diff --git a/lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh b/lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh
index 467b770d6..122e3fecb 100644
--- a/lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh
+++ b/lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ autoload -U colors && colors
 # Enable ls colors
 export LSCOLORS="Gxfxcxdxbxegedabagacad"
 
+# TODO organise this chaotic logic
+
 if [[ "$DISABLE_LS_COLORS" != "true" ]]; then
   # Find the option for using colors in ls, depending on the version
   if [[ "$OSTYPE" == netbsd* ]]; then
@@ -18,7 +20,12 @@ if [[ "$DISABLE_LS_COLORS" != "true" ]]; then
     gls --color -d . &>/dev/null && alias ls='gls --color=tty'
     colorls -G -d . &>/dev/null && alias ls='colorls -G'
   elif [[ "$OSTYPE" == darwin* ]]; then
-    gls --color -d . &>/dev/null && alias ls='gls --color=tty' || alias ls='ls -G'
+    # this is a good alias, it works by default just using $LSCOLORS
+    alias ls='ls -G'
+
+    # only use coreutils ls if there is a dircolors customization present ($LS_COLORS or .dircolors file)
+    # otherwise, gls will use the default color scheme which is ugly af
+    [[ -n "$LS_COLORS" || -f "$HOME/.dircolors" ]] && gls --color -d . &>/dev/null && alias ls='gls --color=tty'
   else
     # For GNU ls, we use the default ls color theme. They can later be overwritten by themes.
     if [[ -z "$LS_COLORS" ]]; then