diff --git a/ghost/admin/app/adapters/theme.js b/ghost/admin/app/adapters/theme.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..92025e6998
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/admin/app/adapters/theme.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import ApplicationAdapter from './application';
+
+export default ApplicationAdapter.extend({
+
+    activate(model) {
+        let url = `${this.buildURL('theme', model.get('id'))}activate/`;
+
+        return this.ajax(url, 'PUT', {data: {}}).then((data) => {
+            return this.store.pushPayload(data);
+        });
+    }
+
+});
diff --git a/ghost/admin/app/components/gh-theme-table.js b/ghost/admin/app/components/gh-theme-table.js
index c2f4cb68be..6ffae061ed 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/app/components/gh-theme-table.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/app/components/gh-theme-table.js
@@ -5,19 +5,18 @@ import get from 'ember-metal/get';
 export default Component.extend({
 
     themes: null,
-    activeTheme: null,
 
-    sortedThemes: computed('themes.[]', 'activeTheme', function () {
-        let activeTheme = get(this, 'activeTheme');
+    sortedThemes: computed('themes.@each.active', function () {
         let themes = get(this, 'themes').map((t) => {
             let theme = {};
             let themePackage = get(t, 'package');
 
+            theme.model = t;
             theme.name = get(t, 'name');
             theme.label = themePackage ? `${themePackage.name}` : theme.name;
             theme.version = themePackage ? `${themePackage.version}` : '1.0';
             theme.package = themePackage;
-            theme.active = theme.name === activeTheme;
+            theme.active = get(t, 'active');
             theme.isDeletable = !theme.active;
 
             return theme;
diff --git a/ghost/admin/app/components/modals/upload-theme.js b/ghost/admin/app/components/modals/upload-theme.js
index 56431a888c..037a758932 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/app/components/modals/upload-theme.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/app/components/modals/upload-theme.js
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export default ModalComponent.extend({
     displayOverwriteWarning: false,
 
     eventBus: injectService(),
+    store: injectService(),
 
     hideUploader: or('theme', 'displayOverwriteWarning'),
 
@@ -29,9 +30,10 @@ export default ModalComponent.extend({
     }),
 
     themeName: computed('theme.{name,package.name}', function () {
-        let t = this.get('theme');
+        let themePackage = this.get('theme.package');
+        let name = this.get('theme.name');
 
-        return t.package ? `${t.package.name} - ${t.package.version}` : t.name;
+        return themePackage ? `${themePackage.name} - ${themePackage.version}` : name;
     }),
 
     currentThemeNames: mapBy('model.themes', 'name'),
@@ -43,13 +45,12 @@ export default ModalComponent.extend({
 
     canActivateTheme: computed('theme', function () {
         let theme = this.get('theme');
-        // TODO: do we still get theme.active back or do we need to check settings.activeTheme?
-        return theme && !theme.active;
+        return theme && !theme.get('active');
     }),
 
     actions: {
         validateTheme(file) {
-            let themeName = file.name.replace(/\.zip$/, '').replace(/[^\w@.]/gi, '-');
+            let themeName = file.name.replace(/\.zip$/, '').replace(/[^\w@.]/gi, '-').toLowerCase();
 
             let currentThemeNames = this.get('currentThemeNames');
 
@@ -94,16 +95,18 @@ export default ModalComponent.extend({
         },
 
         uploadSuccess(response) {
-            let [theme] = response.themes;
+            this.get('store').pushPayload(response);
+
+            let theme = this.get('store').peekRecord('theme', response.themes[0].name);
 
             this.set('theme', theme);
 
             if (get(theme, 'warnings.length') > 0) {
-                this.set('validationWarnings', theme.warnings);
+                this.set('validationWarnings', get(theme, 'warnings'));
             }
 
             // invoke the passed in confirm action
-            invokeAction(this, 'model.uploadSuccess', this.get('theme'));
+            invokeAction(this, 'model.uploadSuccess', theme);
         },
 
         uploadFailed(error) {
diff --git a/ghost/admin/app/controllers/settings/design.js b/ghost/admin/app/controllers/settings/design.js
index afc53c30c2..d6653e8a91 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/app/controllers/settings/design.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/app/controllers/settings/design.js
@@ -109,9 +109,8 @@ export default Controller.extend(SettingsSaveMixin, {
             navItem.set('url', url);
         },
 
-        setTheme(theme) {
-            this.set('model.activeTheme', theme.name);
-            this.send('save');
+        activateTheme(theme) {
+            return theme.activate();
         },
 
         downloadTheme(theme) {
diff --git a/ghost/admin/app/models/setting.js b/ghost/admin/app/models/setting.js
index 0214e3b362..39771646fd 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/app/models/setting.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/app/models/setting.js
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ export default Model.extend(ValidationEngine, {
     postsPerPage: attr('number'),
     forceI18n: attr('boolean'),
     permalinks: attr('string'),
-    activeTheme: attr('string'),
     activeTimezone: attr('string', {defaultValue: 'Etc/UTC'}),
     ghost_head: attr('string'),
     ghost_foot: attr('string'),
diff --git a/ghost/admin/app/models/theme.js b/ghost/admin/app/models/theme.js
index ded4933b45..c68e382d5f 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/app/models/theme.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/app/models/theme.js
@@ -3,5 +3,12 @@ import attr from 'ember-data/attr';
 
 export default Model.extend({
     name: attr('string'),
-    package: attr('raw')
+    package: attr('raw'),
+    active: attr('boolean'),
+    warnings: attr('raw'),
+
+    activate() {
+        let adapter = this.store.adapterFor(this.constructor.modelName);
+        return adapter.activate(this);
+    }
 });
diff --git a/ghost/admin/app/routes/settings/design.js b/ghost/admin/app/routes/settings/design.js
index 376572fc7f..1dacdb23af 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/app/routes/settings/design.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/app/routes/settings/design.js
@@ -49,12 +49,8 @@ export default AuthenticatedRoute.extend(styleBody, CurrentUserSettings, {
             return this._super(...arguments);
         },
 
-        reloadThemes() {
-            return this.get('store').findAll('theme');
-        },
-
         activateTheme(theme) {
-            return this.get('controller').send('setTheme', theme);
+            return this.get('controller').send('activateTheme', theme);
         }
     }
 });
diff --git a/ghost/admin/app/templates/components/gh-theme-table.hbs b/ghost/admin/app/templates/components/gh-theme-table.hbs
index 83a5faff24..20cc353418 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/app/templates/components/gh-theme-table.hbs
+++ b/ghost/admin/app/templates/components/gh-theme-table.hbs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
                     {{#if theme.active}}
                         <span class="gh-badge gh-badge-black apps-configured-action" data-test-theme-badge>Active</span>
                     {{else}}
-                        <a href="#" {{action activateTheme theme}} class="apps-configured-action apps-configured-action-activate green-hover" data-test-theme-activate-button>
+                        <a href="#" {{action activateTheme theme.model}} class="apps-configured-action apps-configured-action-activate green-hover" data-test-theme-activate-button>
                             Activate
                         </a>
                     {{/if}}
diff --git a/ghost/admin/app/templates/settings/design.hbs b/ghost/admin/app/templates/settings/design.hbs
index 1ff151d16a..699809d3ed 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/app/templates/settings/design.hbs
+++ b/ghost/admin/app/templates/settings/design.hbs
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@
         <div class="gh-themes-container">
             {{gh-theme-table
                 themes=themes
-                activeTheme=model.activeTheme
-                activateTheme=(action "setTheme")
+                activateTheme=(action "activateTheme")
                 downloadTheme=(action "downloadTheme")
                 deleteTheme=(action "deleteTheme")}}
 
diff --git a/ghost/admin/app/templates/settings/design/uploadtheme.hbs b/ghost/admin/app/templates/settings/design/uploadtheme.hbs
index 56aa8141e8..29a45babc3 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/app/templates/settings/design/uploadtheme.hbs
+++ b/ghost/admin/app/templates/settings/design/uploadtheme.hbs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 {{gh-fullscreen-modal "upload-theme"
     model=(hash
         themes=model
-        uploadSuccess=(route-action 'reloadThemes')
         activate=(route-action 'activateTheme')
     )
     close=(route-action "cancel")
diff --git a/ghost/admin/mirage/config/themes.js b/ghost/admin/mirage/config/themes.js
index ee677aaa2d..817b4ff0e6 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/mirage/config/themes.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/mirage/config/themes.js
@@ -30,4 +30,11 @@ export default function mockThemes(server) {
 
         return new Response(204, {}, null);
     });
+
+    server.put('/themes/:theme/activate/', function ({themes}, {params}) {
+        themes.all().update('active', false);
+        themes.findBy({name: params.theme}).update({active: true});
+
+        return themes.all();
+    });
 }
diff --git a/ghost/admin/mirage/fixtures/settings.js b/ghost/admin/mirage/fixtures/settings.js
index c50d2de5f9..bf274431b2 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/mirage/fixtures/settings.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/mirage/fixtures/settings.js
@@ -70,16 +70,6 @@ export default [
         updated_at: '2015-10-27T17:39:58.280Z',
         updated_by: 1
     },
-    {
-        id: 8,
-        key: 'activeTheme',
-        value: 'casper',
-        type: 'theme',
-        created_at: '2013-11-25T14:48:11.000Z',
-        created_by: 1,
-        updated_at: '2015-10-27T17:39:58.284Z',
-        updated_by: 1
-    },
     {
         id: 9,
         key: 'permalinks',
diff --git a/ghost/admin/mirage/fixtures/themes.js b/ghost/admin/mirage/fixtures/themes.js
index b6d55811d6..8cf3150c1c 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/mirage/fixtures/themes.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/mirage/fixtures/themes.js
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ export default [
         package: {
             name: 'Blog',
             version: '1.0'
-        }
+        },
+        active: true
     },
     {
         name: 'foo',
diff --git a/ghost/admin/tests/acceptance/settings/design-test.js b/ghost/admin/tests/acceptance/settings/design-test.js
index 20cf8da3e9..74c9ffa77f 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/tests/acceptance/settings/design-test.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/tests/acceptance/settings/design-test.js
@@ -400,39 +400,40 @@ describe('Acceptance: Settings - Design', function () {
 
             // theme upload handles validation warnings
             andThen(() => {
-                server.post('/themes/upload/', function () {
-                    return new Mirage.Response(200, {}, {
-                        themes: [
+                server.post('/themes/upload/', function ({themes}) {
+                    let theme = {
+                        name: 'blackpalm',
+                        package: {
+                            name: 'BlackPalm',
+                            version: '1.0.0'
+                        }
+                    };
+
+                    themes.create(theme);
+
+                    theme.warnings = [{
+                        level: 'warning',
+                        rule: 'Assets such as CSS & JS must use the <code>{{asset}}</code> helper',
+                        details: '<p>The listed files should be included using the <code>{{asset}}</code> helper.  For more information, please see the <a href="http://themes.ghost.org/docs/asset">asset helper documentation</a>.</p>',
+                        failures: [
                             {
-                                name: 'blackpalm',
-                                package: {
-                                    name: 'BlackPalm',
-                                    version: '1.0.0'
-                                },
-                                warnings: [
-                                    {
-                                        level: 'warning',
-                                        rule: 'Assets such as CSS & JS must use the <code>{{asset}}</code> helper',
-                                        details: '<p>The listed files should be included using the <code>{{asset}}</code> helper.  For more information, please see the <a href="http://themes.ghost.org/docs/asset">asset helper documentation</a>.</p>',
-                                        failures: [
-                                            {
-                                                ref: '/assets/dist/img/apple-touch-icon.png'
-                                            },
-                                            {
-                                                ref: '/assets/dist/img/favicon.ico'
-                                            },
-                                            {
-                                                ref: '/assets/dist/css/blackpalm.min.css'
-                                            },
-                                            {
-                                                ref: '/assets/dist/js/blackpalm.min.js'
-                                            }
-                                        ],
-                                        code: 'GS030-ASSET-REQ'
-                                    }
-                                ]
+                                ref: '/assets/dist/img/apple-touch-icon.png'
+                            },
+                            {
+                                ref: '/assets/dist/img/favicon.ico'
+                            },
+                            {
+                                ref: '/assets/dist/css/blackpalm.min.css'
+                            },
+                            {
+                                ref: '/assets/dist/js/blackpalm.min.js'
                             }
-                        ]
+                        ],
+                        code: 'GS030-ASSET-REQ'
+                    }];
+
+                    return new Mirage.Response(200, {}, {
+                        themes: [theme]
                     });
                 });
             });
@@ -461,6 +462,7 @@ describe('Acceptance: Settings - Design', function () {
             // theme upload handles success then close
             click(testSelector('upload-theme-button'));
             fileUpload('.fullscreen-modal input[type="file"]', ['test'], {name: 'theme-1.zip', type: 'application/zip'});
+
             andThen(() => {
                 expect(
                     find('.fullscreen-modal h1').text().trim(),
@@ -475,7 +477,7 @@ describe('Acceptance: Settings - Design', function () {
                 expect(
                     find(testSelector('theme-id')).length,
                     'number of themes in list grows after upload'
-                ).to.equal(4);
+                ).to.equal(5);
 
                 expect(
                     find(`${testSelector('theme-active', 'true')} ${testSelector('theme-title')}`).text().trim(),
@@ -492,7 +494,7 @@ describe('Acceptance: Settings - Design', function () {
                 expect(
                     find(testSelector('theme-id')).length,
                     'number of themes in list grows after upload and activate'
-                ).to.equal(5);
+                ).to.equal(6);
 
                 expect(
                     find(`${testSelector('theme-active', 'true')} ${testSelector('theme-title')}`).text().trim(),
@@ -546,7 +548,7 @@ describe('Acceptance: Settings - Design', function () {
                 expect(
                     find(testSelector('theme-id')).length,
                     'number of themes in list shrinks after delete'
-                ).to.equal(4);
+                ).to.equal(5);
 
                 expect(
                     find(testSelector('theme-title')).text(),
diff --git a/ghost/admin/tests/integration/components/gh-theme-table-test.js b/ghost/admin/tests/integration/components/gh-theme-table-test.js
index de194a1fd0..78732a60b9 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/tests/integration/components/gh-theme-table-test.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/tests/integration/components/gh-theme-table-test.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ describe('Integration: Component: gh-theme-table', function() {
 
     it('renders', function() {
         this.set('themes', [
-            {name: 'Daring', package: {name: 'Daring', version: '0.1.4'}},
+            {name: 'Daring', package: {name: 'Daring', version: '0.1.4'}, active: true},
             {name: 'casper', package: {name: 'Casper', version: '1.3.1'}},
             {name: 'oscar-ghost-1.1.0', package: {name: 'Lanyon', version: '1.1.0'}},
             {name: 'foo'}
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ describe('Integration: Component: gh-theme-table', function() {
 
         this.render(hbs`{{gh-theme-table
             themes=themes
-            activeTheme="Daring"
             activateTheme=(action actionHandler)
             downloadTheme=(action actionHandler)
             deleteTheme=(action actionHandler)