diff --git a/dot_config/kitty/dark-theme.auto.conf b/dot_config/kitty/dark-theme.auto.conf
deleted file mode 100644
index 8246ce5..0000000
--- a/dot_config/kitty/dark-theme.auto.conf
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,67 +0,0 @@
-## APEX NEON - KITTY THEME ##
-## Spec-accurate: color = state, not decoration
-
-# --- Core ---
-foreground            #ededed
-background            #050505
-
-# Selection: "target locked"
-selection_background  #ff0044
-selection_foreground  #050505
-
-# Cursor: Razor Red beam
-cursor                #ff0044
-cursor_text_color     #050505
-cursor_shape          beam
-
-# URLs: informational cyan
-url_color             #00eaff
-
-# Borders (optional)
-active_border_color   #ff0044
-inactive_border_color #262626
-
-# Optional: subtle UI hint for visual bell
-visual_bell_color     #ff8899
-
-# Spacing
-window_padding_width  4
-
-# --- 16-COLOR ANSI TABLE (Apex Neon spec) ---
-
-# Normal bank (0–7)
-# color0: Black (Void)
-color0   #050505
-# color1: Red (Razor)
-color1   #ff0044
-# color2: Green (OK)
-color2   #00ff99
-# color3: Yellow (Gold)
-color3   #ffb700
-# color4: Blue (Info)
-color4   #00eaff
-# color5: Magenta (Purple)
-color5   #9d00ff
-# color6: Cyan (Info mapped)
-color6   #00eaff
-# color7: White (Stark)
-color7   #ededed
-
-# Bright bank (8–15)
-# color8: Bright black (UI separators)
-color8   #262626
-# color9: Bright red (Alerts)
-color9   #ff8899
-# color10: Bright green (Active success)
-color10  #2bffb2
-# color11: Bright yellow (Urgent warning)
-color11  #ffd24d
-# color12: Bright blue (Active info)
-color12  #5af3ff
-# color13: Bright magenta (Elevated special)
-color13  #c84dff
-# color14: Bright cyan (Active tech signal)
-color14  #5af3ff
-# color15: Bright white (Extreme highlight)
-color15  #ffffff
-
diff --git a/dot_config/kitty/kitty.conf b/dot_config/kitty/kitty.conf
index 3d26b53..46ef493 100644
--- a/dot_config/kitty/kitty.conf
+++ b/dot_config/kitty/kitty.conf
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
 # vim:fileencoding=utf-8
 
 globinclude kitty.d/**/*.conf
+
+# Apex Neon theme — kept last so its colors win. Path is relative to this
+# config dir, which resolves reliably (unlike a ../ include from kitty.d/).
+include themes/apex-neon.conf
diff --git a/dot_config/kitty/kitty.d/90-theme.conf b/dot_config/kitty/kitty.d/90-theme.conf
index 472411e..7e41842 100644
--- a/dot_config/kitty/kitty.d/90-theme.conf
+++ b/dot_config/kitty/kitty.d/90-theme.conf
@@ -1,4 +1,2 @@
-# BEGIN_KITTY_THEME
-# Rose Pine
-include current-theme.conf
-# END_KITTY_THEME
+# Theme is loaded from kitty.conf (include themes/apex-neon.conf).
+# Left intentionally empty to avoid a second, ambiguous include path.