diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 839d77f..2734ea1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ and this project follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.ht
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Preserved explicit paragraph `defRPr` text colors when a shape also provides a theme
+  `fontRef` color, preventing light theme text from overriding authored paragraph colors.
 - Keep near-fit, single-paragraph square-wrapped headings on one line with a conservative 2%
   browser-metric correction while preserving deliberate multi-line text.
 - Resolve macOS PowerPoint exports and macro hosts by exact full path, close only that presentation,
diff --git a/test/unit/renderer/ShapeRenderer.test.ts b/test/unit/renderer/ShapeRenderer.test.ts
index 063c596..d87e740 100644
--- a/test/unit/renderer/ShapeRenderer.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/renderer/ShapeRenderer.test.ts
@@ -6034,6 +6034,50 @@ describe('ShapeRenderer', () => {
     expect(hasWhiteText).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it('keeps paragraph defRPr color over shape fontRef color', () => {
+    const xml = `
+      <p:sp xmlns:p="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/presentationml/2006/main"
+            xmlns:a="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/main">
+        <p:nvSpPr>
+          <p:cNvPr id="102" name="Paragraph Color Override"/>
+          <p:cNvSpPr/>
+          <p:nvPr/>
+        </p:nvSpPr>
+        <p:spPr>
+          <a:xfrm><a:off x="0" y="0"/><a:ext cx="2000000" cy="1000000"/></a:xfrm>
+          <a:prstGeom prst="rect"><a:avLst/></a:prstGeom>
+          <a:solidFill><a:srgbClr val="EAF2F0"/></a:solidFill>
+        </p:spPr>
+        <p:style>
+          <a:lnRef idx="0"><a:schemeClr val="accent1"/></a:lnRef>
+          <a:fillRef idx="0"><a:schemeClr val="accent1"/></a:fillRef>
+          <a:effectRef idx="0"><a:schemeClr val="accent1"/></a:effectRef>
+          <a:fontRef idx="minor"><a:schemeClr val="lt1"/></a:fontRef>
+        </p:style>
+        <p:txBody>
+          <a:bodyPr/>
+          <a:lstStyle/>
+          <a:p>
+            <a:pPr>
+              <a:defRPr>
+                <a:solidFill><a:srgbClr val="243B53"/></a:solidFill>
+              </a:defRPr>
+            </a:pPr>
+            <a:r><a:rPr lang="en-US"/><a:t>Paragraph Color</a:t></a:r>
+          </a:p>
+        </p:txBody>
+      </p:sp>
+    `;
+
+    const el = renderShape(parseShapeNode(parseXml(xml)), createMockRenderContext());
+    const textSpan = Array.from(el.querySelectorAll('span')).find(
+      (span) => span.textContent === 'Paragraph Color',
+    );
+
+    expect(textSpan).toBeDefined();
+    expect(textSpan!.style.color).toBe('rgb(36, 59, 83)');
+  });
+
   // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Dynamic normAutofit scaling (lines ~1142-1162 in ShapeRenderer.ts)
   // In jsdom, scrollHeight often equals clientHeight, so the scale branch may not
diff --git a/test/unit/renderer/TextRenderer.branches.test.ts b/test/unit/renderer/TextRenderer.branches.test.ts
index fdf7e96..f9826b5 100644
--- a/test/unit/renderer/TextRenderer.branches.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/renderer/TextRenderer.branches.test.ts
@@ -1546,6 +1546,82 @@ describe('TextRenderer — branch coverage (uncovered paths)', () => {
       expect(span!.style.color).toBe('rgb(255, 0, 0)');
     });
 
+    it('prefers explicit paragraph defRPr color over fontRefColor', () => {
+      const body = makeTextBody({
+        paragraphs: [
+          {
+            properties: xmlNode(
+              '<pPr><defRPr><solidFill><srgbClr val="243B53"/></solidFill></defRPr></pPr>',
+            ),
+            runs: [{ text: 'Paragraph color wins' }],
+            level: 0,
+          },
+        ],
+      });
+      const ctx = createMockRenderContext();
+      const container = document.createElement('div');
+      renderTextBody(body, undefined, ctx, container, {
+        fontRefColor: '#FFFFFF',
+      });
+      const span = container.querySelector('span');
+      expect(span!.style.color).toBe('rgb(36, 59, 83)');
+    });
+
+    it('uses fontRefColor when paragraph defRPr has no color', () => {
+      const body = makeTextBody({
+        paragraphs: [
+          {
+            properties: xmlNode('<pPr><defRPr sz="1800"/></pPr>'),
+            runs: [{ text: 'Shape style color wins' }],
+            level: 0,
+          },
+        ],
+      });
+      const ctx = createMockRenderContext();
+      const container = document.createElement('div');
+      renderTextBody(body, undefined, ctx, container, {
+        fontRefColor: '#FFFFFF',
+      });
+      const span = container.querySelector('span');
+      expect(span!.style.color).toBe('rgb(255, 255, 255)');
+    });
+
+    it('keeps fontRefColor precedence over inherited list style colors', () => {
+      const body = makeTextBody({
+        listStyle:
+          '<lstStyle><lvl1pPr><defRPr><solidFill><srgbClr val="243B53"/></solidFill></defRPr></lvl1pPr></lstStyle>',
+        paragraphs: [{ runs: [{ text: 'Shape style color wins' }], level: 0 }],
+      });
+      const ctx = createMockRenderContext();
+      const container = document.createElement('div');
+      renderTextBody(body, undefined, ctx, container, {
+        fontRefColor: '#FFFFFF',
+      });
+      const span = container.querySelector('span');
+      expect(span!.style.color).toBe('rgb(255, 255, 255)');
+    });
+
+    it('prefers explicit paragraph defRPr color over cellTextColor', () => {
+      const body = makeTextBody({
+        paragraphs: [
+          {
+            properties: xmlNode(
+              '<pPr><defRPr><solidFill><srgbClr val="243B53"/></solidFill></defRPr></pPr>',
+            ),
+            runs: [{ text: 'Paragraph color wins' }],
+            level: 0,
+          },
+        ],
+      });
+      const ctx = createMockRenderContext();
+      const container = document.createElement('div');
+      renderTextBody(body, undefined, ctx, container, {
+        cellTextColor: '#FF0000',
+      });
+      const span = container.querySelector('span');
+      expect(span!.style.color).toBe('rgb(36, 59, 83)');
+    });
+
     it('uses cellTextColor as fallback when no other color set', () => {
       const body = makeTextBody({
         paragraphs: [