diff --git a/core/home/options.nix b/core/home/options.nix
index cd195b0..34f7371 100644
--- a/core/home/options.nix
+++ b/core/home/options.nix
@@ -42,7 +42,11 @@ in
     theme = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.str;
       default = schema.home.theme;
-      description = "System theme name.";
+      description = ''
+        System theme name. This is the declarative source of truth.
+        Changing this and running `nomarchy-env-update` (or a system
+        rebuild) will update the entire desktop.
+      '';
     };
     formFactor = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.enum [ "laptop" "desktop" ];
@@ -120,7 +124,11 @@ in
       monospace = lib.mkOption {
         type = lib.types.str;
         default = schema.home.font;
-        description = "System monospace font.";
+        description = ''
+          System monospace font. This is the declarative source of truth.
+          Changing this and running `nomarchy-env-update` (or a system
+          rebuild) will update the entire desktop.
+        '';
       };
     };
     iconsTheme = lib.mkOption {
diff --git a/core/home/state.nix b/core/home/state.nix
index 7e9096a..008ea05 100644
--- a/core/home/state.nix
+++ b/core/home/state.nix
@@ -28,36 +28,18 @@ let
 in
 {
   # Every assignment uses lib.mkDefault so a downstream /etc/nixos/home.nix
-  # can override the state.json-derived value. Without mkDefault, every
-  # option here would resolve at default priority and conflict on
-  # assignment from the user's config.
+  # can override the value. The Nix options are now the declarative source
+  # of truth. state.json is purely seeded to keep runtime scripts (menu,
+  # summary) in sync with the Nix-level state.
   config = {
     nomarchy = {
-      toggles = {
-        suspend = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.suspend or schema.home.suspend);
-        screensaver = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.screensaver or schema.home.screensaver);
-        idle = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.idle or schema.home.idle);
-        nightlight = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.nightlight or schema.home.nightlight);
-        waybar = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.waybar or schema.home.waybar);
-      };
-      nightlightTemperature = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.nightlightTemperature or schema.home.nightlightTemperature);
-      theme = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.theme or schema.home.theme);
-      wallpaper = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.wallpaper or schema.home.wallpaper);
-      panelPosition = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.panelPosition or schema.home.panelPosition);
-      hyprland = {
-        gaps_in = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.hyprland.gaps_in or schema.home.hyprland.gaps_in);
-        gaps_out = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.hyprland.gaps_out or schema.home.hyprland.gaps_out);
-        border_size = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.hyprland.border_size or schema.home.hyprland.border_size);
-      };
-      fonts.monospace = lib.mkDefault (togglesState.font or schema.home.font);
-
       # Derived properties from the theme directory
       isLightMode = lib.mkDefault (nomarchyLib.isThemeLightMode {
-        themeName = togglesState.theme or schema.home.theme;
+        themeName = cfg.theme;
         inherit assetsPath;
       });
       iconsTheme = lib.mkDefault (nomarchyLib.getIconsTheme {
-        themeName = togglesState.theme or schema.home.theme;
+        themeName = cfg.theme;
         inherit assetsPath;
       });
     };
diff --git a/core/system/options.nix b/core/system/options.nix
index dbb5e60..37b1833 100644
--- a/core/system/options.nix
+++ b/core/system/options.nix
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@ in
     theme = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.str;
       default = schema.system.theme;
-      description = "Selected system theme.";
+      description = ''
+        Selected system theme. This is the declarative source of truth for
+        system-level components (SDDM, Plymouth, browser policies).
+      '';
     };
 
     # ----- Tier 1 system features (all opt-in, no behavioural change off) ---
diff --git a/core/system/state.nix b/core/system/state.nix
index 8596c14..6bc4bd9 100644
--- a/core/system/state.nix
+++ b/core/system/state.nix
@@ -10,20 +10,8 @@ in
 {
   # Every assignment is lib.mkDefault so a downstream /etc/nixos/system.nix
   # can still set e.g. `nomarchy.system.features.hybridGPU = true;`
-  # without colliding with the state.json-derived value. Without
-  # mkDefault, every state.json-driven option was unoverridable from
-  # Nix — flipping hybridGPU required jq'ing the state file rather
-  # than declaring it in your config.
+  # without colliding with the default values. The Nix options are now the
+  # declarative source of truth.
   config.nomarchy.system = {
-    dns = lib.mkDefault (systemState.dns or schema.system.dns);
-    customDns = lib.mkDefault (systemState.customDns or schema.system.customDns);
-    wifi.powersave = lib.mkDefault (systemState.wifi.powersave or schema.system.wifi.powersave);
-    timezone = lib.mkDefault (systemState.timezone or schema.system.timezone);
-    features = {
-      fingerprint = lib.mkDefault (systemState.features.fingerprint or schema.system.features.fingerprint);
-      fido2 = lib.mkDefault (systemState.features.fido2 or schema.system.features.fido2);
-      hybridGPU = lib.mkDefault (systemState.features.hybridGPU or schema.system.features.hybridGPU);
-    };
-    theme = lib.mkDefault (systemState.theme or schema.system.theme);
   };
 }
diff --git a/themes/engine/scripts/nomarchy-font-set b/themes/engine/scripts/nomarchy-font-set
index 2d174f2..27fa309 100755
--- a/themes/engine/scripts/nomarchy-font-set
+++ b/themes/engine/scripts/nomarchy-font-set
@@ -26,7 +26,12 @@ mkdir -p "$STATE_DIR"
 if fc-list | grep -iq "$font_name"; then
   TMP_JSON=$(mktemp)
   jq --arg font "$font_name" '.font = $font' "$STATE_FILE" > "$TMP_JSON" && mv "$TMP_JSON" "$STATE_FILE"
-  echo "Font set to $font_name declaratively. Applying changes..."
+  echo "Font set to $font_name."
+  echo "NOTE: This change is TEMPORARY and will be lost on the next system rebuild."
+  echo "To make this font permanent, add the following to your /etc/nixos/home.nix:"
+  echo "  nomarchy.fonts.monospace = \"$font_name\";"
+  echo ""
+  echo "Applying changes with nomarchy-env-update..."
 
   if [[ "$no_update" == "true" ]]; then
     echo "Skipping nomarchy-env-update due to --no-update flag."
diff --git a/themes/engine/scripts/nomarchy-theme-set b/themes/engine/scripts/nomarchy-theme-set
index 1098ec7..50ba8e8 100755
--- a/themes/engine/scripts/nomarchy-theme-set
+++ b/themes/engine/scripts/nomarchy-theme-set
@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ if [ -d "$BG_DIR" ]; then
   fi
 fi
 
-echo "Theme set to $THEME_NAME. Applying changes with nomarchy-env-update..."
+echo "Theme set to $THEME_NAME."
+echo "NOTE: This change is TEMPORARY and will be lost on the next system rebuild."
+echo "To make this theme permanent, add the following to your /etc/nixos/home.nix:"
+echo "  nomarchy.theme = \"$THEME_NAME\";"
+echo ""
+echo "Applying changes with nomarchy-env-update..."
 
 if [[ "$NO_UPDATE" == "true" ]]; then
   echo "Skipping nomarchy-env-update due to --no-update flag."