diff --git a/server/router/api/v1/user_service.go b/server/router/api/v1/user_service.go
index e00d69a4d..b963880a0 100644
--- a/server/router/api/v1/user_service.go
+++ b/server/router/api/v1/user_service.go
@@ -372,30 +372,27 @@ func (s *APIV1Service) UpdateUserSetting(ctx context.Context, request *v1pb.Upda
 		return nil, status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "invalid setting key: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	// get existing user setting
-	existingUserSetting, err := s.Store.GetUserSetting(ctx, &store.FindUserSetting{
-		UserID: &userID,
-		Key:    storeKey,
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	if existingUserSetting == nil {
-		return nil, status.Errorf(codes.NotFound, "%s not found", storeKey.String())
-	}
-
 	// Only GENERAL settings are supported via UpdateUserSetting
 	// Other setting types have dedicated service methods
 	if storeKey != storepb.UserSetting_GENERAL {
 		return nil, status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "setting type %s should not be updated via UpdateUserSetting", storeKey.String())
 	}
 
-	// Start with existing general setting values
-	existingGeneral := existingUserSetting.GetGeneral()
+	existingUserSetting, _ := s.Store.GetUserSetting(ctx, &store.FindUserSetting{
+		UserID: &userID,
+		Key:    storeKey,
+	})
+
+	generalSetting := &storepb.GeneralUserSetting{}
+	if existingUserSetting != nil {
+		// Start with existing general setting values
+		generalSetting = existingUserSetting.GetGeneral()
+	}
+
 	updatedGeneral := &v1pb.UserSetting_GeneralSetting{
-		MemoVisibility: existingGeneral.GetMemoVisibility(),
-		Locale:         existingGeneral.GetLocale(),
-		Theme:          existingGeneral.GetTheme(),
+		MemoVisibility: generalSetting.GetMemoVisibility(),
+		Locale:         generalSetting.GetLocale(),
+		Theme:          generalSetting.GetTheme(),
 	}
 
 	// Apply updates for fields specified in the update mask
diff --git a/web/src/utils/theme.ts b/web/src/utils/theme.ts
index aa1177e8c..75570b0a6 100644
--- a/web/src/utils/theme.ts
+++ b/web/src/utils/theme.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import defaultDarkThemeContent from "../themes/default-dark.css?raw";
+import paperThemeContent from "../themes/paper.css?raw";
+import whitewallThemeContent from "../themes/whitewall.css?raw";
 
 const VALID_THEMES = ["default", "default-dark", "paper", "whitewall"] as const;
 type ValidTheme = (typeof VALID_THEMES)[number];
@@ -6,8 +8,8 @@ type ValidTheme = (typeof VALID_THEMES)[number];
 const THEME_CONTENT: Record<ValidTheme, string | null> = {
   default: null,
   "default-dark": defaultDarkThemeContent,
-  paper: null,
-  whitewall: null,
+  paper: paperThemeContent,
+  whitewall: whitewallThemeContent,
 };
 
 const validateTheme = (theme: string): ValidTheme => {