diff --git a/abstract_client.cpp b/abstract_client.cpp
index 6155e25fc8..e69a35bdb5 100644
--- a/abstract_client.cpp
+++ b/abstract_client.cpp
@@ -742,14 +742,25 @@ const Decoration::DecorationPalette *AbstractClient::decorationPalette() const
     return m_palette.get();
 }
 
-void AbstractClient::updateColorScheme(QString path)
+QString AbstractClient::preferredColorScheme() const
 {
-    if (path.isEmpty()) {
-        path = QStringLiteral("kdeglobals");
+    return rules()->checkDecoColor(QString());
+}
+
+QString AbstractClient::colorScheme() const
+{
+    return m_colorScheme;
+}
+
+void AbstractClient::setColorScheme(const QString &colorScheme)
+{
+    QString requestedColorScheme = colorScheme;
+    if (requestedColorScheme.isEmpty()) {
+        requestedColorScheme = QStringLiteral("kdeglobals");
     }
 
-    if (!m_palette || m_colorScheme != path) {
-        m_colorScheme = path;
+    if (!m_palette || m_colorScheme != requestedColorScheme) {
+        m_colorScheme = requestedColorScheme;
 
         if (m_palette) {
             disconnect(m_palette.get(), &Decoration::DecorationPalette::changed, this, &AbstractClient::handlePaletteChange);
@@ -784,6 +795,11 @@ void AbstractClient::updateColorScheme(QString path)
     }
 }
 
+void AbstractClient::updateColorScheme()
+{
+    setColorScheme(preferredColorScheme());
+}
+
 void AbstractClient::handlePaletteChange()
 {
     emit paletteChanged(palette());
diff --git a/abstract_client.h b/abstract_client.h
index 0d065dddb2..c3b011da25 100644
--- a/abstract_client.h
+++ b/abstract_client.h
@@ -797,9 +797,10 @@ public:
     QString applicationMenuObjectPath() const {
         return m_applicationMenuObjectPath;
     }
-    QString colorScheme() const {
-        return m_colorScheme;
-    }
+
+    virtual QString preferredColorScheme() const;
+    QString colorScheme() const;
+    void setColorScheme(const QString &colorScheme);
 
     /**
      * Request showing the application menu bar
@@ -975,10 +976,7 @@ protected:
 
     void setupWindowManagementInterface();
     void destroyWindowManagementInterface();
-
-    void updateColorScheme(QString path);
-    virtual void updateColorScheme() = 0;
-
+    void updateColorScheme();
     void setTransientFor(AbstractClient *transientFor);
     /**
      * Just removes the @p cl from the transients without any further checks.
diff --git a/inputpanelv1client.h b/inputpanelv1client.h
index 93b127d5a9..95e538421d 100644
--- a/inputpanelv1client.h
+++ b/inputpanelv1client.h
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ public:
     bool supportsWindowRules() const override { return false; }
     void closeWindow() override {}
     bool takeFocus() override { return false; }
-    void updateColorScheme() override {}
     bool wantsInput() const override { return false; }
     bool isInputMethod() const override { return true; }
     bool isInitialPositionSet() const override { return true; }
diff --git a/internal_client.cpp b/internal_client.cpp
index da9b301b29..91d3615389 100644
--- a/internal_client.cpp
+++ b/internal_client.cpp
@@ -384,11 +384,6 @@ void InternalClient::updateDecoration(bool check_workspace_pos, bool force)
     }
 }
 
-void InternalClient::updateColorScheme()
-{
-    AbstractClient::updateColorScheme(QString());
-}
-
 void InternalClient::showOnScreenEdge()
 {
 }
diff --git a/internal_client.h b/internal_client.h
index 083d591e5e..ae6dbd4155 100644
--- a/internal_client.h
+++ b/internal_client.h
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ public:
     bool takeFocus() override;
     void setNoBorder(bool set) override;
     void updateDecoration(bool check_workspace_pos, bool force = false) override;
-    void updateColorScheme() override;
     void showOnScreenEdge() override;
     void destroyClient() override;
 
diff --git a/x11client.cpp b/x11client.cpp
index eb0a0ffaef..a492168292 100644
--- a/x11client.cpp
+++ b/x11client.cpp
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ bool X11Client::manage(xcb_window_t w, bool isMapped)
     auto wmClientLeaderCookie = fetchWmClientLeader();
     auto skipCloseAnimationCookie = fetchSkipCloseAnimation();
     auto showOnScreenEdgeCookie = fetchShowOnScreenEdge();
-    auto colorSchemeCookie = fetchColorScheme();
+    auto colorSchemeCookie = fetchPreferredColorScheme();
     auto firstInTabBoxCookie = fetchFirstInTabBox();
     auto transientCookie = fetchTransient();
     auto activitiesCookie = fetchActivities();
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ bool X11Client::manage(xcb_window_t w, bool isMapped)
 
     // Create client group if the window will have a decoration
     bool dontKeepInArea = false;
-    readColorScheme(colorSchemeCookie);
+    setColorScheme(readPreferredColorScheme(colorSchemeCookie));
 
     readApplicationMenuServiceName(applicationMenuServiceNameCookie);
     readApplicationMenuObjectPath(applicationMenuObjectPathCookie);
@@ -2552,20 +2552,20 @@ void X11Client::updateFirstInTabBox()
     readFirstInTabBox(property);
 }
 
-Xcb::StringProperty X11Client::fetchColorScheme() const
+Xcb::StringProperty X11Client::fetchPreferredColorScheme() const
 {
     return Xcb::StringProperty(m_client, atoms->kde_color_sheme);
 }
 
-void X11Client::readColorScheme(Xcb::StringProperty &property)
+QString X11Client::readPreferredColorScheme(Xcb::StringProperty &property) const
 {
-    AbstractClient::updateColorScheme(rules()->checkDecoColor(QString::fromUtf8(property)));
+    return rules()->checkDecoColor(QString::fromUtf8(property));
 }
 
-void X11Client::updateColorScheme()
+QString X11Client::preferredColorScheme() const
 {
-    Xcb::StringProperty property = fetchColorScheme();
-    readColorScheme(property);
+    Xcb::StringProperty property = fetchPreferredColorScheme();
+    return readPreferredColorScheme(property);
 }
 
 bool X11Client::isClient() const
diff --git a/x11client.h b/x11client.h
index affe77de92..843341b581 100644
--- a/x11client.h
+++ b/x11client.h
@@ -264,9 +264,9 @@ public:
     Xcb::Property fetchFirstInTabBox() const;
     void readFirstInTabBox(Xcb::Property &property);
     void updateFirstInTabBox();
-    Xcb::StringProperty fetchColorScheme() const;
-    void readColorScheme(Xcb::StringProperty &property);
-    void updateColorScheme() override;
+    Xcb::StringProperty fetchPreferredColorScheme() const;
+    QString readPreferredColorScheme(Xcb::StringProperty &property) const;
+    QString preferredColorScheme() const override;
 
     //sets whether the client should be faked as being on all activities (and be shown during session save)
     void setSessionActivityOverride(bool needed);
diff --git a/xdgshellclient.cpp b/xdgshellclient.cpp
index 7b27e08872..f07557ad43 100644
--- a/xdgshellclient.cpp
+++ b/xdgshellclient.cpp
@@ -1326,13 +1326,12 @@ void XdgToplevelClient::updateFullScreenMode(bool set)
     emit fullScreenChanged();
 }
 
-void XdgToplevelClient::updateColorScheme()
+QString XdgToplevelClient::preferredColorScheme() const
 {
     if (m_paletteInterface) {
-        AbstractClient::updateColorScheme(rules()->checkDecoColor(m_paletteInterface->palette()));
-    } else {
-        AbstractClient::updateColorScheme(rules()->checkDecoColor(QString()));
+        return rules()->checkDecoColor(m_paletteInterface->palette());
     }
+    return rules()->checkDecoColor(QString());
 }
 
 void XdgToplevelClient::installAppMenu(AppMenuInterface *appMenu)
@@ -1390,16 +1389,11 @@ void XdgToplevelClient::installPalette(ServerSideDecorationPaletteInterface *pal
 {
     m_paletteInterface = palette;
 
-    auto updatePalette = [this](const QString &palette) {
-        AbstractClient::updateColorScheme(rules()->checkDecoColor(palette));
-    };
-    connect(m_paletteInterface, &ServerSideDecorationPaletteInterface::paletteChanged, this, [=](const QString &palette) {
-        updatePalette(palette);
-    });
-    connect(m_paletteInterface, &QObject::destroyed, this, [=]() {
-        updatePalette(QString());
-    });
-    updatePalette(palette->palette());
+    connect(m_paletteInterface, &ServerSideDecorationPaletteInterface::paletteChanged,
+            this, &XdgToplevelClient::updateColorScheme);
+    connect(m_paletteInterface, &QObject::destroyed,
+            this, &XdgToplevelClient::updateColorScheme);
+    updateColorScheme();
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2018,11 +2012,6 @@ void XdgPopupClient::closeWindow()
 {
 }
 
-void XdgPopupClient::updateColorScheme()
-{
-    AbstractClient::updateColorScheme(QString());
-}
-
 bool XdgPopupClient::noBorder() const
 {
     return true;
diff --git a/xdgshellclient.h b/xdgshellclient.h
index 6e5e2dcb3a..8892f230d9 100644
--- a/xdgshellclient.h
+++ b/xdgshellclient.h
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ public:
     bool noBorder() const override;
     void setNoBorder(bool set) override;
     void updateDecoration(bool check_workspace_pos, bool force = false) override;
-    void updateColorScheme() override;
+    QString preferredColorScheme() const override;
     bool supportsWindowRules() const override;
     bool takeFocus() override;
     bool wantsInput() const override;
@@ -246,7 +246,6 @@ public:
     QRect transientPlacement(const QRect &bounds) const override;
     bool isCloseable() const override;
     void closeWindow() override;
-    void updateColorScheme() override;
     bool noBorder() const override;
     bool userCanSetNoBorder() const override;
     void setNoBorder(bool set) override;