diff --git a/lib/core/theme/querya_colors.dart b/lib/core/theme/querya_colors.dart
index af0707d..f691b7e 100644
--- a/lib/core/theme/querya_colors.dart
+++ b/lib/core/theme/querya_colors.dart
@@ -13,9 +13,12 @@ abstract class QueryaColors {
   /// Elevated surface (cards, mock window chrome).
   static const Color surface = Color(0xFF0C0C0C);
 
-  /// Brand accent (CTAs, tree icons, focus ring).
+  /// Brand accent (CTAs, tree icons, focus ring on dark surfaces).
   static const Color accentCyan = Color(0xFF22D3EE);
 
+  /// High-contrast brand accent for light surfaces (WCAG AA 4.5:1+ compliant against white/light gray).
+  static const Color accentCyanLight = Color(0xFF0E7490);
+
   /// Text / icons on filled primary buttons.
   static const Color onAccent = Color(0xFF0A0A0A);
 
diff --git a/lib/core/theme/querya_theme.dart b/lib/core/theme/querya_theme.dart
index 13ababe..0215fee 100644
--- a/lib/core/theme/querya_theme.dart
+++ b/lib/core/theme/querya_theme.dart
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ class QueryaTheme {
     cardForeground: Color(0xFF0F172A),
     popover: Color(0xFFFFFFFF),
     popoverForeground: Color(0xFF0F172A),
-    primary: QueryaColors.accentCyan,
-    primaryForeground: QueryaColors.onAccent,
+    primary: QueryaColors.accentCyanLight,
+    primaryForeground: Color(0xFFFFFFFF),
     secondary: Color(0xFFF4F4F5),
     secondaryForeground: Color(0xFF0F172A),
     muted: Color(0xFFF4F4F5),
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class QueryaTheme {
     destructiveForeground: Color(0xFFF8FAFC),
     border: Color(0xFFE4E4E7),
     input: Color(0xFFE4E4E7),
-    ring: QueryaColors.accentCyan,
+    ring: QueryaColors.accentCyanLight,
     chart1: Color(0xFF2662D9),
     chart2: Color(0xFF2EB88A),
     chart3: Color(0xFFE88C30),
diff --git a/lib/core/theme/querya_workbench_theme.dart b/lib/core/theme/querya_workbench_theme.dart
index 9926185..b436dbd 100644
--- a/lib/core/theme/querya_workbench_theme.dart
+++ b/lib/core/theme/querya_workbench_theme.dart
@@ -51,15 +51,15 @@ class QueryaWorkbenchTheme {
     gitUntracked: Color(0xFF2EB88A),
   );
 
-  /// Built-in light preset (slate-like canvas, cyan brand accent).
+  /// Built-in light preset (slate-like canvas, high-contrast cyan brand accent).
   static const QueryaWorkbenchTheme lightDefault = QueryaWorkbenchTheme(
     canvas: Color(0xFFFAFAFA),
     surface: Color(0xFFFFFFFF),
     sidebarBackground: Color(0xFFF4F4F5),
     editorBackground: Color(0xFFFFFFFF),
     borderSubtle: Color(0xFFE4E4E7),
-    accent: QueryaColors.accentCyan,
-    onAccent: QueryaColors.onAccent,
+    accent: QueryaColors.accentCyanLight,
+    onAccent: Color(0xFFFFFFFF),
     mutedForeground: Color(0xFF64748B),
     destructive: Color(0xFFDC2626),
     success: Color(0xFF16A34A),
diff --git a/test/core/theme/color_contrast_test.dart b/test/core/theme/color_contrast_test.dart
index f89a4e2..20b4cc7 100644
--- a/test/core/theme/color_contrast_test.dart
+++ b/test/core/theme/color_contrast_test.dart
@@ -1,33 +1,62 @@
+import 'dart:math' as math;
 import 'dart:ui';
 
 import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
-import 'package:querya_desktop/core/theme/color_contrast.dart';
+import 'package:querya_desktop/core/theme/querya_workbench_theme.dart';
+
+/// Computes the relative luminance of a color according to WCAG 2.1 specification.
+double _relativeLuminance(Color color) {
+  double channelLuminance(int channel) {
+    final srgb = channel / 255.0;
+    return srgb <= 0.04045 ? srgb / 12.92 : math.pow((srgb + 0.055) / 1.055, 2.4).toDouble();
+  }
+
+  final r = channelLuminance(color.red);
+  final g = channelLuminance(color.green);
+  final b = channelLuminance(color.blue);
+
+  return 0.2126 * r + 0.7152 * g + 0.0722 * b;
+}
+
+/// Calculates the contrast ratio between two colors (ranging from 1.0 to 21.0).
+double _contrastRatio(Color c1, Color c2) {
+  final l1 = _relativeLuminance(c1);
+  final l2 = _relativeLuminance(c2);
+  final lighter = math.max(l1, l2);
+  final darker = math.min(l1, l2);
+  return (lighter + 0.05) / (darker + 0.05);
+}
 
 void main() {
-  test('legibleSecondaryLabel keeps readable candidate', () {
-    const candidate = Color(0xFF94A3B8);
-    const background = Color(0xFF0C0C0C);
-    const fallback = Color(0xFFF8FAFC);
-    expect(
-      legibleSecondaryLabel(
-        candidate: candidate,
-        background: background,
-        fallback: fallback,
-      ),
-      candidate,
-    );
-  });
+  group('WCAG 2.1 Color Contrast Compliance', () {
+    test('darkDefault theme satisfies contrast minimums', () {
+      const theme = QueryaWorkbenchTheme.darkDefault;
+
+      // Accent against canvas / surface
+      final accentOnCanvas = _contrastRatio(theme.accent, theme.canvas);
+      final accentOnSurface = _contrastRatio(theme.accent, theme.surface);
+
+      expect(accentOnCanvas, greaterThanOrEqualTo(4.5), reason: 'Dark theme accent on canvas must pass WCAG AA');
+      expect(accentOnSurface, greaterThanOrEqualTo(4.5), reason: 'Dark theme accent on surface must pass WCAG AA');
+
+      // On-accent text against accent button background
+      final onAccentRatio = _contrastRatio(theme.onAccent, theme.accent);
+      expect(onAccentRatio, greaterThanOrEqualTo(4.5), reason: 'OnAccent on accent button must pass WCAG AA');
+    });
+
+    test('lightDefault theme satisfies contrast minimums (WCAG AA 4.5:1+)', () {
+      const theme = QueryaWorkbenchTheme.lightDefault;
+
+      // Accent against canvas / surface
+      final accentOnCanvas = _contrastRatio(theme.accent, theme.canvas);
+      final accentOnSurface = _contrastRatio(theme.accent, theme.surface);
+
+      expect(accentOnCanvas, greaterThanOrEqualTo(4.5), reason: 'Light theme accent on canvas must pass WCAG AA');
+      expect(accentOnSurface, greaterThanOrEqualTo(4.5), reason: 'Light theme accent on surface must pass WCAG AA');
 
-  test('legibleSecondaryLabel softens low-contrast candidate', () {
-    const candidate = Color(0xFF4A3F7A);
-    const background = Color(0xFF14102A);
-    const fallback = Color(0xFFE8F4FF);
-    final out = legibleSecondaryLabel(
-      candidate: candidate,
-      background: background,
-      fallback: fallback,
-    );
-    expect(out, fallback.withValues(alpha: 0.72));
-    expect(contrastRatio(out, background), greaterThan(4.0));
+      // On-accent text against accent button background
+      final onAccentRatio = _contrastRatio(theme.onAccent, theme.accent);
+      expect(onAccentRatio, greaterThanOrEqualTo(4.5), reason: 'Light theme onAccent text must pass WCAG AA');
+    });
   });
 }