diff --git a/config/parser.go b/config/parser.go
index 276e93b0..4b46b19e 100644
--- a/config/parser.go
+++ b/config/parser.go
@@ -143,22 +143,22 @@ type HexColor string
 
 type ColorThemeText struct {
 	Primary   HexColor `yaml:"primary"   validate:"omitempty,hexcolor"`
-	Secondary HexColor `yaml:"secondary" validate:"hexcolor"`
-	Inverted  HexColor `yaml:"inverted"  validate:"hexcolor"`
-	Faint     HexColor `yaml:"faint"     validate:"hexcolor"`
-	Warning   HexColor `yaml:"warning"   validate:"hexcolor"`
-	Success   HexColor `yaml:"success"   validate:"hexcolor"`
+	Secondary HexColor `yaml:"secondary" validate:"omitempty,hexcolor"`
+	Inverted  HexColor `yaml:"inverted"  validate:"omitempty,hexcolor"`
+	Faint     HexColor `yaml:"faint"     validate:"omitempty,hexcolor"`
+	Warning   HexColor `yaml:"warning"   validate:"omitempty,hexcolor"`
+	Success   HexColor `yaml:"success"   validate:"omitempty,hexcolor"`
 	Error     HexColor `yaml:"error"     validate:"omitempty,hexcolor"`
 }
 
 type ColorThemeBorder struct {
-	Primary   HexColor `yaml:"primary"   validate:"hexcolor"`
-	Secondary HexColor `yaml:"secondary" validate:"hexcolor"`
-	Faint     HexColor `yaml:"faint"     validate:"hexcolor"`
+	Primary   HexColor `yaml:"primary"   validate:"omitempty,hexcolor"`
+	Secondary HexColor `yaml:"secondary" validate:"omitempty,hexcolor"`
+	Faint     HexColor `yaml:"faint"     validate:"omitempty,hexcolor"`
 }
 
 type ColorThemeBackground struct {
-	Selected HexColor `yaml:"selected" validate:"hexcolor"`
+	Selected HexColor `yaml:"selected" validate:"omitempty,hexcolor"`
 }
 
 type ColorTheme struct {
@@ -296,13 +296,6 @@ func (parser ConfigParser) getDefaultConfig() Config {
 		},
 		RepoPaths: map[string]string{},
 		Theme: &ThemeConfig{
-			Colors: &ColorThemeConfig{
-				Inline: ColorTheme{
-					Text: ColorThemeText{
-						Error: "#F7768E",
-					},
-				},
-			},
 			Ui: UIThemeConfig{
 				SectionsShowCount: true,
 				Table: TableUIThemeConfig{
diff --git a/ui/theme/theme.go b/ui/theme/theme.go
index 0c9078e6..0af8c237 100644
--- a/ui/theme/theme.go
+++ b/ui/theme/theme.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package theme
 
 import (
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/lipgloss"
+	"github.com/charmbracelet/log"
 
 	"github.com/dlvhdr/gh-dash/v4/config"
 )
@@ -35,7 +36,10 @@ var DefaultTheme = &Theme{
 }
 
 func ParseTheme(cfg *config.Config) Theme {
-	_shimHex := func(hex config.HexColor) lipgloss.AdaptiveColor {
+	_shimHex := func(hex config.HexColor, fallback lipgloss.AdaptiveColor) lipgloss.AdaptiveColor {
+		if hex == "" {
+			return fallback
+		}
 		return lipgloss.AdaptiveColor{Light: string(hex), Dark: string(hex)}
 	}
 
@@ -43,25 +47,52 @@ func ParseTheme(cfg *config.Config) Theme {
 		DefaultTheme = &Theme{
 			SelectedBackground: _shimHex(
 				cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Background.Selected,
+				DefaultTheme.SelectedBackground,
 			),
 			PrimaryBorder: _shimHex(
 				cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Border.Primary,
+				DefaultTheme.PrimaryBorder,
+			),
+			FaintBorder: _shimHex(
+				cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Border.Faint,
+				DefaultTheme.FaintBorder,
 			),
-			FaintBorder: _shimHex(cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Border.Faint),
 			SecondaryBorder: _shimHex(
 				cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Border.Secondary,
+				DefaultTheme.SecondaryBorder,
+			),
+			FaintText: _shimHex(
+				cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Faint,
+				DefaultTheme.FaintText,
+			),
+			PrimaryText: _shimHex(
+				cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Primary,
+				DefaultTheme.PrimaryText,
 			),
-			FaintText:   _shimHex(cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Faint),
-			PrimaryText: _shimHex(cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Primary),
 			SecondaryText: _shimHex(
 				cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Secondary,
+				DefaultTheme.SecondaryText,
+			),
+			InvertedText: _shimHex(
+				cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Inverted,
+				DefaultTheme.InvertedText,
+			),
+			SuccessText: _shimHex(
+				cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Success,
+				DefaultTheme.SuccessText,
+			),
+			WarningText: _shimHex(
+				cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Warning,
+				DefaultTheme.WarningText,
+			),
+			ErrorText: _shimHex(
+				cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Error,
+				DefaultTheme.ErrorText,
 			),
-			InvertedText: _shimHex(cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Inverted),
-			SuccessText:  _shimHex(cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Success),
-			WarningText:  _shimHex(cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Warning),
-			ErrorText:    _shimHex(cfg.Theme.Colors.Inline.Text.Error),
 		}
 	}
 
+	log.Debug("Parsing theme", "config", cfg.Theme.Colors, "theme", DefaultTheme)
+
 	return *DefaultTheme
 }