diff --git a/bin/switch-color-mode b/bin/switch-color-mode
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..30ccf9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/switch-color-mode
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -o nounset
+
+set -x
+
+apply() {
+    local mode="${1}"
+
+    case "${mode}" in
+        dark)
+            theme=monokai
+            ;;
+        light)
+            theme=github_light
+            ;;
+    esac
+
+    sed -i "s#themes/.*\.toml#themes/${theme}.toml#" "${XDG_CONFIG_HOME}/alacritty/config.toml"
+
+    sed -i "s#theme = .*\$#theme = \"${theme}\"#" "${XDG_CONFIG_HOME}/helix/config.toml"
+
+    pkill -SIGUSR1 helix
+
+    printf '%s' "${mode}" > "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}"/color_mode
+}
+
+case "${1:-}" in
+    dark)
+        apply dark
+        ;;
+    light)
+        apply light
+        ;;
+    *)
+        exit 1
+        ;;
+esac
diff --git a/services/color-theme-light.service b/services/color-theme-light.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..362aab3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/color-theme-light.service
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[Unit]
+After=windowmanager.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/env switch-color-mode light
+ExecStop=/usr/bin/env switch-color-mode dark
+RemainAfterExit=true
+PassEnvironment=DISPLAY
diff --git a/user.yml b/user.yml
index f8e4142..6a7eb62 100644
--- a/user.yml
+++ b/user.yml
@@ -343,6 +343,21 @@
       loop_control:
         label: "{{ item.profile_path }}"
 
+- name: handle user units
+  tags:
+    - user:units
+  block:
+    - name: link user service files
+      file:
+        state: link
+        force: true
+        follow: false
+        path: "/home/{{ user.name }}/.config/systemd/user/{{ item | basename }}"
+        src: "{{ item }}"
+        owner: "{{ user.name }}"
+        group: "{{ user.name }}"
+      with_fileglob: /var/lib/dotfiles/services/*
+
 - name: handle autostart units
   tags:
     - user:autostart