diff --git a/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/theme_assets.gd b/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/theme_assets.gd
index 8f3351f6..9fcd7324 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/theme_assets.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/theme_assets.gd
@@ -185,6 +185,15 @@ func set_palette_variant(variant_id: String) -> void:
 	if not VALID_VARIANTS.has(variant_id):
 		push_warning("ThemeAssets: unknown palette variant '%s'" % variant_id)
 		return
+	# Palettes load with the theme (set_theme), which can run AFTER autoloads
+	# like settings_manager apply their saved display prefs at _ready. Before the
+	# theme loads, _palettes is empty — remember the desired (valid) variant
+	# silently instead of warning (set_theme establishes the default once
+	# palettes load). The warning below is reserved for a genuinely-missing
+	# variant after palettes ARE loaded.
+	if _palettes.is_empty():
+		_active_palette_variant = variant_id
+		return
 	if not _palettes.has(variant_id):
 		push_warning("ThemeAssets: palette '%s' not loaded" % variant_id)
 		return