diff --git a/core/bridge.js b/core/bridge.js
index d807d4da9d..02ea4c54ed 100644
--- a/core/bridge.js
+++ b/core/bridge.js
@@ -1,6 +1,17 @@
-// @TODO: refactor constructor pattern so we don't have to require config here?
+/**
+ * The Bridge
+ *
+ * The bridge is responsible for handing communication from the server to the frontend.
+ * Data should only be flowing server -> frontend.
+ * As the architecture improves, the number of cross requires here should go down
+ * Eventually, the aim is to make this a component that is initialised on boot and is either handed to or actively creates the frontend, if the frontend is desired.
+ *
+ * This file is a great place for all the cross-component event handling in lieu of refactoring
+ */
+const errors = require('@tryghost/errors');
 const config = require('./shared/config');
-const {events} = require('./server/lib/common');
+const logging = require('./shared/logging');
+const {events, i18n} = require('./server/lib/common');
 const themeEngine = require('./frontend/services/theme-engine');
 
 class Bridge {
@@ -18,6 +29,32 @@ class Bridge {
         return themeEngine.getActive();
     }
 
+    activateTheme(loadedTheme, checkedTheme, error) {
+        // no need to check the score, activation should be used in combination with validate.check
+        // Use the two theme objects to set the current active theme
+        try {
+            let previousGhostAPI;
+
+            if (this.getActiveTheme()) {
+                previousGhostAPI = this.getActiveTheme().engine('ghost-api');
+            }
+
+            themeEngine.setActive(loadedTheme, checkedTheme, error);
+            const currentGhostAPI = this.getActiveTheme().engine('ghost-api');
+
+            if (previousGhostAPI !== undefined && (previousGhostAPI !== currentGhostAPI)) {
+                events.emit('services.themes.api.changed');
+                const siteApp = require('./server/web/site/app');
+                siteApp.reload();
+            }
+        } catch (err) {
+            logging.error(new errors.InternalServerError({
+                message: i18n.t('errors.middleware.themehandler.activateFailed', {theme: loadedTheme.name}),
+                err: err
+            }));
+        }
+    }
+
     getFrontendApiVersion() {
         if (this.getActiveTheme()) {
             return this.getActiveTheme().engine('ghost-api');
diff --git a/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/index.js b/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/index.js
index ef99cd0506..85f6b05bdc 100644
--- a/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/index.js
+++ b/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
+const active = require('./active');
+
 module.exports = {
+    getActive: active.get,
+    setActive: active.set,
     loadCoreHelpers: require('./handlebars/helpers').loadCoreHelpers,
-    getActive: require('./active').get,
     middleware: require('./middleware')
 };
diff --git a/core/frontend/services/themes/activate.js b/core/frontend/services/themes/activate.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 4c5861b9f4..0000000000
--- a/core/frontend/services/themes/activate.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-const {events, i18n} = require('../../../server/lib/common');
-const logging = require('../../../shared/logging');
-const errors = require('@tryghost/errors');
-const active = require('../theme-engine/active');
-
-function activate(loadedTheme, checkedTheme, error) {
-    // no need to check the score, activation should be used in combination with validate.check
-    // Use the two theme objects to set the current active theme
-    try {
-        let previousGhostAPI;
-
-        if (active.get()) {
-            previousGhostAPI = active.get().engine('ghost-api');
-        }
-
-        active.set(loadedTheme, checkedTheme, error);
-        const currentGhostAPI = active.get().engine('ghost-api');
-
-        if (previousGhostAPI !== undefined && (previousGhostAPI !== currentGhostAPI)) {
-            events.emit('services.themes.api.changed');
-            const siteApp = require('../../../server/web/site/app');
-            siteApp.reload();
-        }
-    } catch (err) {
-        logging.error(new errors.InternalServerError({
-            message: i18n.t('errors.middleware.themehandler.activateFailed', {theme: loadedTheme.name}),
-            err: err
-        }));
-    }
-}
-
-module.exports = activate;
diff --git a/core/frontend/services/themes/index.js b/core/frontend/services/themes/index.js
index a1c35bd01d..b399d0410e 100644
--- a/core/frontend/services/themes/index.js
+++ b/core/frontend/services/themes/index.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const {i18n: commonI18n} = require('../proxy');
 const logging = require('../../../shared/logging');
 const errors = require('@tryghost/errors');
 const themeLoader = require('./loader');
-const activate = require('./activate');
+const bridge = require('../../../bridge');
 const validate = require('./validate');
 const list = require('./list');
 const settingsCache = require('../../../server/services/settings/cache');
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
                             logging.error(checkError);
 
-                            activate(theme, checkedTheme, checkError);
+                            bridge.activateTheme(theme, checkedTheme, checkError);
                         } else {
                             // CASE: inform that the theme has errors, but not fatal (theme still works)
                             if (checkedTheme.results.error.length) {
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
                             debug('Activating theme (method A on boot)', activeThemeName);
 
-                            activate(theme, checkedTheme);
+                            bridge.activateTheme(theme, checkedTheme);
                         }
                     });
             })
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ module.exports = {
         return validate.checkSafe(loadedTheme)
             .then((checkedTheme) => {
                 debug('Activating theme (method B on API "activate")', themeName);
-                activate(loadedTheme, checkedTheme);
+                bridge.activateTheme(loadedTheme, checkedTheme);
 
                 return checkedTheme;
             });
diff --git a/core/frontend/services/themes/storage.js b/core/frontend/services/themes/storage.js
index 8429cc727d..a4f889e0bc 100644
--- a/core/frontend/services/themes/storage.js
+++ b/core/frontend/services/themes/storage.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const fs = require('fs-extra');
 
-const activate = require('./activate');
+const bridge = require('../../../bridge');
 const validate = require('./validate');
 const list = require('./list');
 const ThemeStorage = require('./ThemeStorage');
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ module.exports = {
                 // CASE: if this is the active theme, we are overriding
                 if (overrideTheme) {
                     debug('Activating theme (method C, on API "override")', shortName);
-                    activate(loadedTheme, checkedTheme);
+                    bridge.activateTheme(loadedTheme, checkedTheme);
                 }
 
                 // @TODO: unify the name across gscan and Ghost!