diff --git a/ui/src/conf/themes.rs b/ui/src/conf/themes.rs
index 60794bc6..9a113689 100644
--- a/ui/src/conf/themes.rs
+++ b/ui/src/conf/themes.rs
@@ -232,8 +232,12 @@ impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for ThemeValue<Attr> {
     where
         D: Deserializer<'de>,
     {
-        if let Ok(s) = <Attr>::deserialize(deserializer) {
-            Ok(ThemeValue::Value(s))
+        if let Ok(s) = <String>::deserialize(deserializer) {
+            if let Ok(c) = Attr::from_string_de::<'de, D>(s.clone()) {
+                Ok(ThemeValue::Value(c))
+            } else {
+                Ok(ThemeValue::Link(s.into()))
+            }
         } else {
             Err(de::Error::custom("invalid theme attribute value"))
         }
diff --git a/ui/src/terminal/cells.rs b/ui/src/terminal/cells.rs
index 58b5c806..b8291d71 100644
--- a/ui/src/terminal/cells.rs
+++ b/ui/src/terminal/cells.rs
@@ -1397,17 +1397,7 @@ impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for Attr {
         D: Deserializer<'de>,
     {
         if let Ok(s) = <String>::deserialize(deserializer) {
-            match s.as_str() {
-                "Default" => Ok(Attr::Default),
-                "Bold" => Ok(Attr::Bold),
-                "Underline" => Ok(Attr::Underline),
-                "BoldUnderline" => Ok(Attr::BoldUnderline),
-                "Reverse" => Ok(Attr::Reverse),
-                "BoldReverse" => Ok(Attr::BoldReverse),
-                "UnderlineReverse" => Ok(Attr::UnderlineReverse),
-                "BoldReverseUnderline" => Ok(Attr::BoldReverseUnderline),
-                _ => Err(de::Error::custom("invalid attr value")),
-            }
+            Attr::from_string_de::<'de, D>(s)
         } else {
             Err(de::Error::custom("invalid attr value"))
         }
@@ -1432,6 +1422,25 @@ impl Serialize for Attr {
     }
 }
 
+impl Attr {
+    pub fn from_string_de<'de, D>(s: String) -> std::result::Result<Self, D::Error>
+    where
+        D: Deserializer<'de>,
+    {
+        match s.as_str() {
+            "Default" => Ok(Attr::Default),
+            "Bold" => Ok(Attr::Bold),
+            "Underline" => Ok(Attr::Underline),
+            "BoldUnderline" => Ok(Attr::BoldUnderline),
+            "Reverse" => Ok(Attr::Reverse),
+            "BoldReverse" => Ok(Attr::BoldReverse),
+            "UnderlineReverse" => Ok(Attr::UnderlineReverse),
+            "BoldReverseUnderline" => Ok(Attr::BoldReverseUnderline),
+            _ => Err(de::Error::custom("invalid attr value")),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn copy_area_with_break(
     grid_dest: &mut CellBuffer,
     grid_src: &CellBuffer,