diff --git a/conky.conf b/conky.conf
index e088b8f..3a7c41d 100644
--- a/conky.conf
+++ b/conky.conf
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+local dark = io.open(os.getenv("HOME").."/.dark")
+
 -- vim: set filetype=lua :miv --
 conky.config = {
 	monitor = 1,
@@ -36,7 +38,7 @@ conky.config = {
 	show_graph_range = false,
 }
 
-if os.getenv("DARK") then
+if dark then
 	print("starting in dark mode")
 	conky.config.default_color = '#ffffff'
 	conky.config.color1 = "#ffffff"
diff --git a/conky/clock.conf b/conky/clock.conf
index 57cea4d..aeeafd3 100644
--- a/conky/clock.conf
+++ b/conky/clock.conf
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+local dark = io.open(os.getenv("HOME").."/.dark")
+
 -- vim: set tabstop=4 noexpandtab autoindent cindent syntax=lua nowrap :miv ---
 
 conky.config = {
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ conky.config = {
 	minimum_height = 0,
 };
 
-if os.getenv("DARK") then
+if dark then
 	conky.config.default_color = '#FFFFFF'
 	conky.config.color1 = 'white'
 	conky.config.color2 = '#FFFFFF'
diff --git a/conky/music.conf b/conky/music.conf
index 0c484f4..4bdf54a 100644
--- a/conky/music.conf
+++ b/conky/music.conf
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+local dark = io.open(os.getenv("HOME").."/.dark")
+
 -- vim: set tabstop=4 noexpandtab autoindent cindent syntax=lua nowrap :miv ---
 
 conky.config = {
@@ -44,7 +46,7 @@ conky.config = {
 	gap_y = 20,
 };
 
-if os.getenv("DARK") then
+if dark then
 	conky.config.default_color = '#FFFFFF'
 else
 	conky.config.default_color = '#525564'