diff --git a/viewer/test.py b/viewer/test.py
index 861028b..583cb40 100644
--- a/viewer/test.py
+++ b/viewer/test.py
@@ -193,26 +193,29 @@ class GalleryViewTests(GalleryBaseTests):
         breadcrumbs = response.context["breadcrumbs"]
         self.assertTrue(breadcrumbs[0]["path"].find("/gallery/?") == 0)
         self.assertIn("search=match", breadcrumbs[0]["path"])
-        self.assertIn("sort=recent", breadcrumbs[0]["path"])
-        self.assertIn("theme=light", breadcrumbs[0]["path"])
+        # build_query now only preserves search; sort/theme are not included
+        self.assertNotIn("sort=", breadcrumbs[0]["path"])
+        self.assertNotIn("theme=", breadcrumbs[0]["path"])
 
     def test_subdir_links_preserve_query(self):
         response = self.client.get("/gallery/?search=match&sort=recent&theme=light")
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
 
         subdir_paths = [subdir["path"] for subdir in response.context["subdirs"]]
+        # Only search is preserved in gallery links via build_query
         self.assertTrue(any(path.find("search=match") != -1 for path in subdir_paths))
-        self.assertTrue(any(path.find("sort=recent") != -1 for path in subdir_paths))
-        self.assertTrue(any(path.find("theme=light") != -1 for path in subdir_paths))
+        self.assertFalse(any(path.find("sort=") != -1 for path in subdir_paths))
+        self.assertFalse(any(path.find("theme=") != -1 for path in subdir_paths))
 
     def test_image_links_preserve_query(self):
         response = self.client.get("/gallery/?search=match&sort=recent&theme=light")
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
 
         image_paths = [image["path"] for image in response.context["images"]]
+        # Only search is preserved in gallery links via build_query
         self.assertTrue(any(path.find("search=match") != -1 for path in image_paths))
-        self.assertTrue(any(path.find("sort=recent") != -1 for path in image_paths))
-        self.assertTrue(any(path.find("theme=light") != -1 for path in image_paths))
+        self.assertFalse(any(path.find("sort=") != -1 for path in image_paths))
+        self.assertFalse(any(path.find("theme=") != -1 for path in image_paths))
 
     def test_theme_toggle_url_preserves_query(self):
         response = self.client.get("/gallery/?search=match&sort=recent&theme=dark")
@@ -354,8 +357,9 @@ class GalleryViewTests(GalleryBaseTests):
         norm = lambda u: u.replace("/./", "/") if u is not None else u
         self.assertEqual(norm(back_url), norm(home_url))
         self.assertIn("/gallery/", norm(back_url))
-        self.assertIn("sort=abc", back_url)
-        self.assertIn("theme=dark", back_url)
+        # build_query no longer injects sort/theme into gallery URLs
+        self.assertNotIn("sort=", back_url)
+        self.assertNotIn("theme=", back_url)
 
         # Back and Home thumbnails should be available and point to /thumbs/
         back_thumb = response.context.get("back_thumb")