diff --git a/core/server/services/themes/activation-bridge.js b/core/server/services/themes/activation-bridge.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0d0ad12553
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/server/services/themes/activation-bridge.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+const debug = require('@tryghost/debug')('themes');
+const bridge = require('../../../bridge');
+
+/**
+ * These helper methods mean that the bridge is only required in one place
+ * And also adds a little debug statement, which is very handy when debugging theme logic
+ */
+module.exports = {
+    activateFromBoot: (themeName, theme, checkedTheme) => {
+        debug('Activating theme (method A on boot)', themeName);
+        bridge.activateTheme(theme, checkedTheme);
+    },
+    activateFromAPI: (themeName, theme, checkedTheme) => {
+        debug('Activating theme (method B on API "activate")', themeName);
+        bridge.activateTheme(theme, checkedTheme);
+    },
+    activateFromAPIOverride: (themeName, theme, checkedTheme) => {
+        debug('Activating theme (method C on API "override")', themeName);
+        bridge.activateTheme(theme, checkedTheme);
+    }
+};
diff --git a/core/server/services/themes/index.js b/core/server/services/themes/index.js
index 9c85caa960..d954df4b94 100644
--- a/core/server/services/themes/index.js
+++ b/core/server/services/themes/index.js
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ const logging = require('@tryghost/logging');
 const errors = require('@tryghost/errors');
 const tpl = require('@tryghost/tpl');
 const themeLoader = require('./loader');
-const bridge = require('../../../bridge');
 const validate = require('./validate');
 const list = require('./list');
+const activator = require('./activation-bridge');
 const settingsCache = require('../../../shared/settings-cache');
 
 const messages = {
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ module.exports = {
                 logging.warn(validate.getThemeValidationError('activeThemeHasErrors', activeThemeName, checkedTheme));
             }
 
-            debug('Activating theme (method A on boot)', activeThemeName);
-            bridge.activateTheme(theme, checkedTheme);
+            activator.activateFromBoot(activeThemeName, theme, checkedTheme);
         } catch (err) {
             if (err instanceof errors.NotFoundError) {
                 // CASE: active theme is missing, we don't want to exit because the admin panel will still work
@@ -60,8 +59,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
         const checkedTheme = await validate.checkSafe(themeName, loadedTheme);
 
-        debug('Activating theme (method B on API "activate")', themeName);
-        bridge.activateTheme(loadedTheme, checkedTheme);
+        activator.activateFromAPI(themeName, loadedTheme, checkedTheme);
 
         return checkedTheme;
     },
diff --git a/core/server/services/themes/storage.js b/core/server/services/themes/storage.js
index b15f943cef..fc4ff8ed5a 100644
--- a/core/server/services/themes/storage.js
+++ b/core/server/services/themes/storage.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const validate = require('./validate');
 const list = require('./list');
 const ThemeStorage = require('./ThemeStorage');
 const themeLoader = require('./loader');
+const activator = require('./activation-bridge');
 const toJSON = require('./to-json');
 
 const settingsCache = require('../../../shared/settings-cache');
@@ -79,8 +80,7 @@ module.exports = {
             overrideTheme = (shortName === settingsCache.get('active_theme'));
             // CASE: if this is the active theme, we are overriding
             if (overrideTheme) {
-                debug('Activating theme (method C, on API "override")', shortName);
-                bridge.activateTheme(loadedTheme, checkedTheme);
+                activator.activateFromOverride(shortName, loadedTheme, checkedTheme);
             }
 
             // @TODO: unify the name across gscan and Ghost!