diff --git a/src/alf/util/material3/Monet/Palette.ts b/src/alf/util/material3/Monet/Palette.ts
index 562a97cdf..44924b3f4 100644
--- a/src/alf/util/material3/Monet/Palette.ts
+++ b/src/alf/util/material3/Monet/Palette.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export default class Palette {
   static NEUTRAL1_CHROMA = 4
   static NEUTRAL2_CHROMA = 8
   static GOOGLE_BLUE = 0xff1b6ef3
+  static DEFAULT_SEED = '#EE6300'
 
   static getStyle(hue: number, chroma: number): StyleType {
     return {
@@ -204,7 +205,11 @@ export default class Palette {
     style: GenerationStyle = 'TONAL_SPOT',
   ): MaterialYouPalette {
     // Parse the HEX seed color string into an integer
-    seed = seed.toUpperCase().substring(1, 7)
+    const normalizedSeed =
+      typeof seed === 'string' && /^#[0-9a-fA-F]{6}$/.test(seed)
+        ? seed
+        : Palette.DEFAULT_SEED
+    seed = normalizedSeed.toUpperCase().substring(1, 7)
     const colorInt = parseInt('0xff' + seed, 16)
 
     let seedArgb
diff --git a/src/state/persisted/__tests__/schema.test.ts b/src/state/persisted/__tests__/schema.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7a3b38eca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/state/persisted/__tests__/schema.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import {defaults, tryParse, tryStringify} from '../schema'
+
+describe('persisted schema helpers', () => {
+  it('applies schema defaults when reading partial data', () => {
+    const parsed = tryParse(
+      JSON.stringify({
+        colorMode: 'system',
+        darkTheme: 'dim',
+        colorScheme: 'material3',
+        hue: 0,
+        session: {accounts: []},
+        reminders: {},
+        languagePrefs: defaults.languagePrefs,
+        requireAltTextEnabled: true,
+        invites: {copiedInvites: []},
+        onboarding: {step: 'Home'},
+        mutedThreads: [],
+        translationServicePreference: 'google',
+        postReplacement: {
+          enabled: false,
+          postName: 'skeet',
+          postsName: 'skeets',
+        },
+      }),
+    )
+
+    expect(parsed?.material3Accent).toBe('#ee6300')
+    expect(parsed?.material3Style).toBe('TONAL_SPOT')
+  })
+
+  it('writes schema defaults back into storage payloads', () => {
+    const raw = tryStringify({
+      ...defaults,
+      material3Accent: undefined as never,
+      material3Style: undefined as never,
+    })
+
+    expect(raw).toBeDefined()
+
+    const reparsed = JSON.parse(raw!)
+    expect(reparsed.material3Accent).toBe('#ee6300')
+    expect(reparsed.material3Style).toBe('TONAL_SPOT')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/state/persisted/schema.ts b/src/state/persisted/schema.ts
index dd50fe8cc..074c8e539 100644
--- a/src/state/persisted/schema.ts
+++ b/src/state/persisted/schema.ts
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ export function tryParse(rawData: string): Schema | undefined {
   }
   const parsed = schema.safeParse(objData)
   if (parsed.success) {
-    return objData
+    return parsed.data
   } else {
     const errors =
       parsed.error?.errors?.map(e => ({
@@ -410,8 +410,8 @@ export function tryParse(rawData: string): Schema | undefined {
 
 export function tryStringify(value: Schema): string | undefined {
   try {
-    schema.parse(value)
-    return JSON.stringify(value)
+    const parsed = schema.parse(value)
+    return JSON.stringify(parsed)
   } catch (e) {
     logger.error(`persisted state: failed stringifying root state`, {
       message: e,