diff --git a/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_config.cpp b/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_config.cpp
index f5a3cff7e..1a1c2e098 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_config.cpp
+++ b/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_config.cpp
@@ -465,18 +465,22 @@ QColor defaultAppColor(AppColor::Role role, bool dark)
         case AppColor::IconStrong:
         case AppColor::IconSoft:
             return {};
+        // The semantic family follows the same chroma ladder as the authored
+        // themes. A theme without stored values (System) has no per-surface
+        // palette to measure against, so these are authored against the
+        // representative platform surfaces the System theme runs on.
         case AppColor::Positive:
-            return QColor(dark ? QStringLiteral("#6dd58c") : QStringLiteral("#1b7f3b"));
+            return QColor(dark ? QStringLiteral("#6dd58c") : QStringLiteral("#1a7d3a"));
         case AppColor::PositiveStrong:
-            return QColor(dark ? QStringLiteral("#99e2ae") : QStringLiteral("#104a22"));
+            return QColor(dark ? QStringLiteral("#32c05c") : QStringLiteral("#007e28"));
         case AppColor::PositiveSoft:
-            return QColor(dark ? QStringLiteral("#5e8873") : QStringLiteral("#5d7f6f"));
+            return QColor(dark ? QStringLiteral("#8ab196") : QStringLiteral("#4c7659"));
         case AppColor::Negative:
             return QColor(dark ? QStringLiteral("#ff8a80") : QStringLiteral("#b3261e"));
         case AppColor::NegativeStrong:
-            return QColor(dark ? QStringLiteral("#ffb3ac") : QStringLiteral("#7c1b15"));
+            return QColor(dark ? QStringLiteral("#ff8378") : QStringLiteral("#da0b00"));
         case AppColor::NegativeSoft:
-            return QColor(dark ? QStringLiteral("#9b7678") : QStringLiteral("#9a6c6f"));
+            return QColor(dark ? QStringLiteral("#c79e9b") : QStringLiteral("#935f5c"));
     }
 
     return {};
diff --git a/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_icon.h b/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_icon.h
index 1bca9fd7f..8f33b1f67 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_icon.h
+++ b/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_icon.h
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ public:
     IconTint(QPalette::ColorRole role, IconEmphasis emphasis = IconEmphasis::Secondary); // implicit for role callers
     IconTint(AppColor::Role role, IconEmphasis emphasis = IconEmphasis::Secondary); // implicit for semantic callers
 
-    /** @brief A neutral glyph in the accent tone, for the surface's primary action. */
+    /** @brief A neutral glyph at the family's primary level, for the surface's primary action. */
     static IconTint primary();
 
     /** @brief A dimmed neutral glyph, for a control that labels rather than acts. */
@@ -93,9 +93,10 @@ public:
     /**
      * @brief Resolves the concrete color for an icon mode.
      *
-     * A disabled application color resolves to the disabled foreground, so an
-     * unavailable control does not keep its semantic color. A selected palette
-     * color keeps the WindowText -> HighlightedText swap.
+     * A disabled application color resolves to the derived disabled ink, the
+     * quiet level receded toward the surface, so an unavailable control does not
+     * keep its semantic color. A selected palette color keeps the
+     * WindowText -> HighlightedText swap.
      *
      * Application colors are returned verbatim: the theme author stores one
      * value per emphasis level, so the paint path does not rewrite it. The
diff --git a/cockatrice/themes/System/palette-default-dark.toml b/cockatrice/themes/System/palette-default-dark.toml
index ae821b739..18f834b52 100644
--- a/cockatrice/themes/System/palette-default-dark.toml
+++ b/cockatrice/themes/System/palette-default-dark.toml
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
 AccentStrong         = #ff148c3c
 AccentSoft           = #ff78c850
 Positive             = #ff6dd58c
-PositiveStrong       = #ff99e2ae
-PositiveSoft         = #ff5e8873
+PositiveStrong       = #ff32c05c
+PositiveSoft         = #ff8ab196
 Negative             = #ffff8a80
-NegativeStrong       = #ffffb3ac
-NegativeSoft         = #ff9b7678
+NegativeStrong       = #ffff8378
+NegativeSoft         = #ffc79e9b
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cockatrice/themes/System/palette-default-light.toml b/cockatrice/themes/System/palette-default-light.toml
index da4dac445..374ae87c8 100644
--- a/cockatrice/themes/System/palette-default-light.toml
+++ b/cockatrice/themes/System/palette-default-light.toml
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@
 [AppColors]
 AccentStrong         = #ff148c3c
 AccentSoft           = #ff78c850
-Positive             = #ff1b7f3b
-PositiveStrong       = #ff104a22
-PositiveSoft         = #ff5d7f6f
+Positive             = #ff1a7d3a
+PositiveStrong       = #ff007e28
+PositiveSoft         = #ff4c7659
 Negative             = #ffb3261e
-NegativeStrong       = #ff7c1b15
-NegativeSoft         = #ff9a6c6f
+NegativeStrong       = #ffda0b00
+NegativeSoft         = #ff935f5c
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/theme_migration/theme_icon_render_test.cpp b/tests/theme_migration/theme_icon_render_test.cpp
index c157ecf05..299ebd717 100644
--- a/tests/theme_migration/theme_icon_render_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/theme_migration/theme_icon_render_test.cpp
@@ -1196,7 +1196,10 @@ InkPalette shippedPalette(const QString &theme, bool dark)
                                   .arg(theme, dark ? QStringLiteral("dark") : QStringLiteral("light")));
     const PaletteConfig config = PaletteConfig::fromFile(file);
     // A theme may author only [AppColors] (System does), so appColors alone do
-    // not mean it ships a palette: the keys have to be present.
+    // not mean it ships a palette: the keys have to be present. The authored
+    // neutral-family assertions therefore cover only themes with a palette;
+    // System's fixed semantic family is checked against representative
+    // platform surfaces by DefaultSemanticFamilyMeetsTheLadderOnPlatformSurfaces.
     if (config.colors.isEmpty()) {
         return {};
     }
@@ -1760,6 +1763,48 @@ TEST(IconInk, DisabledStaysBelowQuietOnEveryShippedTheme)
     EXPECT_GT(checked, 0) << "no shipped palette was loadable";
 }
 
+/**
+ * @brief The System fallback family keeps the ladder on a platform palette.
+ *
+ * System authors no neutral roles and follows the OS surfaces, so its semantic
+ * family is the one shipped ladder that cannot be measured against its own
+ * window and button. These are the representative extremes of a platform
+ * palette, and the fixed values have to clear the same floor there that the
+ * five authored themes clear on their own surfaces.
+ */
+TEST(IconInk, DefaultSemanticFamilyMeetsTheLadderOnPlatformSurfaces)
+{
+    struct Scheme
+    {
+        bool dark;
+        QColor window;
+        QColor button;
+    };
+    const QList<Scheme> schemes = {
+        {false, QColor(QStringLiteral("#f0f0f0")), QColor(QStringLiteral("#f5f5f5"))},
+        {true, QColor(QStringLiteral("#2b2b2b")), QColor(QStringLiteral("#3c3c3c"))},
+    };
+
+    for (const Scheme &scheme : schemes) {
+        for (const auto &[base, strong, soft] : {
+                 std::tuple{AppColor::Positive, AppColor::PositiveStrong, AppColor::PositiveSoft},
+                 std::tuple{AppColor::Negative, AppColor::NegativeStrong, AppColor::NegativeSoft}}) {
+            const QColor secondary = defaultAppColor(base, scheme.dark);
+            const QColor primary = defaultAppColor(strong, scheme.dark);
+            const QColor quiet = defaultAppColor(soft, scheme.dark);
+            ASSERT_TRUE(secondary.isValid() && primary.isValid() && quiet.isValid());
+
+            for (const QColor &surface : {scheme.window, scheme.button}) {
+                EXPECT_GE(ThemeIconInk::contrastRatio(secondary, surface), ThemeIconInk::labelContrastFloor());
+                EXPECT_GE(ThemeIconInk::contrastRatio(primary, surface), ThemeIconInk::labelContrastFloor());
+                EXPECT_GE(ThemeIconInk::contrastRatio(quiet, surface), ThemeIconInk::labelContrastFloor());
+            }
+            EXPECT_LT(quiet.hsvSaturation(), secondary.hsvSaturation());
+            EXPECT_GT(primary.hsvSaturation(), secondary.hsvSaturation());
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /**
  * @brief Every emphasis keeps the selected-row swap to HighlightedText.
  */
diff --git a/tests/theme_migration/theme_migration_test.cpp b/tests/theme_migration/theme_migration_test.cpp
index 0e55e966d..deff913f6 100644
--- a/tests/theme_migration/theme_migration_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/theme_migration/theme_migration_test.cpp
@@ -151,18 +151,18 @@ TEST_F(ThemeMigrationTest, IsIdempotent)
 
 TEST(ThemeAppColorTest, SemanticDefaultsFollowTheScheme)
 {
-    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::Positive, false), QColor(QStringLiteral("#1b7f3b")));
+    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::Positive, false), QColor(QStringLiteral("#1a7d3a")));
     EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::Positive, true), QColor(QStringLiteral("#6dd58c")));
-    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::PositiveStrong, false), QColor(QStringLiteral("#104a22")));
-    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::PositiveStrong, true), QColor(QStringLiteral("#99e2ae")));
-    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::PositiveSoft, false), QColor(QStringLiteral("#5d7f6f")));
-    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::PositiveSoft, true), QColor(QStringLiteral("#5e8873")));
+    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::PositiveStrong, false), QColor(QStringLiteral("#007e28")));
+    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::PositiveStrong, true), QColor(QStringLiteral("#32c05c")));
+    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::PositiveSoft, false), QColor(QStringLiteral("#4c7659")));
+    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::PositiveSoft, true), QColor(QStringLiteral("#8ab196")));
     EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::Negative, false), QColor(QStringLiteral("#b3261e")));
     EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::Negative, true), QColor(QStringLiteral("#ff8a80")));
-    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::NegativeStrong, false), QColor(QStringLiteral("#7c1b15")));
-    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::NegativeStrong, true), QColor(QStringLiteral("#ffb3ac")));
-    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::NegativeSoft, false), QColor(QStringLiteral("#9a6c6f")));
-    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::NegativeSoft, true), QColor(QStringLiteral("#9b7678")));
+    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::NegativeStrong, false), QColor(QStringLiteral("#da0b00")));
+    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::NegativeStrong, true), QColor(QStringLiteral("#ff8378")));
+    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::NegativeSoft, false), QColor(QStringLiteral("#935f5c")));
+    EXPECT_EQ(defaultAppColor(AppColor::NegativeSoft, true), QColor(QStringLiteral("#c79e9b")));
     // Accent and neutral icon roles are derived from the palette, so they have
     // no static default. A theme with no palette (System) keeps following the
     // platform instead of pinning one scheme's ink.