diff --git a/__tests__/e2e/theme-image/image.test.ts b/__tests__/e2e/theme-image/image.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1822edaff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/e2e/theme-image/image.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+describe('themeable image alt overrides', () => {
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    await goto('/theme-image/')
+  })
+
+  test.each(['light', 'dark'])('uses the alt prop in %s mode', async (mode) => {
+    await page.evaluate((mode) => {
+      document.documentElement.classList.toggle('dark', mode === 'dark')
+    }, mode)
+
+    expect(
+      await page.locator('.image-override img:visible').getAttribute('alt')
+    ).toBe('Override description')
+    expect(
+      await page.locator('.image-decorative img:visible').getAttribute('alt')
+    ).toBe('')
+    expect(
+      await page.locator('.image-fallback img:visible').getAttribute('alt')
+    ).toBe('Image description')
+  })
+
+  test('updates both images when the alt prop changes', async () => {
+    const descriptions = () =>
+      page
+        .locator('.image-override img')
+        .evaluateAll((images) =>
+          images.map((image) => image.getAttribute('alt'))
+        )
+
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Update description' }).click()
+    await expect
+      .poll(descriptions)
+      .toEqual(['Updated description', 'Updated description'])
+
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear description' }).click()
+    await expect.poll(descriptions).toEqual(['', ''])
+  })
+})
diff --git a/__tests__/e2e/theme-image/index.md b/__tests__/e2e/theme-image/index.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c7ea85f4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/e2e/theme-image/index.md
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+<script setup>
+import { ref } from 'vue'
+import { VPImage } from 'vitepress/theme'
+
+const description = ref('Override description')
+const image = {
+  light: '/pwa_light.svg',
+  dark: '/pwa_dark.svg',
+  alt: 'Image description'
+}
+</script>
+
+# Themeable image descriptions
+
+<div class="image-override">
+  <VPImage :image :alt="description" />
+</div>
+
+<div class="image-decorative">
+  <VPImage :image alt="" />
+</div>
+
+<div class="image-fallback">
+  <VPImage :image />
+</div>
+
+<button @click="description = 'Updated description'">Update description</button>
+<button @click="description = ''">Clear description</button>
diff --git a/__tests__/unit/client/theme-default/components/VPImage.test.ts b/__tests__/unit/client/theme-default/components/VPImage.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..66719d376
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/unit/client/theme-default/components/VPImage.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// @ts-expect-error the unit typecheck uses tsc; Vite compiles this SFC at runtime
+import VPImage from 'client/theme-default/components/VPImage.vue'
+import { createSSRApp } from 'vue'
+import { renderToString } from 'vue/server-renderer'
+
+vi.mock('vitepress', () => ({ withBase: (path: string) => path }))
+
+const images = [
+  { name: 'string', image: 'logo.svg', fallback: '', count: 1 },
+  {
+    name: 'single source',
+    image: { src: 'logo.svg', alt: 'Image description' },
+    fallback: 'Image description',
+    count: 1
+  },
+  {
+    name: 'themed sources',
+    image: { light: 'light.svg', dark: 'dark.svg', alt: 'Image description' },
+    fallback: 'Image description',
+    count: 2
+  },
+  {
+    name: 'themed sources without alt',
+    image: { light: 'light.svg', dark: 'dark.svg' },
+    fallback: '',
+    count: 2
+  }
+]
+
+describe.each(images)('VPImage with $name', ({ image, fallback, count }) => {
+  test.each(['Override description', '', undefined])(
+    'respects the alt prop %j',
+    async (alt) => {
+      const html = await renderToString(createSSRApp(VPImage, { image, alt }))
+      const descriptions = [...html.matchAll(/ alt(?:="([^"]*)")?/g)].map(
+        ([, value]) => value ?? ''
+      )
+      expect(descriptions).toEqual(Array(count).fill(alt ?? fallback))
+    }
+  )
+})
diff --git a/src/client/theme-default/components/VPImage.vue b/src/client/theme-default/components/VPImage.vue
index e2d606210..fb04af238 100644
--- a/src/client/theme-default/components/VPImage.vue
+++ b/src/client/theme-default/components/VPImage.vue
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ defineOptions({ inheritAttrs: false })
       <VPImage
         class="dark"
         :image="image.dark"
-        :alt="image.alt"
+        :alt="alt ?? image.alt"
         v-bind="$attrs"
       />
       <VPImage
         class="light"
         :image="image.light"
-        :alt="image.alt"
+        :alt="alt ?? image.alt"
         v-bind="$attrs"
       />
     </template>