diff --git a/core/server/services/auth/setup.js b/core/server/services/auth/setup.js
index 8d37f0a9d2..f54fa971fc 100644
--- a/core/server/services/auth/setup.js
+++ b/core/server/services/auth/setup.js
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ const messages = {
     setupUnableToRun: 'Database missing fixture data. Please reset database and try again.',
     sampleBlogDescription: 'Thoughts, stories and ideas.',
     yourNewGhostBlog: 'Your New Ghost Site',
-    unableToSendWelcomeEmail: 'Unable to send welcome email, your site will continue to function.'
+    unableToSendWelcomeEmail: 'Unable to send welcome email, your site will continue to function.',
+    failedThemeInstall: 'Theme {themeName} didn\'t install because of the error: {error}'
 };
 
 /**
@@ -169,8 +170,9 @@ async function installTheme(data, api) {
             name: theme.name,
             context: {internal: true}
         });
-    } catch (e) {
+    } catch (error) {
         //Fallback to Casper by doing nothing as the theme setting update is the last step
+        logging.warn(tpl(messages.failedThemeInstall, {themeName, error: error.message}));
 
         await api.notifications.add({
             notifications: [{
diff --git a/test/regression/api/admin/authentication.test.js b/test/regression/api/admin/authentication.test.js
index d7acd51658..83d2bef988 100644
--- a/test/regression/api/admin/authentication.test.js
+++ b/test/regression/api/admin/authentication.test.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+const nock = require('nock');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const {agentProvider, mockManager, fixtureManager, matchers} = require('../../../utils/e2e-framework');
 const {anyEtag, anyDate, anyErrorId} = matchers;
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ describe('Authentication API', function () {
 
         afterEach(function () {
             mockManager.restore();
+            nock.cleanAll();
         });
 
         it('is setup? no', async function () {
@@ -33,6 +35,11 @@ describe('Authentication API', function () {
         });
 
         it('complete setup', async function () {
+            const requestMock = nock('https://api.github.com')
+                .get('/repos/tryghost/dawn/zipball')
+                .query(true)
+                .replyWithFile(200, __dirname + '/../../../utils/fixtures/themes/valid.zip');
+
             await agent
                 .post('authentication/setup')
                 .body({
@@ -60,9 +67,10 @@ describe('Authentication API', function () {
                 subject: 'Your New Ghost Site',
                 to: 'test@example.com'
             });
+            assert.equal(requestMock.isDone(), true, 'The dawn github URL should have been used');
 
             const activeTheme = await settingsCache.get('active_theme');
-            assert.equal(activeTheme, 'dawn', 'The theme dawn should have been isntalled');
+            assert.equal(activeTheme, 'dawn', 'The theme dawn should have been installed');
         });
 
         it('is setup? yes', async function () {