diff --git a/src/config/Config.zig b/src/config/Config.zig
index 993a4f6e1..5b2466d01 100644
--- a/src/config/Config.zig
+++ b/src/config/Config.zig
@@ -4517,6 +4517,29 @@ fn expandPaths(self: *Config, base: []const u8) !void {
     }
 }
 
+/// Expand tilde paths to absolute paths to the user's home directory.
+/// If expansion fails, an error is logged and the original path is returned.
+fn expandHome(path: []const u8, buf: []u8) []const u8 {
+    if (!std.mem.startsWith(u8, path, "~/"))
+        return path;
+
+    var environ_map = global.environMap() catch |err| {
+        log.warn("failed to get environment map for path \"{s}\": {}", .{ path, err });
+        return path;
+    };
+    defer environ_map.deinit();
+
+    return internal_os.expandHome(
+        global.io(),
+        &environ_map,
+        path,
+        buf,
+    ) catch |err| {
+        log.warn("failed to expand home directory in path \"{s}\": {}", .{ path, err });
+        return path;
+    };
+}
+
 fn loadTheme(self: *Config, theme: Theme) !void {
     // Load the correct theme depending on the conditional state.
     // Dark/light themes were programmed prior to conditional configuration
@@ -4616,14 +4639,17 @@ fn loadTheme(self: *Config, theme: Theme) !void {
 /// Call this once after you are done setting configuration. This
 /// is idempotent but will waste memory if called multiple times.
 pub fn finalize(self: *Config) !void {
+    const alloc = self._arena.?.allocator();
+
     // We always load the theme first because it may set other fields
     // in our config.
-    if (self.theme) |theme| {
+    if (self.theme) |*theme| {
+        try theme.finalize(alloc);
         const different = !std.mem.eql(u8, theme.light, theme.dark);
 
         // Warning: loadTheme will deinit our existing config and replace
         // it so all memory from self prior to this point will be freed.
-        try self.loadTheme(theme);
+        try self.loadTheme(theme.*);
 
         // If we have different light vs dark mode themes, disable
         // window-theme = auto since that breaks it.
@@ -4637,8 +4663,6 @@ pub fn finalize(self: *Config) !void {
         }
     }
 
-    const alloc = self._arena.?.allocator();
-
     // Used for a variety of defaults. See the function docs as well the
     // specific variable use sites for more details.
     const probable_cli = probableCliEnvironment();
@@ -5443,20 +5467,8 @@ pub const WorkingDirectory = union(enum) {
             else => return,
         };
 
-        if (!std.mem.startsWith(u8, path, "~/")) return;
-
         var buf: [std.fs.max_path_bytes]u8 = undefined;
-        const expanded = expanded: {
-            var environ_map = global.environMap() catch |err| break :expanded err;
-            defer environ_map.deinit();
-            break :expanded internal_os.expandHome(global.io(), &environ_map, path, &buf);
-        } catch |err| {
-            log.warn(
-                "error expanding home directory for working-directory path={s}: {}",
-                .{ path, err },
-            );
-            return;
-        };
+        const expanded = expandHome(path, &buf);
 
         if (std.mem.eql(u8, expanded, path)) return;
         self.* = .{ .path = try alloc.dupe(u8, expanded) };
@@ -9979,6 +9991,19 @@ pub const Theme = struct {
         };
     }
 
+    /// Expand tilde paths in light/dark theme values.
+    pub fn finalize(self: *Theme, alloc: Allocator) Allocator.Error!void {
+        var buf: [std.fs.max_path_bytes]u8 = undefined;
+
+        const light = expandHome(self.light, &buf);
+        if (!std.mem.eql(u8, light, self.light))
+            self.light = try alloc.dupeZ(u8, light);
+
+        const dark = expandHome(self.dark, &buf);
+        if (!std.mem.eql(u8, dark, self.dark))
+            self.dark = try alloc.dupeZ(u8, dark);
+    }
+
     /// Deep copy of the struct. Required by Config.
     pub fn clone(self: *const Theme, alloc: Allocator) Allocator.Error!Theme {
         return .{
@@ -10035,6 +10060,34 @@ pub const Theme = struct {
             try testing.expectEqualStrings("bar", v.dark);
         }
 
+        // Expand tilde to home
+        {
+            var environ_map = try testing.environ.createMap(alloc);
+            defer environ_map.deinit();
+
+            var home_buf: [std.fs.max_path_bytes]u8 = undefined;
+            const home = try internal_os.expandHome(
+                testing.io,
+                &environ_map,
+                "~/",
+                &home_buf,
+            );
+
+            var v: Theme = undefined;
+            try v.parseCLI(alloc, "light:~/foo, dark:~/bar");
+            try v.finalize(alloc);
+
+            var expected_buf: [std.fs.max_path_bytes]u8 = undefined;
+            try testing.expectEqualStrings(
+                try std.fmt.bufPrint(&expected_buf, "{s}foo", .{home}),
+                v.light,
+            );
+            try testing.expectEqualStrings(
+                try std.fmt.bufPrint(&expected_buf, "{s}bar", .{home}),
+                v.dark,
+            );
+        }
+
         var v: Theme = undefined;
         try testing.expectError(error.ValueRequired, v.parseCLI(alloc, null));
         try testing.expectError(error.ValueRequired, v.parseCLI(alloc, ""));