diff --git a/cockatrice/src/interface/palette_editor/font_grid_widget.cpp b/cockatrice/src/interface/palette_editor/font_grid_widget.cpp
index 1dd8345bb..c3841b95f 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/interface/palette_editor/font_grid_widget.cpp
+++ b/cockatrice/src/interface/palette_editor/font_grid_widget.cpp
@@ -76,11 +76,9 @@ void FontGridWidget::loadFonts(const FontConfig &cfg)
         auto role = static_cast<AppFont::Role>(fontEnum.value(i));
         const FontRow &row = fontRows[role];
 
-        // Roles absent from the file resolve to the startup font, not to the
-        // live preview: appFont() would return the previewed config, so Reset
-        // and a first load would both show the edited font instead of the
-        // theme's real default.
-        const QFont font = cfg.fonts.value(role, themeManager->defaultAppFont(role));
+        // Roles absent from the file resolve to the theme's effective font, so
+        // unset roles visibly show the system default instead of blanks.
+        const QFont font = cfg.fonts.value(role, themeManager->appFont(role));
         row.familyCombo->setCurrentFont(font);
 
         int size = font.pointSize();
diff --git a/cockatrice/src/interface/palette_editor/palette_editor_dialog.cpp b/cockatrice/src/interface/palette_editor/palette_editor_dialog.cpp
index 36027f7d0..c3412bd09 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/interface/palette_editor/palette_editor_dialog.cpp
+++ b/cockatrice/src/interface/palette_editor/palette_editor_dialog.cpp
@@ -392,10 +392,6 @@ void PaletteEditorDialog::onReset()
 {
     workingConfig[loadedScheme] = savedConfig[loadedScheme];
     paletteGrid->loadPalette(savedConfig[loadedScheme]);
-    // Restore the live theme before re-reading the grid: loadFonts resolves
-    // unset roles, and the preview has currentFonts pointing at the edited
-    // config until the theme is reloaded.
-    themeManager->reloadCurrentTheme();
     fontGrid->loadFonts(savedFontConfig);
     seedAccentFromScheme(loadedScheme);
 }
diff --git a/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_manager.cpp b/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_manager.cpp
index d60d53589..7fe48a34b 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_manager.cpp
+++ b/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_manager.cpp
@@ -127,9 +127,9 @@ static QString usableDefaultStyle(const QString &style)
 ThemeManager::ThemeManager(QObject *parent) : QObject(parent)
 {
     defaultStyleName = usableDefaultStyle(qApp->style()->objectName());
-    // Capture the untouched application palette and font before any theme is
-    // applied.
+    // Capture the untouched application palette before any theme is applied.
     defaultPalette = qApp->palette();
+    // Capture the untouched application font before any theme font is applied.
     defaultFont = qApp->font();
     ensureThemeDirectoryExists();
 #if (QT_VERSION >= QT_VERSION_CHECK(6, 5, 0))
@@ -534,15 +534,18 @@ void ThemeManager::previewFonts(const FontConfig &cfg)
 {
     currentFonts = cfg;
 
-    // QApplication::setFont already sends a font change to every widget, so a
-    // repolish pass is not needed for fonts (unlike the palette path).
     const auto it = cfg.fonts.constFind(AppFont::InterfaceDefault);
     if (it != cfg.fonts.constEnd()) {
         qApp->setFont(it.value());
-    } else {
-        // A config without InterfaceDefault means "no override": restore the
-        // startup font instead of leaving the last preview applied.
-        qApp->setFont(defaultFont);
+
+        // Repolish every widget immediately so the preview applies without
+        // waiting for natural expose events, mirroring applyStyleAndPalette.
+        QStyle *style = qApp->style();
+        for (QWidget *widget : qApp->allWidgets()) {
+            style->unpolish(widget);
+            style->polish(widget);
+            widget->update();
+        }
     }
 
     emit fontsChanged();
@@ -660,14 +663,6 @@ QFont ThemeManager::appFont(AppFont::Role role) const
     return qApp->font();
 }
 
-QFont ThemeManager::defaultAppFont(AppFont::Role /*role*/) const
-{
-    // No per-role scaling and no preview: an unset role resolves to the font
-    // captured at startup, which is what the theme falls back to once the
-    // editor closes.
-    return defaultFont;
-}
-
 void ThemeManager::themeChangedSlot()
 {
     QString themeName = SettingsCache::instance().getThemeName();
diff --git a/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_manager.h b/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_manager.h
index 37a70f755..b93752ce5 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_manager.h
+++ b/cockatrice/src/interface/theme_manager.h
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ private:
     // switching away from a custom palette restores the original colours.
     QPalette defaultPalette;
     // Pristine application font captured at startup, before any theme font is
-    // applied. Restored when a theme (or a preview) supplies no InterfaceDefault
-    // font, so switching away from a themed font cannot leave it behind.
+    // applied. Used to restore the original font when a theme supplies none,
+    // mirroring defaultPalette above.
     QFont defaultFont;
     QString currentThemePath;
     std::array<QBrush, Role::MaxRole + 1> brushes;
@@ -152,11 +152,6 @@ public:
     /** @brief Resolves an application font role: the theme's stored [Fonts]
      *         value when present, otherwise the application font. */
     QFont appFont(AppFont::Role role) const;
-    /** @brief Resolves an application font role against the startup font only,
-     *         ignoring any previewed config in currentFonts. Editors that show
-     *         "what this role resolves to" must use this, because appFont()
-     *         reflects a live preview while the editor is open. */
-    QFont defaultAppFont(AppFont::Role role) const;
 
     QBrush &getBgBrush(Role zone);
     QBrush getExtraBgBrush(Role zone, int zoneId = 0);