diff --git a/private_dot_config/kitty/kitty.conf b/private_dot_config/kitty/kitty.conf
index 5984230..9cc6ee3 100644
--- a/private_dot_config/kitty/kitty.conf
+++ b/private_dot_config/kitty/kitty.conf
@@ -1066,10 +1066,9 @@ tab_bar_style custom
 #: tab_title_template.
 
 # active_tab_foreground   #000
-		active_tab_background   #2e84e6
+active_tab_background   #2e84e6
 # active_tab_font_style   bold-italic
-		inactive_tab_foreground #4d82bf
-		inactive_tab_background #141c26
+inactive_tab_foreground #2e84e6
 # inactive_tab_font_style normal
 
 #: Tab bar colors and styles.
diff --git a/private_dot_config/kitty/tab_bar.py b/private_dot_config/kitty/tab_bar.py
index ac37265..1ec7c5c 100644
--- a/private_dot_config/kitty/tab_bar.py
+++ b/private_dot_config/kitty/tab_bar.py
@@ -1,14 +1,18 @@
 from kitty.fast_data_types import Screen
-from kitty.tab_bar import DrawData, ExtraData, TabBarData, draw_title
+from kitty.tab_bar import DrawData, ExtraData, TabBarData, as_rgb, draw_title
 
 def draw_tab(
     draw_data: DrawData, screen: Screen, tab: TabBarData,
     before: int, max_title_length: int, index: int, is_last: bool,
     extra_data: ExtraData
 ) -> int:
-    orig_fg = screen.cursor.fg
-    orig_bg = screen.cursor.bg
-    default_bg = int(draw_data.default_bg)
+    active_fg = draw_data.default_bg
+    default_bg = as_rgb(int(draw_data.default_bg))
+    orig_fg = as_rgb(int(active_fg)) if tab.is_active else screen.cursor.fg
+    orig_bg = screen.cursor.bg if tab.is_active else default_bg
+    title_draw_data = draw_data._replace(active_fg=active_fg) if tab.is_active else draw_data
+    screen.cursor.fg = orig_fg
+    screen.cursor.bg = orig_bg
     left_sep, right_sep = ('', '')
 
     def draw_sep(which: str) -> None:
@@ -29,7 +33,7 @@ def draw_tab(
     else:
         draw_sep(left_sep)
         screen.draw(' ')
-        draw_title(draw_data, screen, tab, index)
+        draw_title(title_draw_data, screen, tab, index)
         extra = screen.cursor.x - before - max_title_length
         # print("extra:%d" %(extra))
         if extra >= 0:
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/conf.d/private_tide_terminal_appearance.fish b/private_dot_config/private_fish/conf.d/private_tide_terminal_appearance.fish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2ce9869
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/conf.d/private_tide_terminal_appearance.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+status is-interactive
+or exit
+
+type -q tide
+or exit
+
+function __tide_terminal_color_theme_changed --on-variable fish_terminal_color_theme
+    contains -- $fish_terminal_color_theme dark light
+    or return
+
+    __tide_apply_terminal_appearance $fish_terminal_color_theme
+    set -l apply_status $status
+
+    test $apply_status -eq 2
+    and return 2
+    test $apply_status -eq 1
+    and return 0
+
+    functions -q _tide_cache_variables
+    and _tide_cache_variables
+    functions -q _tide_sub_reload
+    and tide reload
+    commandline --function repaint
+end
+
+__tide_terminal_color_theme_changed
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_apply_terminal_appearance.fish b/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_apply_terminal_appearance.fish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f23781
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_apply_terminal_appearance.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+function __tide_apply_terminal_appearance --argument-names appearance
+    contains -- $appearance dark light
+    or return 2
+
+    if test "$__tide_terminal_appearance" = "$appearance"
+        return 1
+    end
+
+    if not set --query __tide_terminal_color_names
+        set --global __tide_terminal_color_names
+        set --global __tide_terminal_dark_colors
+
+        for name in (set --universal --names | string match -e -r '^tide_' | sort)
+            string match -q 'tide_*color*' -- $name
+            or continue
+
+            set -l current_value $$name
+            test (count $current_value) -eq 1
+            or continue
+            string match -qr '^[0-9A-Fa-f]{6}$' -- $current_value
+            or continue
+
+            set --append __tide_terminal_color_names $name
+            set --append __tide_terminal_dark_colors $current_value
+        end
+    end
+
+    test (count $__tide_terminal_color_names) -gt 0
+    or return 2
+
+    for index in (seq (count $__tide_terminal_color_names))
+        set -l name $__tide_terminal_color_names[$index]
+        set -l color $__tide_terminal_dark_colors[$index]
+        if test "$appearance" = light
+            set color (__tide_terminal_light_color $color)
+        end
+        set --global --export $name $color
+    end
+
+    set --global __tide_terminal_appearance $appearance
+end
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_terminal_light_color.fish b/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_terminal_light_color.fish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b01de8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_terminal_light_color.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+function __tide_terminal_light_color --argument-names dark_color
+    switch (string upper -- $dark_color)
+        case 303030
+            echo E4E4E4
+        case 0087AF
+            echo 006E8F
+        case 00ACD7
+            echo 006F8B
+        case 00AFAF
+            echo 007272
+        case 00AFFF
+            echo 006C9E
+        case 2496ED
+            echo 196AA8
+        case 326CE5
+            echo 2D60CD
+        case 4285F4
+            echo 3264B8
+        case 44883E
+            echo 397234
+        case 4E2A8E
+            echo 4E2A8E
+        case 5F8787
+            echo 4C6C6C
+        case 5FAF00
+            echo 3F7300
+        case 5FD700
+            echo 337400
+        case 613583
+            echo 613583
+        case 617CBE
+            echo 4F659B
+        case 6C6C6C 949494 EEEEEE FFFFFF
+            echo 666666
+        case 7EBAE4
+            echo 486A83
+        case 844FBA
+            echo 814DB5
+        case 87875F
+            echo 68684A
+        case 8787AF
+            echo 636381
+        case 87AF87
+            echo 546C54
+        case 87AFAF
+            echo 526A6A
+        case B31209
+            echo B31209
+        case D70000 FF0000
+            echo CF0000
+        case D7AF00
+            echo 7B6400
+        case D7AF87
+            echo 79624C
+        case ED8B00
+            echo 955700
+        case F74C00
+            echo B93900
+        case F7A41D
+            echo 8B5C10
+        case F7BF2A
+            echo 7F6216
+        case FBF0DF
+            echo 6A655E
+        case FF00FF
+            echo B600B6
+        case FF8700
+            echo 9C5300
+        case FF9900
+            echo 935800
+        case D78700
+            echo 905A00
+        case '*'
+            echo $dark_color
+    end
+end
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_assert_tide_light_contrast.mjs b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_assert_tide_light_contrast.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e1110d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_assert_tide_light_contrast.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+
+const input = fs.readFileSync(0, 'utf8').trim();
+if (!input) {
+  console.error('no foreground color pairs received');
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+const channelLuminance = (value) => {
+  const channel = value / 255;
+  return channel <= 0.04045
+    ? channel / 12.92
+    : ((channel + 0.055) / 1.055) ** 2.4;
+};
+
+const luminance = (hex) => {
+  const channels = hex.match(/../g).map((pair) => Number.parseInt(pair, 16));
+  return (
+    0.2126 * channelLuminance(channels[0])
+    + 0.7152 * channelLuminance(channels[1])
+    + 0.0722 * channelLuminance(channels[2])
+  );
+};
+
+const backgroundLuminance = luminance('E4E4E4');
+const failures = [];
+
+for (const line of input.split('\n')) {
+  const [dark, light] = line.trim().split(/\s+/);
+  if (!/^[0-9A-F]{6}$/.test(dark) || !/^[0-9A-F]{6}$/.test(light)) {
+    failures.push(`${line}: expected two six-digit uppercase colors`);
+    continue;
+  }
+
+  const foregroundLuminance = luminance(light);
+  const ratio = (
+    Math.max(backgroundLuminance, foregroundLuminance) + 0.05
+  ) / (
+    Math.min(backgroundLuminance, foregroundLuminance) + 0.05
+  );
+
+  if (ratio < 4.5) {
+    failures.push(`${dark} -> ${light}: contrast ${ratio.toFixed(2)} is below 4.5`);
+  }
+}
+
+if (failures.length > 0) {
+  console.error(failures.join('\n'));
+  process.exit(1);
+}
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_inspect_tide_terminal_handler.fish b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_inspect_tide_terminal_handler.fish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bacf004
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_inspect_tide_terminal_handler.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+set -l project_root (path resolve (path dirname (status filename))/..)
+
+source $project_root/functions/tide.fish
+source $project_root/functions/__tide_terminal_light_color.fish
+source $project_root/functions/__tide_apply_terminal_appearance.fish
+source $project_root/conf.d/tide_terminal_appearance.fish
+
+set -l theme_handler (
+    functions --handlers-type variable |
+        string match 'fish_terminal_color_theme *'
+)
+printf '\nHANDLER|%s\n' (string escape -- $theme_handler)
+
+functions -q __tide_terminal_install_bindings
+and printf 'LEGACY_BINDINGS|present\n'
+or printf 'LEGACY_BINDINGS|absent\n'
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_test_tide_terminal_appearance.fish b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_test_tide_terminal_appearance.fish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..089329a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_test_tide_terminal_appearance.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env fish
+
+set -l project_root (path resolve (path dirname (status filename))/..)
+
+function __test_fail --argument-names message
+    printf 'not ok - %s\n' "$message" >&2
+    exit 1
+end
+
+function __test_assert_equal --argument-names expected actual message
+    test "$expected" = "$actual"
+    or __test_fail "$message: expected <$expected>, got <$actual>"
+end
+
+function __test_is_tide_hex_color --argument-names name
+    string match -q 'tide_*color*' -- $name
+    and test (count $$name) -eq 1
+    and string match -qr '^[0-9A-Fa-f]{6}$' -- $$name
+end
+
+function __test_snapshot --argument-names include_colors
+    for name in (set --universal --names | string match -e -r '^tide_')
+        __test_is_tide_hex_color $name
+        set -l is_color $status
+        if test "$include_colors" = yes
+            test $is_color -eq 0; or continue
+        else
+            test $is_color -ne 0; or continue
+        end
+        printf '%s=%s\n' $name (string escape -- $$name)
+    end
+end
+
+set -l light_mapper $project_root/functions/__tide_terminal_light_color.fish
+set -l appearance_applicator $project_root/functions/__tide_apply_terminal_appearance.fish
+
+test -f $light_mapper
+or __test_fail "missing light palette mapper"
+test -f $appearance_applicator
+or __test_fail "missing terminal appearance applicator"
+
+source $light_mapper
+source $appearance_applicator
+
+__test_assert_equal E4E4E4 (__tide_terminal_light_color 303030) \
+    "dark segment background maps to the light segment background"
+__test_assert_equal 006C9E (__tide_terminal_light_color 00AFFF) \
+    "bright blue maps to its contrast-safe light equivalent"
+__test_assert_equal CF0000 (__tide_terminal_light_color FF0000) \
+    "bright red maps to its contrast-safe light equivalent"
+__test_assert_equal glyph (__tide_terminal_light_color glyph) \
+    "non-color values are preserved"
+
+set -l empty_palette_result (
+    fish --no-config -c '
+        source $argv[1]
+        source $argv[2]
+        __tide_apply_terminal_appearance light
+        printf "status=%s" $status
+    ' $light_mapper $appearance_applicator 2>&1 |
+        string collect
+)
+__test_assert_equal status=2 $empty_palette_result \
+    "an unconfigured Tide palette is rejected without errors"
+
+set -l expected_color_names
+set -l expected_dark_colors
+for name in (set --universal --names | string match -e -r '^tide_')
+    if __test_is_tide_hex_color $name
+        set --append expected_color_names $name
+        set --append expected_dark_colors $$name
+    end
+end
+
+test (count $expected_color_names) -gt 0
+or __test_fail "the test fixture has no Tide colors"
+
+set -l before_non_colors (string join \x1e (__test_snapshot no))
+
+__tide_apply_terminal_appearance light
+__test_assert_equal 0 $status "light appearance applies successfully"
+__test_assert_equal E4E4E4 $tide_pwd_bg_color \
+    "light appearance replaces the existing prompt segment background"
+__test_assert_equal 006C9E $tide_pwd_color_anchors \
+    "light appearance replaces the existing prompt foreground"
+
+set -l pwd_scope (set --show tide_pwd_bg_color | string collect)
+string match -q '*set in global scope, exported*' -- $pwd_scope
+or __test_fail "Tide overrides are not global and exported"
+
+set -l child_background (fish --no-config -c 'printf %s "$tide_pwd_bg_color"')
+__test_assert_equal E4E4E4 $child_background \
+    "Tide renderer subprocess inherits the light background"
+
+set -l after_non_colors (string join \x1e (__test_snapshot no))
+__test_assert_equal "$before_non_colors" "$after_non_colors" \
+    "non-color Tide configuration remains unchanged"
+
+set -l first_light_state
+for name in $expected_color_names
+    set --append first_light_state "$name="(string escape -- $$name)
+end
+
+__tide_apply_terminal_appearance light
+__test_assert_equal 1 $status "repeated light appearance is a no-op"
+
+set -l second_light_state
+for name in $expected_color_names
+    set --append second_light_state "$name="(string escape -- $$name)
+end
+__test_assert_equal (string join \x1e $first_light_state) \
+    (string join \x1e $second_light_state) \
+    "repeated light appearance preserves all color overrides"
+
+begin
+    for index in (seq (count $expected_dark_colors))
+        set -l dark (string upper -- $expected_dark_colors[$index])
+        test "$dark" = 303030; and continue
+        printf '%s %s\n' $dark (__tide_terminal_light_color $dark)
+    end
+end | node $project_root/tests/assert_tide_light_contrast.mjs
+or __test_fail "light palette foreground contrast is below 4.5:1"
+
+__tide_apply_terminal_appearance dark
+__test_assert_equal 0 $status "dark appearance applies successfully"
+
+for index in (seq (count $expected_color_names))
+    set -l name $expected_color_names[$index]
+    __test_assert_equal $expected_dark_colors[$index] $$name \
+        "dark appearance restores $name exactly"
+end
+
+__tide_apply_terminal_appearance invalid
+__test_assert_equal 2 $status "invalid appearance is rejected"
+__test_assert_equal dark $__tide_terminal_appearance \
+    "invalid appearance does not change active state"
+
+set -l integration $project_root/conf.d/tide_terminal_appearance.fish
+test -f $integration
+or __test_fail "missing live terminal appearance integration"
+
+set -l integration_output (
+    env TERM=xterm-kitty fish --interactive --no-config \
+        $project_root/tests/inspect_tide_terminal_handler.fish |
+        string collect
+)
+set -l handler_line (
+    string split \n -- $integration_output |
+        string match 'HANDLER|*'
+)
+string match -q \
+    '*fish_terminal_color_theme __tide_terminal_color_theme_changed*' \
+    -- $handler_line
+or __test_fail "integration does not subscribe to Fish's terminal color theme"
+
+string match -q '*LEGACY_BINDINGS|absent*' -- $integration_output
+or __test_fail "integration still installs raw terminal response bindings"
+
+printf 'ok - Tide terminal palette behavior\n'
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_verify_tide_terminal_events.exp b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_verify_tide_terminal_events.exp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..698557c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_verify_tide_terminal_events.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+#!/usr/bin/expect -f
+
+set timeout 30
+log_user 0
+
+set path_label "direct"
+set through_tmux 0
+if {[llength $argv] > 0 && [lindex $argv 0] eq "tmux"} {
+    set path_label "tmux"
+    set through_tmux 1
+    spawn env TERM=xterm-kitty tmux -L tide-appearance-test \
+        -f "$env(HOME)/.tmux.conf" new-session fish --interactive
+} else {
+    spawn env TERM=xterm-kitty fish --interactive
+}
+
+if {$through_tmux} {
+    expect {
+        -exact "\033\[?996n" {
+            send -- "\033\[?997;2n"
+            exp_continue
+        }
+        -exact "\033]10;?\033\\" {
+            send -- "\033]10;rgb:0000/0000/0000\033\\"
+            exp_continue
+        }
+        -exact "\033]11;?\033\\" {
+            send -- "\033]11;rgb:ffff/ffff/ffff\033\\"
+            exp_continue
+        }
+        -exact "\033\[0c" {
+            send -- "\033\[?1;2c"
+            exp_continue
+        }
+        -exact " fish " {
+            after 1000
+        }
+        timeout {
+            puts stderr "Fish did not start inside tmux"
+            exit 1
+        }
+    }
+} else {
+    expect {
+        -exact "\033]11;?\033\\" {
+            send -- "\033]11;rgb:ffff/ffff/ffff\033\\"
+            exp_continue
+        }
+        -exact "\033\[0c" {
+            send -- "\033\[?1;2c"
+            exp_continue
+        }
+        -exact "\033]133;B\033\\" {}
+        timeout {
+            puts stderr "Fish did not reach its initial prompt"
+            exit 1
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+send -- "printf 'CHECK:%s:%s\\n' \$__tide_terminal_appearance \$tide_pwd_bg_color\r"
+expect {
+    -re {CHECK:light:E4E4E4} {}
+    timeout {
+        puts stderr "The initial light terminal background did not apply the light Tide palette"
+        exit 1
+    }
+}
+
+if {!$through_tmux} {
+    expect {
+        -exact "\033\[?2031h" {}
+        timeout {
+            puts stderr "Fish did not re-enable theme notifications after the light check"
+            exit 1
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+send -- "\033\[?997;1n"
+expect {
+    -exact "\033]11;?\033\\" {
+        send -- "\033]11;rgb:0000/0000/0000\033\\"
+    }
+    timeout {
+        puts stderr "Fish did not query the terminal background after a theme notification"
+        exit 1
+    }
+}
+
+if {$through_tmux} {
+    after 100
+} else {
+    expect {
+        -exact "\033]133;B\033\\" {}
+        timeout {
+            puts stderr "Fish did not repaint after applying the dark terminal theme"
+            exit 1
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+send -- "printf 'CHECK:%s:%s\\n' \$__tide_terminal_appearance \$tide_pwd_bg_color\r"
+expect {
+    -re {CHECK:dark:303030} {}
+    timeout {
+        puts stderr "The dark notification did not restore the dark Tide palette"
+        exit 1
+    }
+}
+
+send -- "exit\r"
+expect {
+    -exact "\033\[?2031l" {}
+    timeout {
+        puts stderr "Fish did not disable appearance notifications on exit"
+        exit 1
+    }
+}
+expect eof
+
+puts "ok - live terminal notification events ($path_label)"