diff --git a/core/boot.js b/core/boot.js
index 83125874de..46ed7e5e77 100644
--- a/core/boot.js
+++ b/core/boot.js
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ const initExpressApps = async () => {
 
     const parentApp = require('./server/web/parent/app')();
 
+    // @TODO: fix this
+    const {events} = require('./server/lib/common');
+    events.emit('themes.ready');
+
     debug('End: initExpressApps');
     return parentApp;
 };
@@ -155,6 +159,7 @@ const bootGhost = async () => {
 
         // Announce Server Readiness
         logging.info('Ghost boot', (Date.now() - startTime) / 1000 + 's');
+        debug('boot announcing readiness');
         GhostServer.announceServerReadiness();
     } catch (error) {
         const errors = require('@tryghost/errors');
diff --git a/core/frontend/services/themes/index.js b/core/frontend/services/themes/index.js
index 35bd7882e7..f85f6decbd 100644
--- a/core/frontend/services/themes/index.js
+++ b/core/frontend/services/themes/index.js
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ module.exports = {
         events.on('server.start', function readAllThemesOnServerStart() {
             themeLoader.loadAllThemes();
         });
+        events.on('themes.ready', function readAllThemesOnServerStart() {
+            themeLoader.loadAllThemes();
+        });
 
         // Just read the active theme for now
         return themeLoader
diff --git a/core/server/ghost-server.js b/core/server/ghost-server.js
index 04c58996b0..b42486f20a 100644
--- a/core/server/ghost-server.js
+++ b/core/server/ghost-server.js
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ class GhostServer {
                     }, 5000);
                 }
 
+                debug('server announcing readiness');
                 return GhostServer.announceServerReadiness()
                     .finally(() => {
                         resolve(self);
@@ -328,6 +329,7 @@ module.exports.announceServerReadiness = function (error = null) {
         message.started = false;
         message.error = error;
     } else {
+        debug('emit: server.start');
         events.emit('server.start');
     }