diff --git a/assets/css/markdown.css b/assets/css/markdown.css
index c362ce288..4a1847baa 100644
--- a/assets/css/markdown.css
+++ b/assets/css/markdown.css
@@ -122,10 +122,8 @@
 }
 
 .markdown pre > code {
-  @apply p-4 rounded-lg text-sm align-middle font-mono flex-1 overflow-auto;
   /* Match the editor colors */
-  background-color: #282c34;
-  color: #c4cad6;
+  @apply p-4 rounded-lg align-middle flex-1 overflow-auto bg-editor text-editor font-editor;
 }
 
 .markdown kbd {
diff --git a/assets/css/utilities.css b/assets/css/utilities.css
index 3595d6d02..f49c4f3ff 100644
--- a/assets/css/utilities.css
+++ b/assets/css/utilities.css
@@ -5,8 +5,12 @@
     background-color: #282c34;
   }
 
+  body[data-editor-theme="highContrast"] .bg-editor {
+    background-color: #060708;
+  }
+
   .text-editor {
-    color: #abb2bf;
+    color: #c4cad6;
   }
 
   .font-editor {
diff --git a/assets/js/app.js b/assets/js/app.js
index 7d703b564..96c19c17e 100644
--- a/assets/js/app.js
+++ b/assets/js/app.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import KeyboardControl from "./keyboard_control";
 import morphdomCallbacks from "./morphdom_callbacks";
 import JSOutput from "./js_output";
 import { loadUserData } from "./lib/user";
+import { settingsStore } from "./lib/settings";
 
 const hooks = {
   Headline,
@@ -109,3 +110,9 @@ window.addEventListener("contextmenu", (event) => {
     target.dispatchEvent(new Event("click", { bubbles: true }));
   }
 });
+
+// Global configuration
+
+settingsStore.getAndSubscribe((settings) => {
+  document.body.setAttribute("data-editor-theme", settings.editor_theme);
+});
diff --git a/assets/js/cell/index.js b/assets/js/cell/index.js
index fcc8e663c..cf448f2fd 100644
--- a/assets/js/cell/index.js
+++ b/assets/js/cell/index.js
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import { globalPubSub } from "../lib/pub_sub";
 import { md5Base64, smoothlyScrollToElement } from "../lib/utils";
 import scrollIntoView from "scroll-into-view-if-needed";
 import { loadLocalSettings } from "../lib/settings";
-import { THEME_BACKGROUND_COLOR } from "./live_editor/theme";
 
 /**
  * A hook managing a single cell.
@@ -43,10 +42,6 @@ const Cell = {
         // Create an empty container for the editor to be mounted in.
         const editorElement = document.createElement("div");
         editorContainer.appendChild(editorElement);
-        // Adjust the background color based on local settings
-        const settings = loadLocalSettings();
-        editorContainer.style.backgroundColor =
-          THEME_BACKGROUND_COLOR[settings.editor_theme];
         // Setup the editor instance.
         this.state.liveEditor = new LiveEditor(
           this,
diff --git a/assets/js/cell/live_editor.js b/assets/js/cell/live_editor.js
index 31a38afe2..4b4fb702a 100644
--- a/assets/js/cell/live_editor.js
+++ b/assets/js/cell/live_editor.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import MonacoEditorAdapter from "./live_editor/monaco_editor_adapter";
 import HookServerAdapter from "./live_editor/hook_server_adapter";
 import RemoteUser from "./live_editor/remote_user";
 import { replacedSuffixLength } from "../lib/text_utils";
-import { loadLocalSettings } from "../lib/settings";
+import { settingsStore } from "../lib/settings";
 
 /**
  * Mounts cell source editor with real-time collaboration mechanism.
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class LiveEditor {
   }
 
   __mountEditor() {
-    const settings = loadLocalSettings();
+    const settings = settingsStore.get();
 
     this.editor = monaco.editor.create(this.container, {
       language: this.type,
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ class LiveEditor {
    * Defines cell-specific providers for various editor features.
    */
   __setupIntellisense() {
-    const settings = loadLocalSettings();
+    const settings = settingsStore.get();
 
     this.handlerByRef = {};
 
diff --git a/assets/js/cell/live_editor/theme.js b/assets/js/cell/live_editor/theme.js
index 4d772fd0a..6a10b39fe 100644
--- a/assets/js/cell/live_editor/theme.js
+++ b/assets/js/cell/live_editor/theme.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const colors = {
   peach: "#d19a66",
 };
 
-const THEME_BACKGROUND_COLOR = { default: "#282c34", highContrast: "#060708" };
+const background = { default: "#282c34", highContrast: "#060708" };
 
 const theme = {
   base: "vs-dark",
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ const theme = {
   ],
 
   colors: {
-    "editor.background": THEME_BACKGROUND_COLOR.default,
+    "editor.background": background.default,
     "editor.foreground": colors.default,
     "editorLineNumber.foreground": "#636d83",
     "editorCursor.foreground": "#636d83",
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ const highContrast = {
   ...theme,
   colors: {
     ...theme.colors,
-    "editor.background": THEME_BACKGROUND_COLOR.highContrast,
+    "editor.background": background.highContrast,
   },
 };
 
-export { theme, highContrast, THEME_BACKGROUND_COLOR };
+export { theme, highContrast };
diff --git a/assets/js/editor_settings/index.js b/assets/js/editor_settings/index.js
index beec4e298..404ab7add 100644
--- a/assets/js/editor_settings/index.js
+++ b/assets/js/editor_settings/index.js
@@ -1,9 +1,4 @@
-import {
-  loadLocalSettings,
-  storeLocalSettings,
-  EDITOR_FONT_SIZE,
-  EDITOR_THEME,
-} from "../lib/settings";
+import { settingsStore, EDITOR_FONT_SIZE, EDITOR_THEME } from "../lib/settings";
 
 /**
  * A hook for the editor settings.
@@ -14,7 +9,7 @@ import {
  */
 const EditorSettings = {
   mounted() {
-    const settings = loadLocalSettings();
+    const settings = settingsStore.get();
 
     const editorAutoCompletionCheckbox = this.el.querySelector(
       `[name="editor_auto_completion"][value="true"]`
@@ -37,15 +32,15 @@ const EditorSettings = {
       settings.editor_theme === EDITOR_THEME.highContrast ? true : false;
 
     editorAutoCompletionCheckbox.addEventListener("change", (event) => {
-      storeLocalSettings({ editor_auto_completion: event.target.checked });
+      settingsStore.update({ editor_auto_completion: event.target.checked });
     });
 
     editorAutoSignatureCheckbox.addEventListener("change", (event) => {
-      storeLocalSettings({ editor_auto_signature: event.target.checked });
+      settingsStore.update({ editor_auto_signature: event.target.checked });
     });
 
     editorFontSizeCheckbox.addEventListener("change", (event) => {
-      storeLocalSettings({
+      settingsStore.update({
         editor_font_size: event.target.checked
           ? EDITOR_FONT_SIZE.large
           : EDITOR_FONT_SIZE.normal,
@@ -53,7 +48,7 @@ const EditorSettings = {
     });
 
     editorHighContrastCheckbox.addEventListener("change", (event) => {
-      storeLocalSettings({
+      settingsStore.update({
         editor_theme: event.target.checked
           ? EDITOR_THEME.highContrast
           : EDITOR_THEME.default,
diff --git a/assets/js/lib/settings.js b/assets/js/lib/settings.js
index e0b2658a1..e6af49461 100644
--- a/assets/js/lib/settings.js
+++ b/assets/js/lib/settings.js
@@ -18,32 +18,69 @@ const DEFAULT_SETTINGS = {
 };
 
 /**
- * Stores the given settings in local storage.
- *
- * The given attributes are merged into the current settings.
+ * Stores local configuration and persists it across browser sessions.
  */
-export function storeLocalSettings(settings) {
-  const prevSettings = loadLocalSettings();
-  const newSettings = { ...prevSettings, ...settings };
+class SettingsStore {
+  constructor() {
+    this._subscribers = [];
+    this._settings = DEFAULT_SETTINGS;
 
-  try {
-    const json = JSON.stringify(newSettings);
-    localStorage.setItem(SETTINGS_KEY, json);
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.error(`Failed to store local settings, reason: ${error.message}`);
+    this._loadSettings();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the current settings.
+   */
+  get() {
+    return this._settings;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Stores new settings.
+   *
+   * The given attributes are merged into the current settings.
+   */
+  update(newSettings) {
+    const prevSettings = this._settings;
+    this._settings = { ...this._settings, ...newSettings };
+    this._subscribers.forEach((callback) =>
+      callback(this._settings, prevSettings)
+    );
+    this._storeSettings();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Registers to settings changes.
+   *
+   * The given function is called immediately with the current
+   * settings and then on every change.
+   */
+  getAndSubscribe(callback) {
+    this._subscribers.push(callback);
+    callback(this._settings);
+  }
+
+  _loadSettings() {
+    try {
+      const json = localStorage.getItem(SETTINGS_KEY);
+
+      if (json) {
+        const settings = JSON.parse(json);
+        this._settings = { ...this._settings, ...settings };
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error(`Failed to load local settings, reason: ${error.message}`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  _storeSettings() {
+    try {
+      const json = JSON.stringify(this._settings);
+      localStorage.setItem(SETTINGS_KEY, json);
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error(`Failed to store local settings, reason: ${error.message}`);
+    }
   }
 }
 
-/**
- * Loads settings from local storage.
- */
-export function loadLocalSettings() {
-  try {
-    const json = localStorage.getItem(SETTINGS_KEY);
-    const settings = json ? JSON.parse(json) : {};
-    return { ...DEFAULT_SETTINGS, ...settings };
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.error(`Failed to load local settings, reason: ${error.message}`);
-    return DEFAULT_SETTINGS;
-  }
-}
+export const settingsStore = new SettingsStore();