diff --git a/assets/completions/_bat.ps1.in b/assets/completions/_bat.ps1.in
index c0c151e1..5635dea2 100644
--- a/assets/completions/_bat.ps1.in
+++ b/assets/completions/_bat.ps1.in
@@ -32,11 +32,14 @@ Register-ArgumentCompleter -Native -CommandName '{{PROJECT_EXECUTABLE}}' -Script
             [CompletionResult]::new('--color', 'color', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'When to use colors (*auto*, never, always).')
             [CompletionResult]::new('--italic-text', 'italic-text', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Use italics in output (always, *never*)')
             [CompletionResult]::new('--decorations', 'decorations', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'When to show the decorations (*auto*, never, always).')
+            [CompletionResult]::new('--detect-color-scheme', 'detect-color-scheme', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'When to detect the terminal''s color scheme (*auto*, never, always).')
             [CompletionResult]::new('--paging', 'paging', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Specify when to use the pager, or use `-P` to disable (*auto*, never, always).')
             [CompletionResult]::new('--pager', 'pager', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Determine which pager to use.')
             [CompletionResult]::new('-m', 'm', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Use the specified syntax for files matching the glob pattern (''*.cpp:C++'').')
             [CompletionResult]::new('--map-syntax', 'map-syntax', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Use the specified syntax for files matching the glob pattern (''*.cpp:C++'').')
             [CompletionResult]::new('--theme', 'theme', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Set the color theme for syntax highlighting.')
+            [CompletionResult]::new('--theme-dark', 'theme', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Set the color theme for syntax highlighting for dark backgrounds.')
+            [CompletionResult]::new('--theme-light', 'theme', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Set the color theme for syntax highlighting for light backgrounds.')
             [CompletionResult]::new('--style', 'style', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Comma-separated list of style elements to display (*default*, auto, full, plain, changes, header, header-filename, header-filesize, grid, rule, numbers, snip).')
             [CompletionResult]::new('-r', 'r', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Only print the lines from N to M.')
             [CompletionResult]::new('--line-range', 'line-range', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Only print the lines from N to M.')
diff --git a/assets/completions/bat.bash.in b/assets/completions/bat.bash.in
index de8651a8..3a52ed92 100644
--- a/assets/completions/bat.bash.in
+++ b/assets/completions/bat.bash.in
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ _bat() {
 		COMPREPLY=($(compgen -W "auto never character" -- "$cur"))
 		return 0
 		;;
-	--color | --decorations | --paging)
+	--color | --decorations | --paging | --detect-color-scheme)
 		COMPREPLY=($(compgen -W "auto never always" -- "$cur"))
 		return 0
 		;;
@@ -111,7 +111,9 @@ _bat() {
 		COMPREPLY=($(compgen -c -- "$cur"))
 		return 0
 		;;
-	--theme)
+	--theme | \
+	--theme-dark | \
+	--theme-light)
 		local IFS=$'\n'
 		COMPREPLY=($(compgen -W "$("$1" --list-themes)" -- "$cur"))
                 __bat_escape_completions
@@ -162,12 +164,15 @@ _bat() {
 			--color
 			--italic-text
 			--decorations
+			--detect-color-scheme
 			--force-colorization
 			--paging
 			--pager
 			--map-syntax
 			--ignored-suffix
 			--theme
+			--theme-dark
+			--theme-light
 			--list-themes
 			--style
 			--line-range
diff --git a/assets/completions/bat.fish.in b/assets/completions/bat.fish.in
index d86ebfe6..c34764b4 100644
--- a/assets/completions/bat.fish.in
+++ b/assets/completions/bat.fish.in
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ set -l color_opts '
 '
 set -l decorations_opts $color_opts
 set -l paging_opts $color_opts
+set -l detect_color_scheme_opts $color_opts
 
 # Include some examples so we can indicate the default.
 set -l pager_opts '
@@ -141,6 +142,8 @@ complete -c $bat -l config-file -f -d "Display location of configuration file" -
 
 complete -c $bat -l decorations -x -a "$decorations_opts" -d "When to use --style decorations" -n __bat_no_excl_args
 
+complete -c $bat -l detect-color-scheme -x -a "$detect_color_scheme_opts" -d "When to detect the terminal's color scheme" -n __bat_no_excl_args
+
 complete -c $bat -l diagnostic -d "Print diagnostic info for bug reports" -n __fish_is_first_arg
 
 complete -c $bat -s d -l diff -d "Only show lines with Git changes" -n __bat_no_excl_args
@@ -203,6 +206,10 @@ complete -c $bat -l terminal-width -x -d "Set terminal <width>, +<offset>, or -<
 
 complete -c $bat -l theme -x -a "(command $bat --list-themes | command cat)" -d "Set the syntax highlighting theme" -n __bat_no_excl_args
 
+complete -c $bat -l theme-dark -x -a "(command $bat --list-themes | command cat)" -d "Set the syntax highlighting theme for dark backgrounds" -n __bat_no_excl_args
+
+complete -c $bat -l theme-light -x -a "(command $bat --list-themes | command cat)" -d "Set the syntax highlighting theme for light backgrounds" -n __bat_no_excl_args
+
 complete -c $bat -s V -l version -f -d "Show version information" -n __fish_is_first_arg
 
 complete -c $bat -l wrap -x -a "$wrap_opts" -d "Text-wrapping mode" -n __bat_no_excl_args
diff --git a/assets/completions/bat.zsh.in b/assets/completions/bat.zsh.in
index 69caceed..e876f035 100644
--- a/assets/completions/bat.zsh.in
+++ b/assets/completions/bat.zsh.in
@@ -40,9 +40,12 @@ _{{PROJECT_EXECUTABLE}}_main() {
         --color='[specify when to use colors]:when:(auto never always)'
         --italic-text='[use italics in output]:when:(always never)'
         --decorations='[specify when to show the decorations]:when:(auto never always)'
+        --detect-color-scheme="[specify when to detect the terminal's color scheme]:when:(auto never always)"
         --paging='[specify when to use the pager]:when:(auto never always)'
         '(-m --map-syntax)'{-m+,--map-syntax=}'[map a glob pattern to an existing syntax name]: :->syntax-maps'
         '(--theme)'--theme='[set the color theme for syntax highlighting]:theme:->themes'
+        '(--theme-dark)'--theme-dark='[set the color theme for syntax highlighting for dark backgrounds]:theme:->themes'
+        '(--theme-light)'--theme-light='[set the color theme for syntax highlighting for light backgrounds]:theme:->themes'
         '(: --list-themes --list-languages -L)'--list-themes'[show all supported highlighting themes]'
         --style='[comma-separated list of style elements to display]: : _values "style [default]"
             default auto full plain changes header header-filename header-filesize grid rule numbers snip'
diff --git a/assets/manual/bat.1.in b/assets/manual/bat.1.in
index b85520da..8e77dd2c 100644
--- a/assets/manual/bat.1.in
+++ b/assets/manual/bat.1.in
@@ -113,6 +113,24 @@ Specify when to use the decorations that have been specified via '\-\-style'. Th
 automatic mode only enables decorations if an interactive terminal is detected. Possible
 values: *auto*, never, always.
 .HP
+\fB\-\-detect\-color\-scheme\fR <when>
+.IP
+Specify when to query the terminal for its colors in order to pick an appropriate syntax
+highlighting theme. Use \fB\-\-theme-light\fP and \fB\-\-theme-dark\fP (or the environment variables
+\fBBAT_THEME_LIGHT\fP and \fBBAT_THEME_DARK\fP) to configure which themes are picked. You can also use
+\fP\-\-theme\fP to set a theme that is used regardless of the terminal's colors.
+.IP
+\fI<when>\fP can be one of:
+.RS
+.IP "\fBauto\fP"
+Only query the terminals colors if the output is not redirected. This is to prevent
+race conditions with pagers such as less.
+.IP "never"
+Never query the terminal for its colors and assume that the terminal has a dark background.
+.IP "always"
+Always query the terminal for its colors, regardless of whether or not the output is redirected.
+.RE
+.HP
 \fB\-f\fR, \fB\-\-force\-colorization\fR
 .IP
 Alias for '--decorations=always --color=always'. This is useful \
@@ -143,9 +161,23 @@ Note that the right-hand side is the *name* of the syntax, not a file extension.
 .HP
 \fB\-\-theme\fR <theme>
 .IP
-Set the theme for syntax highlighting. Use '\-\-list\-themes' to see all available themes.
-To set a default theme, add the '\-\-theme="..."' option to the configuration file or
-export the BAT_THEME environment variable (e.g.: export BAT_THEME="...").
+Set the theme for syntax highlighting. Use \fB\-\-list\-themes\fP to see all available themes.
+To set a default theme, add the \fB\-\-theme="..."\fP option to the configuration file or
+export the \fBBAT_THEME\fP environment variable (e.g.: \fBexport BAT_THEME="..."\fP).
+.HP
+\fB\-\-theme\-dark\fR <theme>
+.IP
+Sets the theme name for syntax highlighting used when the terminal uses a dark background.
+To set a default theme, add the \fB\-\-theme-dark="..."\fP option to the configuration file or 
+export the \fBBAT_THEME_DARK\fP environment variable (e.g. \fBexport BAT_THEME_DARK="..."\fP).
+This option is ignored if \fB\-\-theme\fP option is set.
+.HP
+\fB\-\-theme\-light\fR <theme>
+.IP
+Sets the theme name for syntax highlighting used when the terminal uses a dark background.
+To set a default theme, add the \fB\-\-theme-dark="..."\fP option to the configuration file or 
+export the \fBBAT_THEME_LIGHT\fP environment variable (e.g. \fBexport BAT_THEME_LIGHT="..."\fP).
+This option is ignored if \fB\-\-theme\fP option is set.
 .HP
 \fB\-\-list\-themes\fR
 .IP