diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
index 5274c2801..222f3880b 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
@@ -2930,7 +2930,29 @@ pub const TYPABLE_COMMAND_LIST: &[TypableCommand] = &[
         aliases: &[],
         doc: "Change the editor theme (show current theme if no name specified).",
         fun: theme,
-        completer: CommandCompleter::positional(&[completers::theme]),
+        completer: CommandCompleter::positional(&[|_editor, input| completers::theme(_editor, input, "all")]),
+        signature: Signature {
+            positionals: (0, Some(1)),
+            ..Signature::DEFAULT
+        },
+    },
+    TypableCommand {
+        name: "theme-dark",
+        aliases: &[],
+        doc: "Change the editor theme to a dark theme (show current theme if no name specified).",
+        fun: theme,
+        completer: CommandCompleter::positional(&[|_editor, input| completers::theme(_editor, input, "dark")]),
+        signature: Signature {
+            positionals: (0, Some(1)),
+            ..Signature::DEFAULT
+        },
+    },
+    TypableCommand {
+        name: "theme-light",
+        aliases: &[],
+        doc: "Change the editor theme to a light theme (show current theme if no name specified).",
+        fun: theme,
+        completer: CommandCompleter::positional(&[|_editor, input| completers::theme(_editor, input, "light")]),
         signature: Signature {
             positionals: (0, Some(1)),
             ..Signature::DEFAULT
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
index a76adbe21..a5cd7443e 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
@@ -399,13 +399,33 @@ pub mod completers {
             .collect()
     }
 
-    pub fn theme(_editor: &Editor, input: &str) -> Vec<Completion> {
-        let mut names = theme::Loader::read_names(&helix_loader::config_dir().join("themes"));
+    pub fn theme(_editor: &Editor, input: &str, themes_type : &str) -> Vec<Completion> {
+        let themes_dirs = match themes_type {
+            "dark" => vec!["themes/dark"],
+            "light" => vec!["themes/light"],
+            // The first element should not have any effect
+            _ => vec!["themes","themes/light","themes/dark"]
+        };
+
+        let mut names = Vec::new();
         for rt_dir in helix_loader::runtime_dirs() {
-            names.extend(theme::Loader::read_names(&rt_dir.join("themes")));
-        }
-        names.push("default".into());
-        names.push("base16_default".into());
+            for themes_dir in &themes_dirs {
+                names.extend(theme::Loader::read_names(&rt_dir.join(themes_dir)));
+            };
+        };
+
+        for themes_dir in &themes_dirs {
+            names.extend(theme::Loader::read_names(&helix_loader::config_dir().join(themes_dir)));
+        };
+        
+        match themes_type {
+            "light" => (),
+            "dark" => { names.push("default".into());
+            },
+            _ => { names.push("base16_default".into());
+                names.push("default".into());
+            }
+        };
         names.sort();
         names.dedup();
 
diff --git a/helix-view/src/theme.rs b/helix-view/src/theme.rs
index af8f03bca..5b23c0037 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/theme.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/theme.rs
@@ -40,17 +40,25 @@ pub struct Loader {
     /// Theme directories to search from highest to lowest priority
     theme_dirs: Vec<PathBuf>,
 }
+
 impl Loader {
     /// Creates a new loader that can load themes from multiple directories.
     ///
     /// The provided directories should be ordered from highest to lowest priority.
-    /// The directories will have their "themes" subdirectory searched.
+    /// The directories will have their "themes/dark", "themes/light" and "themes" subdirectory searched.
     pub fn new(dirs: &[PathBuf]) -> Self {
+        let theme_dirs: Vec<_> = dirs.iter()
+            .flat_map(|p| {
+                vec![p.join("themes/dark"), p.join("themes/light"), p.join("themes")]
+            })
+            .collect();
+
         Self {
-            theme_dirs: dirs.iter().map(|p| p.join("themes")).collect(),
+            theme_dirs,
         }
     }
 
+
     /// Loads a theme searching directories in priority order.
     pub fn load(&self, name: &str) -> Result<Theme> {
         let (theme, warnings) = self.load_with_warnings(name)?;