diff --git a/.eslintrc.js b/.eslintrc.js
index 67671070aa2a71..dbaa69f5bf07a0 100644
--- a/.eslintrc.js
+++ b/.eslintrc.js
@@ -354,20 +354,25 @@ module.exports = {
 		},
 		{
 			files: [ 'packages/components/src/**' ],
-			excludedFiles: [ 'packages/components/src/utils/colors-values.js' ],
+			excludedFiles: [
+				'packages/components/src/utils/colors-values.js',
+				'packages/components/src/theme/**',
+			],
 			rules: {
 				'no-restricted-syntax': [
 					'error',
 					{
-						selector: 'Literal[value=/--wp-admin-theme-/]',
+						selector:
+							':matches(Literal[value=/--wp-admin-theme-/],TemplateElement[value.cooked=/--wp-admin-theme-/])',
 						message:
 							'--wp-admin-theme-* variables do not support component theming. Use variables from the COLORS object in packages/components/src/utils/colors-values.js instead.',
 					},
 					{
 						selector:
-							'TemplateElement[value.cooked=/--wp-admin-theme-/]',
+							// Allow overriding definitions, but not access with var()
+							':matches(Literal[value=/var\\(\\s*--wp-components-color-/],TemplateElement[value.cooked=/var\\(\\s*--wp-components-color-/])',
 						message:
-							'--wp-admin-theme-* variables do not support component theming. Use variables from the COLORS object in packages/components/src/utils/colors-values.js instead.',
+							'To ensure proper fallbacks, --wp-components-color-* variables should not be used directly. Use variables from the COLORS object in packages/components/src/utils/colors-values.js instead.',
 					},
 				],
 			},
diff --git a/packages/components/.stylelintrc.js b/packages/components/.stylelintrc.js
index be2035d903731e..2a583a09c16059 100644
--- a/packages/components/.stylelintrc.js
+++ b/packages/components/.stylelintrc.js
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ module.exports = {
 	rules: {
 		'declaration-property-value-disallowed-list': [
 			{
-				'/.*/': '/--wp-admin-theme-/',
+				'/.*/': [ '/--wp-admin-theme-/', '/--wp-components-color-/' ],
 			},
 			{
 				message:
-					'--wp-admin-theme-* variables do not support component theming. Use Sass variables from packages/components/src/utils/theme-variables.scss instead.',
+					'To support component theming and ensure proper fallbacks, use Sass variables from packages/components/src/utils/theme-variables.scss instead.',
 			},
 		],
 	},
diff --git a/packages/components/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/components/CHANGELOG.md
index 85be50e8f7642c..ebce7cbd6fdad4 100644
--- a/packages/components/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/components/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 ### Internal
 
 -   `ColorPicker`: Style without accessing internal `InputControl` classes ([#59069](https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/59069)).
+-   Add lint rules for theme color CSS var usage ([#59022](https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/59022)).
 
 ## 26.0.1 (2024-02-13)
 
diff --git a/packages/components/src/progress-bar/styles.ts b/packages/components/src/progress-bar/styles.ts
index 041b2402f0324e..d33b0966d023bf 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/progress-bar/styles.ts
+++ b/packages/components/src/progress-bar/styles.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export const Track = styled.div`
 	/* Text color at 10% opacity */
 	background-color: color-mix(
 		in srgb,
-		var( --wp-components-color-foreground, ${ COLORS.gray[ 900 ] } ),
+		${ COLORS.theme.foreground },
 		transparent 90%
 	);
 	border-radius: ${ CONFIG.radiusBlockUi };
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export const Indicator = styled.div< {
 	/* Text color at 90% opacity */
 	background-color: color-mix(
 		in srgb,
-		var( --wp-components-color-foreground, ${ COLORS.gray[ 900 ] } ),
+		${ COLORS.theme.foreground },
 		transparent 10%
 	);