diff --git a/modules/insight/src/main/Share.scala b/modules/insight/src/main/Share.scala
index 1bbf212fde..dd19566b27 100644
--- a/modules/insight/src/main/Share.scala
+++ b/modules/insight/src/main/Share.scala
@@ -9,20 +9,18 @@ final class Share(
     relationApi: lila.relation.RelationApi
 )(implicit ec: scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext) {
 
-  def getPrefId(insighted: User) = prefApi.getPrefById(insighted.id) dmap (_.insightShare)
+  def getPrefId(insighted: User) = prefApi.getPref(insighted.id, _.insightShare)
 
   def grant(insighted: User, to: Option[User]): Fu[Boolean] =
     if (to ?? Granter(_.SeeInsight)) fuTrue
     else
-      prefApi.getPrefById(insighted.id) flatMap { pref =>
-        pref.insightShare match {
-          case _ if to.contains(insighted) => fuTrue
-          case Pref.InsightShare.EVERYBODY => fuTrue
-          case Pref.InsightShare.FRIENDS =>
-            to ?? { t =>
-              relationApi.fetchAreFriends(insighted.id, t.id)
-            }
-          case Pref.InsightShare.NOBODY => fuFalse
-        }
+      getPrefId(insighted) flatMap {
+        case _ if to.contains(insighted) => fuTrue
+        case Pref.InsightShare.EVERYBODY => fuTrue
+        case Pref.InsightShare.FRIENDS =>
+          to ?? { t =>
+            relationApi.fetchAreFriends(insighted.id, t.id)
+          }
+        case Pref.InsightShare.NOBODY => fuFalse
       }
 }
diff --git a/modules/pref/src/main/Pref.scala b/modules/pref/src/main/Pref.scala
index 108f709ead..bc4ef91564 100644
--- a/modules/pref/src/main/Pref.scala
+++ b/modules/pref/src/main/Pref.scala
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 package lila.pref
 
+import org.joda.time.DateTime
+
+import lila.user.User
+
 case class Pref(
     _id: String, // user id
     bg: Int,
@@ -413,11 +417,18 @@ object Pref {
   object Zen     extends BooleanPref {}
   object Ratings extends BooleanPref {}
 
-  def create(id: String) = default.copy(_id = id)
+  val darkByDefaultSince = new DateTime(2021, 11, 7, 8, 0)
+
+  def create(id: User.ID) = default.copy(_id = id)
+
+  def create(user: User) = default.copy(
+    _id = user.id,
+    bg = if (user.createdAt isAfter darkByDefaultSince) Bg.DARK else Bg.LIGHT
+  )
 
   lazy val default = Pref(
     _id = "",
-    bg = Bg.LIGHT,
+    bg = Bg.DARK,
     bgImg = none,
     is3d = false,
     theme = Theme.default.name,
diff --git a/modules/pref/src/main/PrefApi.scala b/modules/pref/src/main/PrefApi.scala
index 3aee2d168c..b029cd4311 100644
--- a/modules/pref/src/main/PrefApi.scala
+++ b/modules/pref/src/main/PrefApi.scala
@@ -37,13 +37,16 @@ final class PrefApi(
         .void >>- { cache invalidate user.id }
   } >>- { cache invalidate user.id }
 
-  def getPrefById(id: User.ID): Fu[Pref]    = cache get id dmap (_ getOrElse Pref.create(id))
-  val getPref                               = getPrefById _
-  def getPref(user: User): Fu[Pref]         = getPref(user.id)
-  def getPref(user: Option[User]): Fu[Pref] = user.fold(fuccess(Pref.default))(getPref)
+  def getPrefById(id: User.ID): Fu[Option[Pref]] = cache get id
 
-  def getPref[A](user: User, pref: Pref => A): Fu[A]      = getPref(user) dmap pref
-  def getPref[A](userId: User.ID, pref: Pref => A): Fu[A] = getPref(userId) dmap pref
+  def getPref(user: User): Fu[Pref] = cache get user.id dmap {
+    _ getOrElse Pref.create(user)
+  }
+
+  def getPref[A](user: User, pref: Pref => A): Fu[A] = getPref(user) dmap pref
+
+  def getPref[A](userId: User.ID, pref: Pref => A): Fu[A] =
+    getPrefById(userId).dmap(p => pref(p | Pref.default))
 
   def getPref(user: User, req: RequestHeader): Fu[Pref] =
     getPref(user) dmap RequestPref.queryParamOverride(req)
@@ -81,9 +84,6 @@ final class PrefApi(
   def setPref(user: User, change: Pref => Pref): Funit =
     getPref(user) map change flatMap setPref
 
-  def setPref(userId: User.ID, change: Pref => Pref): Funit =
-    getPref(userId) map change flatMap setPref
-
   def setPrefString(user: User, name: String, value: String): Funit =
     getPref(user) map { _.set(name, value) } orFail
       s"Bad pref ${user.id} $name -> $value" flatMap setPref
diff --git a/modules/round/src/main/Drawer.scala b/modules/round/src/main/Drawer.scala
index 5ff6135c7f..09bda554e9 100644
--- a/modules/round/src/main/Drawer.scala
+++ b/modules/round/src/main/Drawer.scala
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ final private[round] class Drawer(
         import Pref.PrefZero
         if (game.playerHasOfferedDrawRecently(pov.color)) fuccess(pov.some)
         else
-          pov.player.userId ?? prefApi.getPref map { pref =>
-            pref.autoThreefold == Pref.AutoThreefold.ALWAYS || {
-              pref.autoThreefold == Pref.AutoThreefold.TIME &&
+          pov.player.userId ?? { uid => prefApi.getPref(uid, _.autoThreefold) } map { autoThreefold =>
+            autoThreefold == Pref.AutoThreefold.ALWAYS || {
+              autoThreefold == Pref.AutoThreefold.TIME &&
               game.clock ?? { _.remainingTime(pov.color) < Centis.ofSeconds(30) }
             } || pov.player.userId.exists(isBotSync)
           } map (_ option pov)