@ -296,6 +331,9 @@ fi
 exec 9>"$THEME_SET_LOCK"
 flock 9
 
+PREVIOUS_THEME_NAME=$(cat "$CURRENT_THEME_NAME_PATH" 2>/dev/null || true)
+remember_current_theme_background
+
 # Setup clean next theme directory (for atomic theme config swapping)
 rm -rf "$NEXT_THEME_PATH"
 mkdir -p "$NEXT_THEME_PATH"
@@ -338,7 +376,7 @@ rm -rf "$CURRENT_THEME_PATH"
 mv "$NEXT_THEME_PATH" "$CURRENT_THEME_PATH"
 
 # Store theme name for reference
-echo "$THEME_NAME" >"$HOME/.local/state/omarchy/current/theme.name"
+echo "$THEME_NAME" >"$CURRENT_THEME_NAME_PATH"
 
 # Make the running shell pick up the new palette immediately while the rest of
 # the theme hooks run.
diff --git a/test/shell.d/theme-background-memory-test.sh b/test/shell.d/theme-background-memory-test.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b79dc1ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/shell.d/theme-background-memory-test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+source "$(dirname "$0")/base-test.sh"
+
+test_tmp=$(mktemp -d)
+trap 'rm -rf "$test_tmp"' EXIT
+
+test_home="$test_tmp/home"
+runtime_dir="$test_tmp/runtime"
+current_state="$test_home/.local/state/omarchy/current"
+background_state="$test_home/.local/state/omarchy/theme-backgrounds"
+mkdir -p "$test_home" "$runtime_dir"
+
+set_theme() {
+  HOME="$test_home" XDG_RUNTIME_DIR="$runtime_dir" OMARCHY_PATH="$ROOT" PATH="$ROOT/bin:$PATH" \
+    OMARCHY_THEME_HEADLESS=1 "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-theme-set" "$1" >/dev/null
+}
+
+current_background_name() {
+  basename "$(readlink "$current_state/background")"
+}
+
+theme_a="tokyo-night"
+theme_b="catppuccin"
+
+set_theme "$theme_a"
+mapfile -t theme_a_backgrounds < <(find "$current_state/theme/backgrounds" -maxdepth 1 -type f -print | sort)
+(( ${#theme_a_backgrounds[@]} > 1 )) || fail "test theme has multiple backgrounds"
+theme_a_first=${theme_a_backgrounds[0]##*/}
+theme_a_selected_path=${theme_a_backgrounds[1]}
+theme_a_selected=${theme_a_selected_path##*/}
+ln -nsf "$theme_a_selected_path" "$current_state/background"
+
+set_theme "$theme_b"
+mapfile -t theme_b_backgrounds < <(find "$current_state/theme/backgrounds" -maxdepth 1 -type f -print | sort)
+(( ${#theme_b_backgrounds[@]} > 1 )) || fail "second test theme has multiple backgrounds"
+theme_b_first=${theme_b_backgrounds[0]##*/}
+
+common_background=$(comm -12 \
+  <(find "$ROOT/themes/$theme_a/backgrounds" -maxdepth 1 -type f -printf '%f\n' | sort) \
+  <(find "$current_state/theme/backgrounds" -maxdepth 1 -type f -printf '%f\n' | sort) | head -n 1)
+[[ -n $common_background ]] || fail "test themes share a background filename"
+theme_b_common_path=$(find "$current_state/theme/backgrounds" -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "$common_background" -print -quit)
+ln -nsf "$theme_b_common_path" "$current_state/background"
+
+[[ $(<"$background_state/$theme_a") == "$theme_a_selected_path" ]] || fail "theme switch remembers the outgoing background path"
+pass "theme switch remembers the outgoing background path"
+
+set_theme "$theme_a"
+[[ $(current_background_name) == "$theme_a_selected" ]] || fail "shared filenames do not override the remembered background"
+pass "shared filenames do not override the remembered background"
+
+set_theme "$theme_b"
+[[ $(current_background_name) == "$common_background" ]] || fail "themes remember backgrounds independently"
+pass "themes remember backgrounds independently"
+
+external_background="$test_tmp/external-background.webp"
+cp "$(readlink -f "$current_state/background")" "$external_background"
+ln -nsf "$external_background" "$current_state/background"
+set_theme "$theme_a"
+set_theme "$theme_b"
+[[ $(readlink -f "$current_state/background") == "$external_background" ]] || fail "theme switch restores an external background path"
+pass "theme switch restores an external background path"
+
+set_theme "$theme_b"
+[[ $(current_background_name) == "$theme_b_first" ]] || fail "reapplying a theme with an external background falls back to the first image"
+pass "reapplying a theme with an external background falls back to the first image"
+
+set_theme "$theme_a"
+user_background_dir="$test_home/.config/omarchy/backgrounds/$theme_a"
+user_background="$user_background_dir/$theme_a_first"
+mkdir -p "$user_background_dir"
+cp "${theme_a_backgrounds[0]}" "$user_background"
+ln -nsf "$user_background" "$current_state/background"
+set_theme "$theme_b"
+set_theme "$theme_a"
+[[ $(readlink -f "$current_state/background") == "$user_background" ]] || fail "theme switch distinguishes duplicate background filenames"
+pass "theme switch distinguishes duplicate background filenames"
+
+set_theme "$theme_b"
+rm -f "$user_background"
+printf '%s\n' "$test_tmp/missing-background.webp" >"$background_state/$theme_a"
+set_theme "$theme_a"
+[[ $(current_background_name) == "$theme_a_first" ]] || fail "missing remembered background falls back to the first image"
+pass "missing remembered background falls back to the first image"
+
+set_theme "$theme_a"
+[[ $(current_background_name) == "$theme_a_selected" ]] || fail "reapplying the active theme still cycles backgrounds"
+pass "reapplying the active theme still cycles backgrounds"
+
+printf '%s\n' "../escaped" >"$current_state/theme.name"
+set_theme "$theme_b"
+[[ ! -e $test_home/.local/state/omarchy/escaped ]] || fail "invalid theme names cannot escape the background state directory"
+pass "invalid theme names cannot escape the background state directory"
+
+# Interactive switches choose before swapping the staged theme into place.
+source <(awk '
+  /^(theme_background_state_file|choose_theme_background|choose_staged_theme_background)\(\) \{/ { copying=1 }
+  copying { print }
+  copying && /^}$/ { copying=0 }
+' "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-theme-set")
+
+HOME="$test_home"
+CURRENT_THEME_PATH="$current_state/theme"
+NEXT_THEME_PATH="$current_state/next-theme"
+CURRENT_BACKGROUND_LINK="$current_state/background"
+THEME_BACKGROUND_STATE_PATH="$background_state"
+THEME_NAME="staged-test"
+PREVIOUS_THEME_NAME="$theme_b"
+mkdir -p "$NEXT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds"
+printf 'first\n' >"$NEXT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds/first.png"
+printf 'selected\n' >"$NEXT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds/selected.mp4"
+printf '%s\n' "$CURRENT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds/selected.mp4" >"$background_state/$THEME_NAME"
+choose_staged_theme_background
+[[ $CHOSEN_THEME_BACKGROUND == "$CURRENT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds/selected.mp4" ]] || fail "staged selection restores a remembered file absent from the outgoing theme"
+pass "staged selection restores a remembered file absent from the outgoing theme"
+
+printf 'outgoing only\n' >"$CURRENT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds/outgoing-only.png"
+printf '%s\n' "$CURRENT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds/outgoing-only.png" >"$background_state/$THEME_NAME"
+choose_staged_theme_background
+[[ $CHOSEN_THEME_BACKGROUND == "$CURRENT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds/first.png" ]] || fail "staged selection rejects remembered files absent from the incoming theme"
+pass "staged selection rejects remembered files absent from the incoming theme"
+
+PREVIOUS_THEME_NAME="$THEME_NAME"
+ln -nsf "$CURRENT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds/first.png" "$CURRENT_BACKGROUND_LINK"
+choose_staged_theme_background
+[[ $CHOSEN_THEME_BACKGROUND == "$CURRENT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds/selected.mp4" ]] || fail "staged same-theme selection still cycles backgrounds"
+pass "staged same-theme selection still cycles backgrounds"
diff --git a/test/shell.d/video-background-test.sh b/test/shell.d/video-background-test.sh
index 761c97a9..cdae2b1a 100755
--- a/test/shell.d/video-background-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/video-background-test.sh
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ NEXT_THEME_PATH="$transition_home/.local/state/omarchy/current/next-theme"
 CURRENT_BACKGROUND_LINK="$transition_home/.local/state/omarchy/current/background"
 BACKGROUND_TRANSITION_CACHE="$transition_home/.cache/omarchy/background-transitions"
 THEME_NAME="video-test"
+PREVIOUS_THEME_NAME="$THEME_NAME"
 HOME="$transition_home"
 mkdir -p "$CURRENT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds" "$NEXT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds" "$HOME/.config/omarchy/backgrounds/$THEME_NAME"
 printf 'old image\n' >"$CURRENT_THEME_PATH/backgrounds/old.png"