diff --git a/tailbone/subscribers.py b/tailbone/subscribers.py
index 33a9d749..1dc0592a 100644
--- a/tailbone/subscribers.py
+++ b/tailbone/subscribers.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ Event Subscribers
 import six
 import json
 import datetime
+import warnings
 
 import rattail
 
@@ -181,8 +182,13 @@ def before_render(event):
         # maybe set custom stylesheet
         css = None
         if request.user:
-            css = request.rattail_config.get('tailbone.{}'.format(request.user.uuid),
-                                             'buefy_css')
+            css = rattail_config.get(f'tailbone.{request.user.uuid}', 'user_css')
+            if not css:
+                css = rattail_config.get(f'tailbone.{request.user.uuid}', 'buefy_css')
+                if css:
+                    warnings.warn(f"setting 'tailbone.{request.user.uuid}.buefy_css' should be"
+                                  f"changed to 'tailbone.{request.user.uuid}.user_css'",
+                                  DeprecationWarning)
         renderer_globals['user_css'] = css
 
         # add global search data for quick access
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/users/preferences.mako b/tailbone/templates/users/preferences.mako
index f1432676..c2e17396 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/users/preferences.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/users/preferences.mako
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@
   <div class="block" style="padding-left: 2rem;">
 
     <b-field label="Theme Style">
-        <b-select name="tailbone.${user.uuid}.buefy_css"
-                  v-model="simpleSettings['tailbone.${user.uuid}.buefy_css']"
+        <b-select name="tailbone.${user.uuid}.user_css"
+                  v-model="simpleSettings['tailbone.${user.uuid}.user_css']"
                   @input="settingsNeedSaved = true">
           <option v-for="option in themeStyleOptions"
                   :key="option.value"
diff --git a/tailbone/views/users.py b/tailbone/views/users.py
index 1501795f..fb81060a 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/users.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/users.py
@@ -601,11 +601,18 @@ class UserView(PrincipalMasterView):
         The only difference here is that we are given a user account,
         so the settings involved should only pertain to that user.
         """
+        # TODO: can stop pre-fetching this value only once we are
+        # confident all settings have been updated in the wild
+        user_css = self.rattail_config.get(f'tailbone.{user.uuid}', 'user_css')
+        if not user_css:
+            user_css = self.rattail_config.get(f'tailbone.{user.uuid}', 'buefy_css')
+
         return [
 
             # display
-            {'section': 'tailbone.{}'.format(user.uuid),
-             'option': 'buefy_css'},
+            {'section': f'tailbone.{user.uuid}',
+             'option': 'user_css',
+             'value': user_css},
         ]
 
     def preferences_gather_settings(self, data, user):
@@ -614,9 +621,11 @@ class UserView(PrincipalMasterView):
             data, simple_settings=simple_settings, input_file_templates=False)
 
     def preferences_remove_settings(self, user):
+        app = self.get_rattail_app()
         simple_settings = self.preferences_get_simple_settings(user)
         self.configure_remove_settings(simple_settings=simple_settings,
                                        input_file_templates=False)
+        app.delete_setting(self.Session(), f'tailbone.{user.uuid}.buefy_css')
 
     @classmethod
     def defaults(cls, config):