diff --git a/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.cpp b/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.cpp
index a9327a663d9..12db1cbda69 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ static int range(float x, int min, int max)
 
 namespace Utils {
 
-static StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle s_toolbarStyle = StyleHelper::defaultToolbarStyle;
+static StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle s_toolbarStyle = StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle::Compact;
 // Invalid by default, setBaseColor needs to be called at least once
 static QColor s_baseColor;
 static QColor s_requestedBaseColor;
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle StyleHelper::toolbarStyle()
     return s_toolbarStyle;
 }
 
+StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle StyleHelper::defaultToolbarStyle()
+{
+    return creatorTheme() ? creatorTheme()->defaultToolbarStyle() : ToolbarStyle::Compact;
+}
+
 QColor StyleHelper::notTooBrightHighlightColor()
 {
     QColor highlightColor = QApplication::palette().highlight().color();
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.h b/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.h
index cb7775c1a64..d774caaae90 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.h
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ enum class ToolbarStyle {
     Compact,
     Relaxed,
 };
-constexpr ToolbarStyle defaultToolbarStyle = ToolbarStyle::Compact;
 
 // Keep in sync with:
 // SyleHelper::uiFontMetrics, ICore::uiConfigInformation, tst_manual_widgets_uifonts::main
@@ -105,6 +104,7 @@ enum UiElement {
 QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT int navigationWidgetHeight();
 QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT void setToolbarStyle(ToolbarStyle style);
 QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT ToolbarStyle toolbarStyle();
+QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT ToolbarStyle defaultToolbarStyle();
 QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT QPalette sidebarFontPalette(const QPalette &original);
 
 // This is our color table, all colors derive from baseColor
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.cpp b/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.cpp
index 3f3fa7370fa..c5b2665cc0c 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "../hostosinfo.h"
 #include "../qtcassert.h"
 #include "filepath.h"
+#include "stylehelper.h"
 #ifdef Q_OS_MACOS
 #import "theme_mac.h"
 #endif
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ static Theme *m_creatorTheme = nullptr;
 static std::optional<QPalette> m_initialPalette;
 
 ThemePrivate::ThemePrivate()
+    : defaultToolbarStyle(StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle::Compact)
 {
     const QMetaObject &m = Theme::staticMetaObject;
     colors.resize        (m.enumerator(m.indexOfEnumerator("Color")).keyCount());
@@ -130,6 +132,11 @@ QString Theme::defaultTextEditorColorScheme() const
     return d->defaultTextEditorColorScheme;
 }
 
+StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle Theme::defaultToolbarStyle() const
+{
+    return d->defaultToolbarStyle;
+}
+
 QString Theme::id() const
 {
     return d->id;
@@ -228,6 +235,9 @@ void Theme::readSettingsInternal(QSettings &settings)
         d->preferredStyles.removeAll(QString());
         d->defaultTextEditorColorScheme
             = settings.value(QLatin1String("DefaultTextEditorColorScheme")).toString();
+        d->defaultToolbarStyle =
+                settings.value(QLatin1String("DefaultToolbarStyle")).toString() == "Relaxed"
+                ? StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle::Relaxed : StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle::Compact;
         d->enforceAccentColorOnMacOS = settings.value("EnforceAccentColorOnMacOS").toString();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.h b/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.h
index d1a358ad29a..a862e9bef04 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.h
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ QT_END_NAMESPACE
 
 namespace Utils {
 
+namespace StyleHelper {
+enum class ToolbarStyle;
+}
+
 class ThemePrivate;
 
 class QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT Theme : public QObject
@@ -530,6 +534,7 @@ public:
     QPalette palette() const;
     QStringList preferredStyles() const;
     QString defaultTextEditorColorScheme() const;
+    StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle defaultToolbarStyle() const;
 
     QString id() const;
     QString filePath() const;
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/theme/theme_p.h b/src/libs/utils/theme/theme_p.h
index 4c751264401..a82843758ae 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/theme/theme_p.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/theme/theme_p.h
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 
 namespace Utils {
 
+namespace StyleHelper {
+enum class ToolbarStyle;
+}
+
 class QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT ThemePrivate
 {
 public:
@@ -22,6 +26,7 @@ public:
     QString displayName;
     QStringList preferredStyles;
     QString defaultTextEditorColorScheme;
+    StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle defaultToolbarStyle;
     QString enforceAccentColorOnMacOS;
     QList<QPair<QColor, QString> > colors;
     QList<QString> imageFiles;
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp
index 8e42090b687..586d6a07bb6 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ void GeneralSettingsWidget::apply()
     if (const auto newStyle = m_toolbarStyleBox->currentData().value<StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle>();
         newStyle != StyleHelper::toolbarStyle()) {
         ICore::settings()->setValueWithDefault(settingsKeyToolbarStyle, int(newStyle),
-                                               int(StyleHelper::defaultToolbarStyle));
+                                               int(StyleHelper::defaultToolbarStyle()));
         StyleHelper::setToolbarStyle(newStyle);
         QStyle *applicationStyle = QApplication::style();
         for (QWidget *widget : QApplication::allWidgets())
@@ -383,11 +383,11 @@ void GeneralSettingsWidget::setCodecForLocale(const QByteArray &codec)
 StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle toolbarStylefromSettings()
 {
     if (!ExtensionSystem::PluginManager::instance()) // May happen in tests
-        return StyleHelper::defaultToolbarStyle;
+        return StyleHelper::defaultToolbarStyle();
 
     return StyleHelper::ToolbarStyle(
                 ICore::settings()->value(settingsKeyToolbarStyle,
-                                         int(StyleHelper::defaultToolbarStyle)).toInt());
+                                         int(StyleHelper::defaultToolbarStyle())).toInt());
 }
 
 void GeneralSettingsWidget::fillToolbarStyleBox() const