diff --git a/examples/openui-chat/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx b/examples/openui-chat/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx
index 7c110c21d..f306f66ae 100644
--- a/examples/openui-chat/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx
+++ b/examples/openui-chat/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { createContext, useContext, useLayoutEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { createContext, useContext, useLayoutEffect, useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
 
 type ThemeMode = "light" | "dark";
 
@@ -10,20 +10,27 @@ interface ThemeContextType {
 
 const ThemeContext = createContext<ThemeContextType | undefined>(undefined);
 
+const colorSchemeQuery = "(prefers-color-scheme: dark)";
+
+function subscribeToSystemMode(onStoreChange: () => void) {
+  const mq = window.matchMedia(colorSchemeQuery);
+  const handler = () => onStoreChange();
+  mq.addEventListener("change", handler);
+  return () => mq.removeEventListener("change", handler);
+}
+
 function getSystemMode(): ThemeMode {
-  if (typeof window === "undefined") return "light";
-  return window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)").matches ? "dark" : "light";
+  return window.matchMedia(colorSchemeQuery).matches ? "dark" : "light";
 }
 
-export function ThemeProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
-  const [mode, setMode] = useState<ThemeMode>(getSystemMode);
+function getServerMode(): ThemeMode {
+  // The server cannot know the browser's color scheme. React uses this same
+  // snapshot for the first client render, keeping hydration deterministic.
+  return "light";
+}
 
-  useLayoutEffect(() => {
-    const mq = window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)");
-    const handler = (e: MediaQueryListEvent) => setMode(e.matches ? "dark" : "light");
-    mq.addEventListener("change", handler);
-    return () => mq.removeEventListener("change", handler);
-  }, []);
+export function ThemeProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
+  const mode = useSyncExternalStore(subscribeToSystemMode, getSystemMode, getServerMode);
 
   useLayoutEffect(() => {
     document.body.setAttribute("data-theme", mode);
diff --git a/examples/openui-cloud/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx b/examples/openui-cloud/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx
index 7c110c21d..f306f66ae 100644
--- a/examples/openui-cloud/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx
+++ b/examples/openui-cloud/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { createContext, useContext, useLayoutEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { createContext, useContext, useLayoutEffect, useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
 
 type ThemeMode = "light" | "dark";
 
@@ -10,20 +10,27 @@ interface ThemeContextType {
 
 const ThemeContext = createContext<ThemeContextType | undefined>(undefined);
 
+const colorSchemeQuery = "(prefers-color-scheme: dark)";
+
+function subscribeToSystemMode(onStoreChange: () => void) {
+  const mq = window.matchMedia(colorSchemeQuery);
+  const handler = () => onStoreChange();
+  mq.addEventListener("change", handler);
+  return () => mq.removeEventListener("change", handler);
+}
+
 function getSystemMode(): ThemeMode {
-  if (typeof window === "undefined") return "light";
-  return window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)").matches ? "dark" : "light";
+  return window.matchMedia(colorSchemeQuery).matches ? "dark" : "light";
 }
 
-export function ThemeProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
-  const [mode, setMode] = useState<ThemeMode>(getSystemMode);
+function getServerMode(): ThemeMode {
+  // The server cannot know the browser's color scheme. React uses this same
+  // snapshot for the first client render, keeping hydration deterministic.
+  return "light";
+}
 
-  useLayoutEffect(() => {
-    const mq = window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)");
-    const handler = (e: MediaQueryListEvent) => setMode(e.matches ? "dark" : "light");
-    mq.addEventListener("change", handler);
-    return () => mq.removeEventListener("change", handler);
-  }, []);
+export function ThemeProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
+  const mode = useSyncExternalStore(subscribeToSystemMode, getSystemMode, getServerMode);
 
   useLayoutEffect(() => {
     document.body.setAttribute("data-theme", mode);
diff --git a/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-cloud/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx b/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-cloud/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx
index 7c110c21d..f306f66ae 100644
--- a/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-cloud/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx
+++ b/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-cloud/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { createContext, useContext, useLayoutEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { createContext, useContext, useLayoutEffect, useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
 
 type ThemeMode = "light" | "dark";
 
@@ -10,20 +10,27 @@ interface ThemeContextType {
 
 const ThemeContext = createContext<ThemeContextType | undefined>(undefined);
 
+const colorSchemeQuery = "(prefers-color-scheme: dark)";
+
+function subscribeToSystemMode(onStoreChange: () => void) {
+  const mq = window.matchMedia(colorSchemeQuery);
+  const handler = () => onStoreChange();
+  mq.addEventListener("change", handler);
+  return () => mq.removeEventListener("change", handler);
+}
+
 function getSystemMode(): ThemeMode {
-  if (typeof window === "undefined") return "light";
-  return window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)").matches ? "dark" : "light";
+  return window.matchMedia(colorSchemeQuery).matches ? "dark" : "light";
 }
 
-export function ThemeProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
-  const [mode, setMode] = useState<ThemeMode>(getSystemMode);
+function getServerMode(): ThemeMode {
+  // The server cannot know the browser's color scheme. React uses this same
+  // snapshot for the first client render, keeping hydration deterministic.
+  return "light";
+}
 
-  useLayoutEffect(() => {
-    const mq = window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)");
-    const handler = (e: MediaQueryListEvent) => setMode(e.matches ? "dark" : "light");
-    mq.addEventListener("change", handler);
-    return () => mq.removeEventListener("change", handler);
-  }, []);
+export function ThemeProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
+  const mode = useSyncExternalStore(subscribeToSystemMode, getSystemMode, getServerMode);
 
   useLayoutEffect(() => {
     document.body.setAttribute("data-theme", mode);
diff --git a/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-self-hosted/src/app/layout.tsx b/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-self-hosted/src/app/layout.tsx
index 099a706e3..322bb0738 100644
--- a/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-self-hosted/src/app/layout.tsx
+++ b/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-self-hosted/src/app/layout.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { ThemeProvider } from "@/hooks/use-system-theme";
 import type { Metadata } from "next";
 import "./globals.css";
 
@@ -13,7 +14,9 @@ export default function RootLayout({
 }>) {
   return (
     <html lang="en">
-      <body>{children}</body>
+      <body>
+        <ThemeProvider>{children}</ThemeProvider>
+      </body>
     </html>
   );
 }
diff --git a/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-self-hosted/src/app/page.tsx b/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-self-hosted/src/app/page.tsx
index bc1a078d3..ccbd71f1c 100644
--- a/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-self-hosted/src/app/page.tsx
+++ b/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-self-hosted/src/app/page.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import "@openuidev/react-ui/components.css";
 import "@openuidev/react-ui/styles/index.css";
 
+import { useTheme } from "@/hooks/use-system-theme";
 import {
   openAIMessageFormat,
   openAIReadableStreamAdapter,
@@ -24,9 +25,16 @@ const llm: ChatLLM = {
 };
 
 export default function Home() {
+  const mode = useTheme();
+
   return (
     <div className="h-screen w-screen overflow-hidden">
-      <AgentInterface llm={llm} componentLibrary={openuiLibrary} agentName="OpenUI Self Hosted" />
+      <AgentInterface
+        llm={llm}
+        componentLibrary={openuiLibrary}
+        agentName="OpenUI Self Hosted"
+        theme={{ mode }}
+      />
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-self-hosted/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx b/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-self-hosted/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f306f66ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/openui-cli/src/templates/openui-self-hosted/src/hooks/use-system-theme.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { createContext, useContext, useLayoutEffect, useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
+
+type ThemeMode = "light" | "dark";
+
+interface ThemeContextType {
+  mode: ThemeMode;
+}
+
+const ThemeContext = createContext<ThemeContextType | undefined>(undefined);
+
+const colorSchemeQuery = "(prefers-color-scheme: dark)";
+
+function subscribeToSystemMode(onStoreChange: () => void) {
+  const mq = window.matchMedia(colorSchemeQuery);
+  const handler = () => onStoreChange();
+  mq.addEventListener("change", handler);
+  return () => mq.removeEventListener("change", handler);
+}
+
+function getSystemMode(): ThemeMode {
+  return window.matchMedia(colorSchemeQuery).matches ? "dark" : "light";
+}
+
+function getServerMode(): ThemeMode {
+  // The server cannot know the browser's color scheme. React uses this same
+  // snapshot for the first client render, keeping hydration deterministic.
+  return "light";
+}
+
+export function ThemeProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
+  const mode = useSyncExternalStore(subscribeToSystemMode, getSystemMode, getServerMode);
+
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    document.body.setAttribute("data-theme", mode);
+  }, [mode]);
+
+  return <ThemeContext.Provider value={{ mode }}>{children}</ThemeContext.Provider>;
+}
+
+export function useTheme(): ThemeMode {
+  const ctx = useContext(ThemeContext);
+  if (!ctx) {
+    throw new Error("useTheme must be used within a ThemeProvider");
+  }
+  return ctx.mode;
+}
diff --git a/packages/react-ui/src/components/AgentInterface/__tests__/AgentInterface.theme.ssr.test.tsx b/packages/react-ui/src/components/AgentInterface/__tests__/AgentInterface.theme.ssr.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ed4d684f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/react-ui/src/components/AgentInterface/__tests__/AgentInterface.theme.ssr.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import { renderToString } from "react-dom/server";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { makeMockLLM } from "../../../__test-helpers/mockChat";
+import { useTheme } from "../../ThemeProvider";
+import { AgentInterface } from "../AgentInterface";
+
+const ThemeProbe = () => {
+  const { mode } = useTheme();
+  return <span data-theme-mode={mode} />;
+};
+
+const renderAgent = ({ mode, logoUrl }: { mode: "light" | "dark"; logoUrl: string }) =>
+  renderToString(
+    <AgentInterface
+      llm={makeMockLLM()}
+      agentName="Hydration repro"
+      theme={{ mode }}
+      logoUrl={logoUrl}
+    >
+      <ThemeProbe />
+    </AgentInterface>,
+  );
+
+describe("AgentInterface controlled theme and logo SSR contract", () => {
+  it.each([
+    { mode: "light" as const, logoUrl: "/logo-light.svg" },
+    { mode: "dark" as const, logoUrl: "/logo-dark.svg" },
+  ])("renders the caller-provided $mode logo URL", ({ mode, logoUrl }) => {
+    const html = renderAgent({ mode, logoUrl });
+
+    expect(html).toContain(`src="${logoUrl}"`);
+    expect(html).toContain(`data-theme-mode="${mode}"`);
+    expect(html).toContain('class="openui-agent-sidebar-header__logo"');
+  });
+
+  it("reproduces different first-render markup when the caller changes controlled inputs", () => {
+    const serverHtml = renderAgent({
+      mode: "light",
+      logoUrl: "/logo-light.svg",
+    });
+    const firstClientHtml = renderAgent({
+      mode: "dark",
+      logoUrl: "/logo-dark.svg",
+    });
+
+    expect(serverHtml).toContain('src="/logo-light.svg"');
+    expect(firstClientHtml).toContain('src="/logo-dark.svg"');
+    expect(firstClientHtml).not.toBe(serverHtml);
+  });
+});