diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 54b6971a..a6539833 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -142,17 +142,24 @@ install() {
     ln -sf status status@2x
   )
 
-  # Only the folder icons (apps, places) change with the accent color, so the
-  # other directories are identical to the default theme of the same scheme and
-  # color. Link them instead of keeping a full copy per accent variant. This is
-  # skipped when the default theme isn't installed (e.g. a single -t variant).
-  if [[ "${theme}" != '' && "${color}" != '' ]]; then
-    local BASE_DIR="${dest}/${name}${scheme}${color}"
-    if [[ -d "${BASE_DIR}" ]]; then
+  # Only the folder icons (apps, places) change with the scheme and accent
+  # color. Every other directory is identical for all variants of the same
+  # light/dark color, so link them to the default theme instead of keeping a
+  # full copy per variant. Prefer the global default (covers -s all), fall back
+  # to the scheme default (covers a single scheme), and skip linking when no
+  # default is present so a standalone -t variant still installs in full.
+  if [[ "${color}" != '' ]]; then
+    local base=
+    if [[ ( "${theme}" != '' || "${scheme}" != '' ) && -d "${dest}/${name}${color}" ]]; then
+      base="${name}${color}"
+    elif [[ "${theme}" != '' && -d "${dest}/${name}${scheme}${color}" ]]; then
+      base="${name}${scheme}${color}"
+    fi
+    if [[ -n "${base}" ]]; then
       for dir in actions categories devices emblems mimetypes status; do
         if [[ -d "${THEME_DIR}/${dir}" && ! -L "${THEME_DIR}/${dir}" ]]; then
           rm -rf "${THEME_DIR}/${dir}"
-          ln -sf "../${name}${scheme}${color}/${dir}" "${THEME_DIR}/${dir}"
+          ln -sf "../${base}/${dir}" "${THEME_DIR}/${dir}"
         fi
       done
     fi