diff --git a/bookwyrm/forms.py b/bookwyrm/forms.py
index 81061f96..01228b8e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/forms.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/forms.py
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ from collections import defaultdict
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 from django import forms
-from django.contrib.staticfiles.utils import get_files
-from django.contrib.staticfiles.storage import StaticFilesStorage
 from django.forms import ModelForm, PasswordInput, widgets, ChoiceField
 from django.forms.widgets import Textarea
 from django.utils import timezone
@@ -462,22 +460,13 @@ class SiteThemeForm(CustomForm):
         fields = ["default_theme"]
 
 
-def get_theme_choices():
-    """static files"""
-    choices = list(get_files(StaticFilesStorage(), location="css/themes"))
-    current = models.Theme.objects.values_list("path", flat=True)
-    return [(c, c) for c in choices if c not in current and c[-5:] == ".scss"]
-
-
 class ThemeForm(CustomForm):
     class Meta:
         model = models.Theme
         fields = ["name", "path"]
         widgets = {
             "name": forms.TextInput(attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_name"}),
-            "path": forms.Select(
-                attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_path"}, choices=get_theme_choices()
-            ),
+            "path": forms.Select(attrs={"aria-describedby": "desc_path"}),
         }
 
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/settings/themes.html b/bookwyrm/templates/settings/themes.html
index a0619369..11c34405 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/settings/themes.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/settings/themes.html
@@ -50,6 +50,12 @@
         class="box"
         enctype="multipart/form-data"
     >
+    {% if not choices %}
+    <div class="notification is-warning">
+        {% trans "No available theme files detected" %}
+    </div>
+    {% endif %}
+    <fieldset {% if not choices %}disabled{% endif %}>
         {% csrf_token %}
         <div class="columns">
             <div class="column is-half">
@@ -68,7 +74,18 @@
                 </label>
                 <div class="control">
                     <div class="select">
-                        {{ theme_form.path }}
+                        <select
+                            name="path"
+                            aria-describedby="desc_path"
+                            class=""
+                            id="id_path"
+                        >
+                            {% for choice in choices %}
+                            <option value="{{ choice }}">
+                                {{ choice }}
+                            </option>
+                            {% endfor %}
+                        </select>
                     </div>
                     {% include 'snippets/form_errors.html' with errors_list=theme_form.path.errors id="desc_path" %}
                 </div>
@@ -76,6 +93,7 @@
         </div>
 
         <button type="submit" class="button">{% trans "Add theme" %}</button>
+    </fieldset>
     </form>
 </section>
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/admin/themes.py b/bookwyrm/views/admin/themes.py
index cf11bc6d..c1eacf44 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/admin/themes.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/admin/themes.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 """ manage themes """
 from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required, permission_required
+from django.contrib.staticfiles.utils import get_files
+from django.contrib.staticfiles.storage import StaticFilesStorage
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
 from django.views import View
@@ -18,21 +20,29 @@ class Themes(View):
 
     def get(self, request):
         """view existing themes and set defaults"""
-        data = {
-            "themes": models.Theme.objects.all(),
-            "theme_form": forms.ThemeForm(),
-        }
-        return TemplateResponse(request, "settings/themes.html", data)
+        return TemplateResponse(request, "settings/themes.html", get_view_data())
 
     def post(self, request):
         """edit the site settings"""
         form = forms.ThemeForm(request.POST, request.FILES)
-        data = {
-            "themes": models.Theme.objects.all(),
-            "theme_form": form,
-        }
         if form.is_valid():
             form.save()
+
+        data = get_view_data()
+
+        if not form.is_valid():
+            data["theme_form"] = form
+        else:
             data["success"] = True
-            data["theme_form"] = forms.ThemeForm()
         return TemplateResponse(request, "settings/themes.html", data)
+
+
+def get_view_data():
+    """data for view"""
+    choices = list(get_files(StaticFilesStorage(), location="css/themes"))
+    current = models.Theme.objects.values_list("path", flat=True)
+    return {
+        "themes": models.Theme.objects.all(),
+        "choices": [c for c in choices if c not in current and c[-5:] == ".scss"],
+        "theme_form": forms.ThemeForm(),
+    }