diff --git a/doc/api_assets/api.js b/doc/api_assets/api.js
index 8b40042f85cbae..394b5ba990946c 100644
--- a/doc/api_assets/api.js
+++ b/doc/api_assets/api.js
@@ -24,12 +24,6 @@
           );
         }
       }
-
-      if (mq.matches) {
-        document.documentElement.classList.add('dark-mode');
-      }
-    } else if (storedTheme === 'dark') {
-      document.documentElement.classList.add('dark-mode');
     }
 
     if (themeToggleButton) {
diff --git a/doc/template.html b/doc/template.html
index fb334852aba434..658c8d94cd0723 100644
--- a/doc/template.html
+++ b/doc/template.html
@@ -10,6 +10,19 @@
   <link rel="stylesheet" href="assets/hljs.css">
   <link rel="canonical" href="https://nodejs.org/api/__FILENAME__.html">
   <script async defer src="assets/api.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
+  <script>
+      const storedTheme = localStorage.getItem('theme');
+
+      // Follow operating system theme preference
+      if (storedTheme === null && window.matchMedia) {
+        const mq = window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)');
+        if (mq.matches) {
+          document.documentElement.classList.add('dark-mode');
+        }
+      } else if (storedTheme === 'dark') {
+        document.documentElement.classList.add('dark-mode');
+      }
+  </script>
   __JS_FLAVORED_DYNAMIC_CSS__
 </head>
 <body class="alt apidoc" id="api-section-__FILENAME__">
