diff --git a/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts b/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts
index de4510085..8a67b84a4 100644
--- a/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts
+++ b/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ import {
   deepAssign,
   MapRenderer,
   preloadAtlasData,
+  type RenderSettings,
 } from "./render/gl";
 import { ALL_UNIT_TYPES, UnitState } from "./render/types";
 import { SoundManager } from "./sound/SoundManager";
@@ -256,6 +257,7 @@ export function joinLobby(
 function createWebGLView(
   terrainMap: TerrainMapData,
   config: Config,
+  settings: RenderSettings,
 ): {
   view: MapRenderer;
   glCanvas: HTMLCanvasElement;
@@ -311,6 +313,7 @@ function createWebGLView(
     terrainBytes,
     palette,
     config,
+    settings,
     captureRaf,
     captureCaf,
   );
@@ -485,9 +488,21 @@ async function createClientGame(
 
   const soundManager = new SoundManager(eventBus, userSettings);
   try {
+    // Resolve render settings (defaults + user overrides) up front so the
+    // renderer is built with the final values — no construct-with-defaults,
+    // re-apply-overrides dance, and texture-baking passes (terrain) get the
+    // right colors on the first build.
+    const resolveRenderSettings = (): RenderSettings => {
+      const settings = createRenderSettings();
+      applyGraphicsOverrides(settings, userSettings.graphicsOverrides());
+      applyDarkModeOverride(settings, userSettings.darkMode());
+      return settings;
+    };
+
     const { view, glCanvas, cachedWebGLFrameCallback } = createWebGLView(
       gameMap,
       config,
+      resolveRenderSettings(),
     );
 
     view.setShowPatterns(userSettings.territoryPatterns());
@@ -497,11 +512,10 @@ async function createClientGame(
     );
 
     const graphicsListenerAbort = new AbortController();
+    // Re-resolve settings and copy them onto the renderer's live object in
+    // place (passes hold a reference to it, so they pick the change up).
     const regenerateRenderSettings = (): void => {
-      const live = view.getSettings();
-      deepAssign(live, createRenderSettings());
-      applyGraphicsOverrides(live, userSettings.graphicsOverrides());
-      applyDarkModeOverride(live, userSettings.darkMode());
+      deepAssign(view.getSettings(), resolveRenderSettings());
     };
     // Re-apply render settings, then re-theme and recolor players, on a
     // graphics-override change (covers a theme switch such as colorblind mode).
@@ -513,7 +527,8 @@ async function createClientGame(
       gameView.refreshPlayerColors();
       webglBuilder.refreshPalette(gameView);
     };
-    regenerateRenderSettings();
+    // No initial regenerate needed — the renderer was constructed with the
+    // resolved settings above.
     globalThis.addEventListener(
       `${USER_SETTINGS_CHANGED_EVENT}:${GRAPHICS_KEY}`,
       onGraphicsChanged,
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/MapRenderer.ts b/src/client/render/gl/MapRenderer.ts
index 4ecc9c31b..423b9189a 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/MapRenderer.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/MapRenderer.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ export class MapRenderer {
     private terrainBytes: Uint8Array,
     private paletteData: Float32Array,
     private config: Config,
+    // Resolved render settings (defaults + overrides). Held so the same object
+    // is re-used when a GPURenderer is recreated after a context restore,
+    // preserving any user overrides that were applied to it.
+    private settings: RenderSettings,
     private raf?: typeof requestAnimationFrame,
     private caf?: typeof cancelAnimationFrame,
   ) {
@@ -78,6 +82,7 @@ export class MapRenderer {
       this.terrainBytes,
       this.paletteData,
       this.config,
+      this.settings,
       this.raf,
       this.caf,
     );
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts b/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts
index a5d651228..3231204b5 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ import { TerritoryPass } from "./passes/TerritoryPass";
 import { TrailPass } from "./passes/TrailPass";
 import { UnitPass } from "./passes/UnitPass";
 import { WorldTextPass } from "./passes/WorldTextPass";
-import { createRenderSettings, type RenderSettings } from "./RenderSettings";
+import type { RenderSettings } from "./RenderSettings";
 import { AffiliationPalette } from "./utils/Affiliation";
 import { buildTerrainRGBA, getPaletteSize } from "./utils/ColorUtils";
 import {
@@ -180,11 +180,15 @@ export class GPURenderer {
     terrainBytes: Uint8Array,
     paletteData: Float32Array,
     config: Config,
+    settings: RenderSettings,
     raf: typeof requestAnimationFrame = requestAnimationFrame.bind(window),
     caf: typeof cancelAnimationFrame = cancelAnimationFrame.bind(window),
   ) {
     this.canvas = canvas;
-    this.settings = createRenderSettings();
+    // Settings are resolved (defaults + user overrides) by the caller and
+    // passed in, so every pass — including texture-baking ones like terrain —
+    // is built with the final values. Live changes mutate this object in place.
+    this.settings = settings;
     this.raf = raf;
     this.caf = caf;