diff --git a/core/server/config/index.js b/core/server/config/index.js
index 68a10065a8..6ff1f56b49 100644
--- a/core/server/config/index.js
+++ b/core/server/config/index.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ var path          = require('path'),
     knex          = require('knex'),
     validator     = require('validator'),
     readDirectory = require('../utils/read-directory'),
+    readThemes    = require('../utils/read-themes'),
     errors        = require('../errors'),
     configUrl     = require('./url'),
     packageInfo   = require('../../../package.json'),
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ ConfigManager.prototype.init = function (rawConfig) {
     // just the object appropriate for this NODE_ENV
     self.set(rawConfig);
 
-    return Promise.all([readDirectory(self._config.paths.themePath), readDirectory(self._config.paths.appPath)]).then(function (paths) {
+    return Promise.all([readThemes(self._config.paths.themePath), readDirectory(self._config.paths.appPath)]).then(function (paths) {
         self._config.paths.availableThemes = paths[0];
         self._config.paths.availableApps = paths[1];
         return self._config;
diff --git a/core/server/data/validation/index.js b/core/server/data/validation/index.js
index 97115c4b62..9aaf29e130 100644
--- a/core/server/data/validation/index.js
+++ b/core/server/data/validation/index.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ var schema    = require('../schema').tables,
     Promise   = require('bluebird'),
     errors    = require('../../errors'),
     config    = require('../../config'),
-    readDirectory = require('../../utils/read-directory'),
+    readThemes = require('../../utils/read-themes'),
 
     validateSchema,
     validateSettings,
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ validateActiveTheme = function validateActiveTheme(themeName) {
         // A Promise that will resolve to an object with a property for each installed theme.
         // This is necessary because certain configuration data is only available while Ghost
         // is running and at times the validations are used when it's not (e.g. tests)
-        availableThemes = readDirectory(config.paths.themePath);
+        availableThemes = readThemes(config.paths.themePath);
     }
 
     return availableThemes.then(function then(themes) {
diff --git a/core/server/utils/read-directory.js b/core/server/utils/read-directory.js
index 415e834c48..4ead7ed134 100644
--- a/core/server/utils/read-directory.js
+++ b/core/server/utils/read-directory.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ function readDirectory(dir, options) {
     }
 
     ignore = options.ignore || [];
-    ignore.push('node_modules', 'bower_components');
+    ignore.push('node_modules', 'bower_components', '.DS_Store');
 
     return readDir(dir)
         .filter(function (filename) {
diff --git a/core/server/utils/read-themes.js b/core/server/utils/read-themes.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..295d16ba88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/server/utils/read-themes.js
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/**
+ * Dependencies
+ */
+
+var readDirectory = require('./read-directory'),
+    Promise = require('bluebird'),
+    join = require('path').join,
+    fs = require('fs'),
+
+    statFile = Promise.promisify(fs.stat);
+
+/**
+ * Read themes
+ */
+
+function readThemes(dir) {
+    var originalTree;
+
+    return readDirectory(dir)
+        .tap(function (tree) {
+            originalTree = tree;
+        })
+        .then(Object.keys)
+        .filter(function (file) {
+            var path = join(dir, file);
+
+            return statFile(path).then(function (stat) {
+                return stat.isDirectory();
+            });
+        })
+        .then(function (directories) {
+            var themes = {};
+
+            directories.forEach(function (name) {
+                themes[name] = originalTree[name];
+            });
+
+            return themes;
+        });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Expose `read-themes`
+ */
+
+module.exports = readThemes;
diff --git a/core/server/utils/validate-themes.js b/core/server/utils/validate-themes.js
index 72644d18fd..1833567e60 100644
--- a/core/server/utils/validate-themes.js
+++ b/core/server/utils/validate-themes.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * Dependencies
  */
 
-var readDirectory = require('./read-directory'),
+var readThemes = require('./read-themes'),
     Promise = require('bluebird'),
     _ = require('lodash');
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ function validateThemes(dir) {
         errors: []
     };
 
-    return readDirectory(dir)
+    return readThemes(dir)
         .tap(function (themes) {
             _.each(themes, function (theme, name) {
                 var hasPackageJson, warning;
diff --git a/core/test/unit/server_utils_spec.js b/core/test/unit/server_utils_spec.js
index 8c0c3a44dc..8ed6d3e956 100644
--- a/core/test/unit/server_utils_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/unit/server_utils_spec.js
@@ -1,81 +1,352 @@
 /*globals describe, it*/
 /*jshint expr:true*/
 var should          = require('should'),
-    utils           = require('../../server/utils');
+    parsePackageJson = require('../../server/utils/parse-package-json'),
+    validateThemes  = require('../../server/utils/validate-themes'),
+    readDirectory   = require('../../server/utils/read-directory'),
+    readThemes      = require('../../server/utils/read-themes'),
+    tempfile        = require('../utils/tempfile'),
+    utils           = require('../../server/utils'),
+    join            = require('path').join,
+    fs              = require('fs');
 
 // To stop jshint complaining
 should.equal(true, true);
 
-describe('Safe String', function () {
-    var safeString = utils.safeString,
-        options = {};
+describe('Server Utilities', function () {
+    describe('Safe String', function () {
+        var safeString = utils.safeString,
+            options = {};
 
-    it('should remove beginning and ending whitespace', function () {
-        var result = safeString(' stringwithspace ', options);
-        result.should.equal('stringwithspace');
+        it('should remove beginning and ending whitespace', function () {
+            var result = safeString(' stringwithspace ', options);
+            result.should.equal('stringwithspace');
+        });
+
+        it('should remove non ascii characters', function () {
+            var result = safeString('howtowin✓', options);
+            result.should.equal('howtowin');
+        });
+
+        it('should replace spaces with dashes', function () {
+            var result = safeString('how to win', options);
+            result.should.equal('how-to-win');
+        });
+
+        it('should replace most special characters with dashes', function () {
+            var result = safeString('a:b/c?d#e[f]g!h$i&j(k)l*m+n,o;p=q\\r%s<t>u|v^w~x£y"z@1.2', options);
+            result.should.equal('a-b-c-d-e-f-g-h-i-j-k-l-m-n-o-p-q-r-s-t-u-v-w-x-y-z-1-2');
+        });
+
+        it('should remove special characters at the beginning of a string', function () {
+            var result = safeString('.Not special', options);
+            result.should.equal('not-special');
+        });
+
+        it('should remove apostrophes ', function () {
+            var result = safeString('how we shouldn\'t be', options);
+            result.should.equal('how-we-shouldnt-be');
+        });
+
+        it('should convert to lowercase', function () {
+            var result = safeString('This has Upper Case', options);
+            result.should.equal('this-has-upper-case');
+        });
+
+        it('should convert multiple dashes into a single dash', function () {
+            var result = safeString('This :) means everything', options);
+            result.should.equal('this-means-everything');
+        });
+
+        it('should remove trailing dashes from the result', function () {
+            var result = safeString('This.', options);
+            result.should.equal('this');
+        });
+
+        it('should handle pound signs', function () {
+            var result = safeString('WHOOPS! I spent all my £ again!', options);
+            result.should.equal('whoops-i-spent-all-my-again');
+        });
+
+        it('should properly handle unicode punctuation conversion', function () {
+            var result = safeString('に間違いがないか、再度確認してください。再読み込みしてください。', options);
+            result.should.equal('nijian-wei-iganaika-zai-du-que-ren-sitekudasai-zai-du-miip-misitekudasai');
+        });
+
+        it('should not lose or convert dashes if options are passed with truthy importing flag', function () {
+            var result,
+                options = {importing: true};
+            result = safeString('-slug-with-starting-ending-and---multiple-dashes-', options);
+            result.should.equal('-slug-with-starting-ending-and---multiple-dashes-');
+        });
+
+        it('should still remove/convert invalid characters when passed options with truthy importing flag', function () {
+            var result,
+                options = {importing: true};
+            result = safeString('-slug-&with-✓-invalid-characters-に\'', options);
+            result.should.equal('-slug--with--invalid-characters-ni');
+        });
     });
 
-    it('should remove non ascii characters', function () {
-        var result = safeString('howtowin✓', options);
-        result.should.equal('howtowin');
+    describe('parse-package-json', function () {
+        it('should parse valid package.json', function (done) {
+            var pkgJson, tmpPath;
+
+            tmpPath = tempfile();
+            pkgJson = JSON.stringify({
+                name: 'test',
+                version: '0.0.0'
+            });
+
+            fs.writeFileSync(tmpPath, pkgJson);
+
+            parsePackageJson(tmpPath)
+                .then(function (pkg) {
+                    pkg.should.eql({
+                        name: 'test',
+                        version: '0.0.0'
+                    });
+
+                    done();
+                })
+                .catch(done);
+        });
+
+        it('should fail when name is missing', function (done) {
+            var pkgJson, tmpPath;
+
+            tmpPath = tempfile();
+            pkgJson = JSON.stringify({
+                version: '0.0.0'
+            });
+
+            fs.writeFileSync(tmpPath, pkgJson);
+
+            parsePackageJson(tmpPath)
+                .then(function () {
+                    done(new Error('parsePackageJson succeeded, but should\'ve failed'));
+                })
+                .catch(function (err) {
+                    err.message.should.equal('"name" or "version" is missing from theme package.json file.');
+                    err.context.should.equal(tmpPath);
+                    err.help.should.equal('This will be required in future. Please see http://docs.ghost.org/themes/');
+
+                    done();
+                });
+        });
+
+        it('should fail when version is missing', function (done) {
+            var pkgJson, tmpPath;
+
+            tmpPath = tempfile();
+            pkgJson = JSON.stringify({
+                name: 'test'
+            });
+
+            fs.writeFileSync(tmpPath, pkgJson);
+
+            parsePackageJson(tmpPath)
+                .then(function () {
+                    done(new Error('parsePackageJson succeeded, but should\'ve failed'));
+                })
+                .catch(function (err) {
+                    err.message.should.equal('"name" or "version" is missing from theme package.json file.');
+                    err.context.should.equal(tmpPath);
+                    err.help.should.equal('This will be required in future. Please see http://docs.ghost.org/themes/');
+
+                    done();
+                });
+        });
+
+        it('should fail when JSON is invalid', function (done) {
+            var pkgJson, tmpPath;
+
+            tmpPath = tempfile();
+            pkgJson = '{name:"test"}';
+
+            fs.writeFileSync(tmpPath, pkgJson);
+
+            parsePackageJson(tmpPath)
+                .then(function () {
+                    done(new Error('parsePackageJson succeeded, but should\'ve failed'));
+                })
+                .catch(function (err) {
+                    err.message.should.equal('Theme package.json file is malformed');
+                    err.context.should.equal(tmpPath);
+                    err.help.should.equal('This will be required in future. Please see http://docs.ghost.org/themes/');
+
+                    done();
+                });
+        });
+
+        it('should fail when file is missing', function (done) {
+            var tmpPath = tempfile();
+
+            parsePackageJson(tmpPath)
+                .then(function () {
+                    done(new Error('parsePackageJson succeeded, but should\'ve failed'));
+                })
+                .catch(function (err) {
+                    err.message.should.equal('Could not read package.json file');
+                    err.context.should.equal(tmpPath);
+
+                    done();
+                });
+        });
     });
 
-    it('should replace spaces with dashes', function () {
-        var result = safeString('how to win', options);
-        result.should.equal('how-to-win');
+    describe('read-directory', function () {
+        it('should read directory recursively', function (done) {
+            var themePath = tempfile();
+
+            // create example theme
+            fs.mkdirSync(themePath);
+            fs.mkdirSync(join(themePath, 'partials'));
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themePath, 'index.hbs'));
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themePath, 'partials', 'navigation.hbs'));
+
+            readDirectory(themePath)
+                .then(function (tree) {
+                    tree.should.eql({
+                        partials: {
+                            'navigation.hbs': join(themePath, 'partials', 'navigation.hbs')
+                        },
+                        'index.hbs': join(themePath, 'index.hbs')
+                    });
+
+                    done();
+                })
+                .catch(done);
+        });
+
+        it('should read directory and ignore unneeded items', function (done) {
+            var themePath = tempfile();
+
+            // create example theme
+            fs.mkdirSync(themePath);
+            fs.mkdirSync(join(themePath, 'partials'));
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themePath, 'index.hbs'));
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themePath, 'partials', 'navigation.hbs'));
+
+            // create some trash
+            fs.mkdirSync(join(themePath, 'node_modules'));
+            fs.mkdirSync(join(themePath, 'bower_components'));
+            fs.mkdirSync(join(themePath, '.git'));
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themePath, '.DS_Store'));
+
+            readDirectory(themePath, {ignore: ['.git']})
+                .then(function (tree) {
+                    tree.should.eql({
+                        partials: {
+                            'navigation.hbs': join(themePath, 'partials', 'navigation.hbs')
+                        },
+                        'index.hbs': join(themePath, 'index.hbs')
+                    });
+
+                    done();
+                })
+                .catch(done);
+        });
+
+        it('should read directory and parse package.json files', function (done) {
+            var themePath, pkgJson;
+
+            themePath = tempfile();
+            pkgJson = JSON.stringify({
+                name: 'test',
+                version: '0.0.0'
+            });
+
+            // create example theme
+            fs.mkdirSync(themePath);
+            fs.mkdirSync(join(themePath, 'partials'));
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themePath, 'package.json'), pkgJson);
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themePath, 'index.hbs'));
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themePath, 'partials', 'navigation.hbs'));
+
+            readDirectory(themePath)
+                .then(function (tree) {
+                    tree.should.eql({
+                        partials: {
+                            'navigation.hbs': join(themePath, 'partials', 'navigation.hbs')
+                        },
+                        'index.hbs': join(themePath, 'index.hbs'),
+                        'package.json': {
+                            name: 'test',
+                            version: '0.0.0'
+                        }
+                    });
+
+                    done();
+                })
+                .catch(done);
+        });
     });
 
-    it('should replace most special characters with dashes', function () {
-        var result = safeString('a:b/c?d#e[f]g!h$i&j(k)l*m+n,o;p=q\\r%s<t>u|v^w~x£y"z@1.2', options);
-        result.should.equal('a-b-c-d-e-f-g-h-i-j-k-l-m-n-o-p-q-r-s-t-u-v-w-x-y-z-1-2');
+    describe('read-themes', function () {
+        it('should read directory and include only folders', function (done) {
+            var themesPath = tempfile();
+
+            fs.mkdirSync(themesPath);
+
+            // create trash
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themesPath, 'casper.zip'));
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themesPath, '.DS_Store'));
+
+            // create actual theme
+            fs.mkdirSync(join(themesPath, 'casper'));
+            fs.mkdirSync(join(themesPath, 'casper', 'partials'));
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themesPath, 'casper', 'index.hbs'));
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themesPath, 'casper', 'partials', 'navigation.hbs'));
+
+            readThemes(themesPath)
+                .then(function (tree) {
+                    tree.should.eql({
+                        casper: {
+                            partials: {
+                                'navigation.hbs': join(themesPath, 'casper', 'partials', 'navigation.hbs')
+                            },
+                            'index.hbs': join(themesPath, 'casper', 'index.hbs')
+                        }
+                    });
+
+                    done();
+                })
+                .catch(done);
+        });
     });
 
-    it('should remove special characters at the beginning of a string', function () {
-        var result = safeString('.Not special', options);
-        result.should.equal('not-special');
-    });
+    describe('validate-themes', function () {
+        it('should return warnings for themes without package.json', function (done) {
+            var themesPath, pkgJson;
 
-    it('should remove apostrophes ', function () {
-        var result = safeString('how we shouldn\'t be', options);
-        result.should.equal('how-we-shouldnt-be');
-    });
+            themesPath = tempfile();
+            pkgJson = JSON.stringify({
+                name: 'casper',
+                version: '1.0.0'
+            });
 
-    it('should convert to lowercase', function () {
-        var result = safeString('This has Upper Case', options);
-        result.should.equal('this-has-upper-case');
-    });
+            fs.mkdirSync(themesPath);
 
-    it('should convert multiple dashes into a single dash', function () {
-        var result = safeString('This :) means everything', options);
-        result.should.equal('this-means-everything');
-    });
+            fs.mkdirSync(join(themesPath, 'casper'));
+            fs.mkdirSync(join(themesPath, 'invalid-casper'));
 
-    it('should remove trailing dashes from the result', function () {
-        var result = safeString('This.', options);
-        result.should.equal('this');
-    });
+            fs.writeFileSync(join(themesPath, 'casper', 'package.json'), pkgJson);
 
-    it('should handle pound signs', function () {
-        var result = safeString('WHOOPS! I spent all my £ again!', options);
-        result.should.equal('whoops-i-spent-all-my-again');
-    });
+            validateThemes(themesPath)
+                .then(function () {
+                    done(new Error('validateThemes succeeded, but should\'ve failed'));
+                })
+                .catch(function (result) {
+                    result.errors.length.should.equal(0);
+                    result.warnings.should.eql([{
+                        message: 'Found a theme with no package.json file',
+                        context: 'Theme name: invalid-casper',
+                        help: 'This will be required in future. Please see http://docs.ghost.org/themes/'
+                    }]);
 
-    it('should properly handle unicode punctuation conversion', function () {
-        var result = safeString('に間違いがないか、再度確認してください。再読み込みしてください。', options);
-        result.should.equal('nijian-wei-iganaika-zai-du-que-ren-sitekudasai-zai-du-miip-misitekudasai');
-    });
-
-    it('should not lose or convert dashes if options are passed with truthy importing flag', function () {
-        var result,
-            options = {importing: true};
-        result = safeString('-slug-with-starting-ending-and---multiple-dashes-', options);
-        result.should.equal('-slug-with-starting-ending-and---multiple-dashes-');
-    });
-
-    it('should still remove/convert invalid characters when passed options with truthy importing flag', function () {
-        var result,
-            options = {importing: true};
-        result = safeString('-slug-&with-✓-invalid-characters-に\'', options);
-        result.should.equal('-slug--with--invalid-characters-ni');
+                    done();
+                });
+        });
     });
 });
diff --git a/core/test/utils/tempfile.js b/core/test/utils/tempfile.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3f89d47c25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/test/utils/tempfile.js
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/**
+ * Dependencies
+ */
+
+var join = require('path').join,
+
+    TMP_DIR = require('os').tmpdir();
+
+/**
+ * Generate a temporary file path
+ */
+
+function tempfile() {
+    var randomString = Math.random().toString(36).substring(7);
+
+    return join(TMP_DIR, randomString);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Expose `tempfile`
+ */
+
+module.exports = tempfile;