diff --git a/android/capacitor/src/main/java/com/getcapacitor/plugin/SystemBars.java b/android/capacitor/src/main/java/com/getcapacitor/plugin/SystemBars.java
index c84923ca8..fbfb6b5e2 100644
--- a/android/capacitor/src/main/java/com/getcapacitor/plugin/SystemBars.java
+++ b/android/capacitor/src/main/java/com/getcapacitor/plugin/SystemBars.java
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ function capacitorSystemBarsCheckMetaViewport() {
     private boolean insetHandlingEnabled = true;
     private boolean hasViewportCover = false;
 
-    private String currentStyle = STYLE_DEFAULT;
+    private String currentStatusBarStyle = STYLE_DEFAULT;
+    private String currentGestureBarStyle = STYLE_DEFAULT;
 
     @Override
     public void load() {
@@ -85,7 +86,8 @@ public void onPageCommitVisible(WebView view, String url) {
     protected void handleOnConfigurationChanged(Configuration newConfig) {
         super.handleOnConfigurationChanged(newConfig);
 
-        setStyle(currentStyle, "");
+        setStyle(currentGestureBarStyle, BAR_GESTURE_BAR);
+        setStyle(currentStatusBarStyle, BAR_STATUS_BAR);
     }
 
     private void initSystemBars() {
@@ -259,8 +261,6 @@ private void injectSafeAreaCSS(int top, int right, int bottom, int left) {
     }
 
     private void setStyle(String style, String bar) {
-        currentStyle = style;
-
         if (style.equals(STYLE_DEFAULT)) {
             style = getStyleForTheme();
         }
@@ -268,10 +268,12 @@ private void setStyle(String style, String bar) {
         Window window = getActivity().getWindow();
         WindowInsetsControllerCompat windowInsetsControllerCompat = WindowCompat.getInsetsController(window, window.getDecorView());
         if (bar.isEmpty() || bar.equals(BAR_STATUS_BAR)) {
+            currentStatusBarStyle = style;
             windowInsetsControllerCompat.setAppearanceLightStatusBars(!style.equals(STYLE_DARK));
         }
 
         if (bar.isEmpty() || bar.equals(BAR_GESTURE_BAR)) {
+            currentGestureBarStyle = style;
             windowInsetsControllerCompat.setAppearanceLightNavigationBars(!style.equals(STYLE_DARK));
         }