diff --git a/src/schema/kateschema.cpp b/src/schema/kateschema.cpp
--- a/src/schema/kateschema.cpp
+++ b/src/schema/kateschema.cpp
@@ -137,6 +137,9 @@
     KTextEditor::ViewPrivate *view = m_view;
 
     if (view) {
+        // it allows the KateHighlighting class to know the chosen scheme
+        KateRendererConfig::global()->setSchema(mode);
+
         view->renderer()->config()->setSchema(mode);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/syntax/katehighlight.cpp b/src/syntax/katehighlight.cpp
--- a/src/syntax/katehighlight.cpp
+++ b/src/syntax/katehighlight.cpp
@@ -68,6 +68,22 @@
     return static_cast<KTextEditor::DefaultStyle>(textStyle);
 }
 
+/**
+ * convert the theme/schema name from KTextEditor => KSyntaxHighlighting.
+ * NOTE: some themes of KTextEditor don't exist in KSyntaxHighlighting
+ */
+inline QString convertThemeName(const QString &themeName)
+{
+    if (themeName == QLatin1String("Normal")) {
+        return QLatin1String("Default");
+    } else if (themeName == QLatin1String("Solarized (light)")) {
+        return QLatin1String("Solarized Light");
+    } else if (themeName == QLatin1String("Solarized (dark)")) {
+        return QLatin1String("Solarized Dark");
+    }
+    return themeName;
+}
+
 }
 //END
 
@@ -507,45 +523,61 @@
 
 QVector<KTextEditor::Attribute::Ptr> KateHighlighting::attributesForDefinition()
 {
-     /**
+    /**
+     * get the KSyntaxHighlighting theme from the chosen schema
+     */
+    KSyntaxHighlighting::Theme currentTheme = KateHlManager::self()->repository().theme(convertThemeName(KateRendererConfig::global()->schema()));
+
+    /**
      * create list of all known things
      */
     QVector<KTextEditor::Attribute::Ptr> array;
     for (const auto &format : m_formats) {
         /**
-         * FIXME: atm we just set some theme here for later color generation
+         * atm we just set the current chosen theme here for later color generation.
+         * NOTE: if the theme isn't valid for KSyntaxHighlighting, the default light theme will be used.
+         * For example, the "KDE" and "Vim (dark)" themes don't exist in KSyntaxHighlighting.
          */
-        setTheme(KateHlManager::self()->repository().defaultTheme(KSyntaxHighlighting::Repository::LightTheme));
+        if (currentTheme.isValid()) {
+            setTheme(currentTheme);
+        } else {
+            setTheme(KateHlManager::self()->repository().defaultTheme(KSyntaxHighlighting::Repository::LightTheme));
+        }
 
         /**
          * create a KTextEditor attribute matching the given format
          */
         KTextEditor::Attribute::Ptr newAttribute(new KTextEditor::Attribute(nameForAttrib(array.size()), textStyleToDefaultStyle(format.textStyle())));
 
-        if (format.hasTextColor(theme())) {
-            newAttribute->setForeground(format.textColor(theme()));
-            newAttribute->setSelectedForeground(format.selectedTextColor(theme()));
-        }
+        /**
+         * don't apply attribute styles for themes that don't exist in KSyntaxHighlighting, but exist in KTextEditor
+         */
+        if (currentTheme.isValid()) {
+            if (format.hasTextColor(theme())) {
+                newAttribute->setForeground(format.textColor(theme()));
+                newAttribute->setSelectedForeground(format.selectedTextColor(theme()));
+            }
 
-        if (format.hasBackgroundColor(theme())) {
-            newAttribute->setBackground(format.backgroundColor(theme()));
-            newAttribute->setSelectedBackground(format.selectedBackgroundColor(theme()));
-        }
+            if (format.hasBackgroundColor(theme())) {
+                newAttribute->setBackground(format.backgroundColor(theme()));
+                newAttribute->setSelectedBackground(format.selectedBackgroundColor(theme()));
+            }
 
-        if (format.isBold(theme())) {
-            newAttribute->setFontBold(true);
-        }
+            if (format.isBold(theme())) {
+                newAttribute->setFontBold(true);
+            }
 
-        if (format.isItalic(theme())) {
-            newAttribute->setFontItalic(true);
-        }
+            if (format.isItalic(theme())) {
+                newAttribute->setFontItalic(true);
+            }
 
-        if (format.isUnderline(theme())) {
-            newAttribute->setFontUnderline(true);
-        }
+            if (format.isUnderline(theme())) {
+                newAttribute->setFontUnderline(true);
+            }
 
-        if (format.isStrikeThrough(theme())) {
-            newAttribute->setFontStrikeOut(true);
+            if (format.isStrikeThrough(theme())) {
+                newAttribute->setFontStrikeOut(true);
+            }
         }
 
         newAttribute->setSkipSpellChecking(format.spellCheck());