diff --git a/src/aare/gui/main_window.py b/src/aare/gui/main_window.py
index de2755eb..2b15e032 100644
--- a/src/aare/gui/main_window.py
+++ b/src/aare/gui/main_window.py
@@ -1683,6 +1683,8 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
 
     def _apply_theme(self) -> None:
         self.setStyleSheet(build_app_stylesheet(self._theme_mode))
+        # State colors are painted in code per DAQ tick — QSS can't reach them.
+        self.beamline_state_panel.set_theme(self._theme_mode)
 
     def _restore_theme_settings(self) -> None:
         settings = QSettings("PSI", "AareGUI")
diff --git a/src/aare/gui/panels/beamline_state_panel.py b/src/aare/gui/panels/beamline_state_panel.py
index db372118..c3aa89aa 100644
--- a/src/aare/gui/panels/beamline_state_panel.py
+++ b/src/aare/gui/panels/beamline_state_panel.py
@@ -5,13 +5,7 @@ from PySide6.QtCore import Qt, QTimer, Signal, Slot
 from PySide6.QtGui import QCursor, QFont, QFontMetrics
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import QFrame, QHBoxLayout, QLabel, QMenu, QPushButton, QSizePolicy, QToolTip
 
-from aare.gui.styles import (
-    FONT_VALUE,
-    STATE_AVAILABLE,
-    STATE_MSG_ERROR,
-    STATE_MSG_INFO,
-    STATE_UNAVAILABLE,
-)
+from aare.gui.styles import FONT_VALUE, THEME_ORIGINAL, state_colors
 
 # Shortcut transitions from the "Available transitions" menu in
 # widgets/status_bar.py show_state_menu — these come ON TOP of the one-hop
@@ -146,8 +140,9 @@ class BeamlineStatePanel(QFrame):
         self._hover_hint_timer.setInterval(3000)
         self._hover_hint_timer.timeout.connect(self._show_hover_hint)
 
-        self._available_color = STATE_AVAILABLE
-        self._unavailable_color = STATE_UNAVAILABLE
+        # Per-theme colors (MainWindow._apply_theme calls set_theme).
+        self._colors = state_colors(THEME_ORIGINAL)
+        self._separators: list[QLabel] = []
 
         layout = QHBoxLayout(self)
         layout.setContentsMargins(10, 2, 10, 2)
@@ -159,9 +154,8 @@ class BeamlineStatePanel(QFrame):
         for index, (state, label) in enumerate(self._ENTRIES):
             if index:
                 separator = QLabel("–", self)
-                separator.setStyleSheet(
-                    f"color: {STATE_UNAVAILABLE}; background: transparent; border: none; font-size: {FONT_VALUE};"
-                )
+                self._style_separator(separator)
+                self._separators.append(separator)
                 layout.addWidget(separator)
             button = HoverableButton(label, self)
             button.setFlat(True)
@@ -310,6 +304,21 @@ class BeamlineStatePanel(QFrame):
         elif state == BeamlineStateEnum.XrayFluorescence:
             self.xray_fluorescence.emit()
 
+    def _style_separator(self, separator: QLabel) -> None:
+        separator.setStyleSheet(
+            f"color: {self._colors['unavailable']};"
+            f" background: transparent; border: none; font-size: {FONT_VALUE};"
+        )
+
+    def set_theme(self, theme: str) -> None:
+        """Adopt the theme's state colors (MainWindow._apply_theme calls this
+        on every switch — the colors are painted in code, so the app QSS
+        alone cannot restyle them)."""
+        self._colors = state_colors(theme)
+        for separator in self._separators:
+            self._style_separator(separator)
+        self._apply_highlight()
+
     def _apply_highlight(self) -> None:
         available = self._available_targets()
         for state, button in self._buttons.items():
@@ -325,14 +334,16 @@ class BeamlineStatePanel(QFrame):
             # No backgrounds, no rounded corners.
             if is_current or is_pending:
                 color = (
-                    STATE_MSG_ERROR if state == BeamlineStateEnum.Maintenance else STATE_MSG_INFO
+                    self._colors["error"]
+                    if state == BeamlineStateEnum.Maintenance
+                    else self._colors["info"]
                 )
                 bold = True
             elif is_available:
-                color = self._available_color
+                color = self._colors["available"]
                 bold = False
             else:
-                color = self._unavailable_color
+                color = self._colors["unavailable"]
                 bold = False
 
             # Font set in code (not QSS) so _update_label_mode can measure
diff --git a/src/aare/gui/styles.py b/src/aare/gui/styles.py
index 0e0dd335..405cebf2 100644
--- a/src/aare/gui/styles.py
+++ b/src/aare/gui/styles.py
@@ -333,11 +333,35 @@ STATUS_VACANT = "#ffff00"  # baton vacant (was "yellow")
 STATUS_REQUEST = "#00ffff"  # baton request (was "cyan")
 
 # -- Beamline state panel ---------------------------------------------------
-# The panel paints these in code per DAQ tick (data-driven), not via QSS.
+# The panel paints these in code per DAQ tick (data-driven), so it asks
+# state_colors(theme) below instead of QSS. Light values unchanged; dark
+# values are Catppuccin Mocha so they stay readable on the sunset sky.
 STATE_AVAILABLE = "#ed8936"
 STATE_UNAVAILABLE = "#8c96a5"
 STATE_MSG_ERROR = "#c81e1e"
 STATE_MSG_INFO = "#005caa"
+DARK_STATE_AVAILABLE = "#fab387"  # mocha peach
+DARK_STATE_UNAVAILABLE = "#7f849c"  # mocha overlay1
+DARK_STATE_MSG_ERROR = "#f38ba8"  # mocha red
+DARK_STATE_MSG_INFO = "#89b4fa"  # mocha blue
+
+
+def state_colors(theme: str) -> dict[str, str]:
+    """Beamline-state text colors for the given theme."""
+    if theme == THEME_PORTRAIT:
+        return {
+            "available": DARK_STATE_AVAILABLE,
+            "unavailable": DARK_STATE_UNAVAILABLE,
+            "error": DARK_STATE_MSG_ERROR,
+            "info": DARK_STATE_MSG_INFO,
+        }
+    return {
+        "available": STATE_AVAILABLE,
+        "unavailable": STATE_UNAVAILABLE,
+        "error": STATE_MSG_ERROR,
+        "info": STATE_MSG_INFO,
+    }
+
 
 # -- Sample tables + raster grid --------------------------------------------
 SAMPLE_ROW_ACTIVE_BG = "#ff6600"