diff --git a/private_dot_config/kitty/theme-modes/private_light.conf b/private_dot_config/kitty/theme-modes/private_light.conf
index 27835ec..1a5db3f 100644
--- a/private_dot_config/kitty/theme-modes/private_light.conf
+++ b/private_dot_config/kitty/theme-modes/private_light.conf
@@ -1,80 +1,59 @@
 # vim:ft=kitty
 
-## name:     Catppuccin-Latte
-## author:   Pocco81 (https://github.com/Pocco81)
-## license:  MIT
-## upstream: https://github.com/catppuccin/kitty/blob/main/themes/latte.conf
-## blurb:    Soothing pastel theme for the high-spirited!
-
+## name: Kaolin Breeze
+## author: Ogden Webb
+## license: GPLv3
+## blurb: Light Kaolin theme with soft colors
 
 
 # The basic colors
-foreground              #4C4F69
-background              #EFF1F5
-selection_foreground    #EFF1F5
-selection_background    #DC8A78
+foreground              #383e3f
+background              #EBE8E4
+selection_foreground    #EBE8E4
+selection_background    #383e3f
 
 # Cursor colors
-cursor                  #DC8A78
-cursor_text_color       #EFF1F5
+cursor                  #383e3f
+cursor_text_color       #EBE8E4
 
-# URL underline color when hovering with mouse
-url_color               #DC8A78
-
-# Kitty window border colors
-active_border_color     #7287FD
-inactive_border_color   #9CA0B0
-bell_border_color       #DF8E1D
-
-# OS Window titlebar colors
-wayland_titlebar_color system
-macos_titlebar_color system
+# kitty window border colors
+active_border_color     #48a9a9
+inactive_border_color   #7D8468
 
 # Tab bar colors
-active_tab_foreground   #EFF1F5
-active_tab_background   #8839EF
-inactive_tab_foreground #4C4F69
-inactive_tab_background #9CA0B0
-tab_bar_background      #BCC0CC
-
-# Colors for marks (marked text in the terminal)
-mark1_foreground #EFF1F5
-mark1_background #7287fD
-mark2_foreground #EFF1F5
-mark2_background #8839EF
-mark3_foreground #EFF1F5
-mark3_background #209FB5
-
-# The 16 terminal colors
+active_tab_background   #383e3f
+active_tab_foreground   #C9C2BD
+inactive_tab_background #7D8468
+inactive_tab_foreground #EBE8E4
 
 # black
-color0 #5C5F77
-color8 #6C6F85
+color0    #383e3f
+color8    #7D8468
 
 # red
-color1 #D20F39
-color9 #D20F39
+color1    #cd5c60
+color9    #ef6787
 
 # green
-color2  #40A02B
-color10 #40A02B
+color2    #39855f
+color10   #3e594e
 
 # yellow
-color3  #DF8E1D
-color11 #DF8E1D
+color3    #b87e3c
+color11   #d1832e
 
 # blue
-color4  #1E66F5
-color12 #1E66F5
+color4    #2683b5
+color12   #4F9CB8
 
 # magenta
-color5  #EA76CB
-color13 #EA76CB
+color5    #845A84
+color13   #605DB3
 
 # cyan
-color6  #179299
-color14 #179299
+color6    #48a9a9
+color14   #008b8b
 
 # white
-color7  #ACB0BE
-color15 #BCC0CC
+color7    #C9C2BD
+color15   #60696b
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_parse_osc_background.fish b/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_parse_osc_background.fish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb5f620
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_parse_osc_background.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+function __tide_parse_osc_background --argument-names reply \
+    --description 'Extract RRGGBB from a terminal OSC 11 background report'
+
+    # The reply is OSC 11 ; rgb:R/G/B ST, with one to four hex digits per
+    # channel. Scan for it rather than anchoring: Fish keeps kitty's colour
+    # scheme notifications subscribed, so an unrelated report can share the
+    # buffer with this one.
+    set -l parts (
+        string match -gr \
+            ']11;rgb:([0-9A-Fa-f]{1,4})/([0-9A-Fa-f]{1,4})/([0-9A-Fa-f]{1,4})' \
+            -- "$reply"
+    )
+    test (count $parts) -eq 3
+    or return 1
+
+    set -l hex
+    for part in $parts
+        # Each channel is scaled to the width the terminal chose to report it
+        # in, so f, ff and ffff all mean full intensity.
+        set -l max
+        switch (string length -- $part)
+            case 1
+                set max 15
+            case 2
+                set max 255
+            case 3
+                set max 4095
+            case '*'
+                set max 65535
+        end
+        set -a hex (printf '%02X' (math -s0 "round(255 * 0x$part / $max)"))
+    end
+
+    string join '' $hex
+end
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_terminal_background_color.fish b/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_terminal_background_color.fish
index 25c315b..77bc10c 100644
--- a/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_terminal_background_color.fish
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_terminal_background_color.fish
@@ -1,18 +1,50 @@
+function __tide_background_agrees_with --argument-names hex appearance \
+    --description 'True when a background is as light or dark as the appearance claims'
+
+    set -l luminance (__tide_relative_luminance $hex)
+    test -n "$luminance"
+    or return 1
+
+    set -l scaled (math -s0 "round($luminance * 1000)")
+    if test "$appearance" = light
+        test $scaled -gt 500
+    else
+        test $scaled -lt 500
+    end
+end
+
 function __tide_terminal_background_color --argument-names appearance \
-    --description 'Print the background color kitty is showing for an appearance'
+    --description 'Print the background color the terminal is showing'
 
     contains -- $appearance dark light
     or return 1
 
+    # Ask the terminal first. It is the only source that is right over ssh,
+    # where the config files below belong to the *remote* machine and describe
+    # the mode pinned there, not the window this shell is displayed in. A remote
+    # box pinned to dark offers its dark theme as its "light" one, the check
+    # rejects it, and the caller then falls back to plain white -- lighter than
+    # the real background rather than darker.
+    if functions -q __tide_terminal_osc_background
+        set -l queried (__tide_terminal_osc_background)
+        if string match -qr '^[0-9A-Fa-f]{6}$' -- "$queried"
+            set queried (string upper -- $queried)
+            if __tide_background_agrees_with $queried $appearance
+                echo $queried
+                return 0
+            end
+        end
+    end
+
     functions -q __kitty_config_dir
     or return 1
 
     set -l config_dir (__kitty_config_dir)
 
-    # kitty gives the *-theme.auto.conf files priority over includes and even
-    # over --override, so whatever is in them is what the window is actually
-    # showing -- whether it got there from `kitten themes` or from
-    # apply-theme-mode.sh pinning a mode.
+    # Locally these describe this very window: kitty gives the
+    # *-theme.auto.conf files priority over includes and even over --override,
+    # so whatever is in them is what it is actually showing -- whether that came
+    # from `kitten themes` or from apply-theme-mode.sh pinning a mode.
     for file in $config_dir/$appearance-theme.auto.conf $config_dir/no-preference-theme.auto.conf
         test -r $file
         or continue
@@ -22,21 +54,11 @@ function __tide_terminal_background_color --argument-names appearance \
         or continue
         set hex (string upper -- $hex)
 
-        set -l luminance (__tide_relative_luminance $hex)
-        test -n "$luminance"
-        or continue
-
         # A background that disagrees with the appearance Fish reported means
         # we read the wrong file. A pill derived from the wrong background is
         # worse than the static fallback, so skip it.
-        set -l scaled (math -s0 "round($luminance * 1000)")
-        if test "$appearance" = light
-            test $scaled -gt 500
-            or continue
-        else
-            test $scaled -lt 500
-            or continue
-        end
+        __tide_background_agrees_with $hex $appearance
+        or continue
 
         echo $hex
         return 0
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_terminal_osc_background.fish b/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_terminal_osc_background.fish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ac297d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/functions/private___tide_terminal_osc_background.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+function __tide_terminal_osc_background \
+    --description 'Ask the terminal which background it is showing (OSC 11)'
+
+    # Only an interactive shell has anyone to ask. Do not test stdin or stdout
+    # here: the caller always reads this function through a command
+    # substitution, so its stdout is a pipe every single time. /dev/tty is the
+    # terminal however the two are redirected, and the stty below fails
+    # harmlessly if there is no controlling terminal to open.
+    status is-interactive
+    or return 1
+
+    # tmux and screen both need the query wrapped, and each wants it wrapped
+    # differently. Leave those to the caller's config-file path instead of
+    # guessing wrong and eating the user's keystrokes waiting for a reply.
+    set -q TMUX
+    and return 1
+    string match -q 'screen*' -- "$TERM"
+    and return 1
+
+    set -l saved (stty -g </dev/tty 2>/dev/null)
+    test -n "$saved"
+    or return 1
+
+    # min 0 / time 2 makes every read give up after two tenths of a second, so a
+    # terminal that ignores OSC 11 costs that much once per appearance change
+    # and can never hang the shell. Restore the settings the moment the read
+    # loop ends, before anything that could fail.
+    stty raw -echo min 0 time 2 </dev/tty 2>/dev/null
+    printf '\e]11;?\e\\' >/dev/tty 2>/dev/null
+
+    set -l reply
+    for attempt in 1 2 3 4 5
+        set -l chunk (dd bs=64 count=1 </dev/tty 2>/dev/null | string collect -N)
+        test -n "$chunk"
+        or break
+        set reply "$reply$chunk"
+
+        # Stop as soon as a whole report has arrived; a channel that is still
+        # being written would parse as a narrower one and give a wrong colour.
+        string match -q '*]11;rgb:*' -- "$reply"
+        and string match -qr '\a|\e\\\\' -- "$reply"
+        and break
+    end
+
+    stty $saved </dev/tty 2>/dev/null
+
+    __tide_parse_osc_background "$reply"
+end
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_fixtures/kitty-remote-dark/private_dark-theme.auto.conf b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_fixtures/kitty-remote-dark/private_dark-theme.auto.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd54daf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_fixtures/kitty-remote-dark/private_dark-theme.auto.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# vim:ft=kitty
+# A machine pinned to dark puts its dark theme in every slot, so even the
+# "light" one describes a dark window -- the ssh case this fixture stands in for.
+background #212121
+foreground #BDB9AE
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_fixtures/kitty-remote-dark/private_light-theme.auto.conf b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_fixtures/kitty-remote-dark/private_light-theme.auto.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd54daf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_fixtures/kitty-remote-dark/private_light-theme.auto.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# vim:ft=kitty
+# A machine pinned to dark puts its dark theme in every slot, so even the
+# "light" one describes a dark window -- the ssh case this fixture stands in for.
+background #212121
+foreground #BDB9AE
diff --git a/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_fixtures/kitty-remote-dark/private_no-preference-theme.auto.conf b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_fixtures/kitty-remote-dark/private_no-preference-theme.auto.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd54daf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_dot_config/private_fish/private_tests/private_fixtures/kitty-remote-dark/private_no-preference-theme.auto.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# vim:ft=kitty
+# A machine pinned to dark puts its dark theme in every slot, so even the
+# "light" one describes a dark window -- the ssh case this fixture stands in for.
+background #212121
+foreground #BDB9AE
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
index 8e2e6c2..2ea15a3 100644
--- 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
@@ -37,9 +37,10 @@ set -l luminance_helper $project_root/functions/__tide_relative_luminance.fish
 set -l scale_helper $project_root/functions/__tide_scale_luminance.fish
 set -l ceiling_helper $project_root/functions/__tide_contrast_ceiling.fish
 set -l background_probe $project_root/functions/__tide_terminal_background_color.fish
+set -l osc_parser $project_root/functions/__tide_parse_osc_background.fish
 
 for file in $light_mapper $appearance_applicator $luminance_helper $scale_helper \
-    $ceiling_helper $background_probe
+    $ceiling_helper $background_probe $osc_parser
     test -f $file
     or __test_fail "missing "(path basename $file)
 end
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ source $luminance_helper
 source $scale_helper
 source $ceiling_helper
 source $background_probe
+source $osc_parser
 source $appearance_applicator
 
 # The applicator exports its overrides, so a shell that already applied a
@@ -112,7 +114,67 @@ set -l empty_config (mktemp -d)
 KITTY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY=$empty_config __tide_terminal_background_color light
 __test_assert_equal 1 $status "the probe reports failure when no theme is readable"
 
-rm -rf $fake_config $empty_config
+# --- OSC 11 replies ------------------------------------------------------
+__test_assert_equal EBE8E4 \
+    (__tide_parse_osc_background \e']11;rgb:ebeb/e8e8/e4e4'\e\\) \
+    "a four-digit-per-channel report is scaled to eight bits"
+__test_assert_equal FFFFFF (__tide_parse_osc_background \e']11;rgb:ff/ff/ff'\a) \
+    "a two-digit report with a BEL terminator is read"
+__test_assert_equal FFFFFF (__tide_parse_osc_background \e']11;rgb:f/f/f'\a) \
+    "channels are scaled to the width they are reported in"
+__test_assert_equal 000000 (__tide_parse_osc_background \e']11;rgb:0000/0000/0000'\e\\) \
+    "black is not mistaken for a failed parse"
+# Fish keeps kitty's colour-scheme notifications on, so another report can be
+# sitting in the buffer either side of this one.
+__test_assert_equal EBE8E4 \
+    (__tide_parse_osc_background \e'[?997;1n'\e']11;rgb:ebeb/e8e8/e4e4'\e\\) \
+    "the report is found next to unrelated terminal output"
+
+__tide_parse_osc_background 'not a reply at all'
+__test_assert_equal 1 $status "a reply without a colour is a failure, not a colour"
+__tide_parse_osc_background ''
+__test_assert_equal 1 $status "an empty reply is a failure"
+
+# --- the terminal outranks the config files ------------------------------
+# This is the ssh case: the remote box is pinned to dark, so *its*
+# light-theme.auto.conf holds a dark theme, while the window on this end is
+# light. Reading files there yields no usable answer and the caller falls back
+# to white, which lands lighter than the real background instead of darker.
+set -l remote_config (mktemp -d)
+printf 'background #212121\n' >$remote_config/light-theme.auto.conf
+printf 'background #212121\n' >$remote_config/dark-theme.auto.conf
+printf 'background #212121\n' >$remote_config/no-preference-theme.auto.conf
+
+KITTY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY=$remote_config __tide_terminal_background_color light
+__test_assert_equal 1 $status \
+    "without the terminal, a dark-pinned remote gives the probe nothing to use"
+
+function __tide_terminal_osc_background
+    echo ebe8e4
+end
+__test_assert_equal EBE8E4 \
+    (KITTY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY=$remote_config __tide_terminal_background_color light) \
+    "the terminal's own answer wins over a remote machine's config files"
+
+# A terminal that cannot be asked has to leave the config files in charge.
+function __tide_terminal_osc_background
+    return 1
+end
+__test_assert_equal EBE8E4 \
+    (KITTY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY=$fake_config __tide_terminal_background_color light) \
+    "the config files still answer when the terminal will not"
+
+# And an answer contradicting the appearance is refused just like a file's.
+function __tide_terminal_osc_background
+    echo 212121
+end
+__test_assert_equal EBE8E4 \
+    (KITTY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY=$fake_config __tide_terminal_background_color light) \
+    "a terminal answer that contradicts the appearance is skipped"
+
+functions --erase __tide_terminal_osc_background
+
+rm -rf $fake_config $empty_config $remote_config
 
 set -l empty_palette_result (
     fish --no-config -c '
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
index 853469a..4613cd4 100644
--- 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
@@ -6,16 +6,35 @@ log_user 0
 # The segment background is derived from the theme kitty is showing, so the
 # emulated terminal responses below and the theme files have to agree. These
 # fixtures are the white/black the responses report.
-set kitty_config [file join [file dirname [file normalize [info script]]] fixtures kitty]
+set fixtures [file join [file dirname [file normalize [info script]]] fixtures]
+set kitty_config [file join $fixtures kitty]
+
+# What the emulated terminal answers OSC 11 with, and the segment background
+# Tide must derive from it.
+set light_reply "ffff/ffff/ffff"
+set light_segment "F2F2F2"
 
 set path_label "direct"
 set through_tmux 0
-if {[llength $argv] > 0 && [lindex $argv 0] eq "tmux"} {
+set mode [expr {[llength $argv] > 0 ? [lindex $argv 0] : "direct"}]
+
+if {$mode eq "tmux"} {
     set path_label "tmux"
     set through_tmux 1
     spawn env TERM=xterm-kitty KITTY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY=$kitty_config \
         tmux -L tide-appearance-test \
         -f "$env(HOME)/.tmux.conf" new-session fish --interactive
+} elseif {$mode eq "remote"} {
+    # The ssh case: the config files belong to a machine pinned to dark, so
+    # every slot there describes a dark window, while the terminal this shell
+    # is displayed in is light. Only asking the terminal gets this right --
+    # reading the files yields nothing usable and Tide falls back to white,
+    # putting the segment *above* the background instead of below it.
+    set path_label "remote"
+    set kitty_config [file join $fixtures kitty-remote-dark]
+    set light_reply "ebeb/e8e8/e4e4"
+    set light_segment "DFDCD8"
+    spawn env TERM=xterm-kitty KITTY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY=$kitty_config fish --interactive
 } else {
     spawn env TERM=xterm-kitty KITTY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY=$kitty_config fish --interactive
 }
@@ -31,7 +50,7 @@ if {$through_tmux} {
             exp_continue
         }
         -exact "\033]11;?\033\\" {
-            send -- "\033]11;rgb:ffff/ffff/ffff\033\\"
+            send -- "\033]11;rgb:$light_reply\033\\"
             exp_continue
         }
         -exact "\033\[0c" {
@@ -49,7 +68,7 @@ if {$through_tmux} {
 } else {
     expect {
         -exact "\033]11;?\033\\" {
-            send -- "\033]11;rgb:ffff/ffff/ffff\033\\"
+            send -- "\033]11;rgb:$light_reply\033\\"
             exp_continue
         }
         -exact "\033\[0c" {
@@ -66,7 +85,7 @@ if {$through_tmux} {
 
 send -- "printf 'CHECK:%s:%s\\n' \$__tide_terminal_appearance \$tide_pwd_bg_color\r"
 expect {
-    -re {CHECK:light:F2F2F2} {}
+    -re "CHECK:light:$light_segment" {}
     timeout {
         puts stderr "The initial light terminal background did not apply the light Tide palette"
         exit 1