diff --git a/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.cpp b/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.cpp
index 90037dee7c8..10ee20217d4 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.cpp
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ void setCreatorTheme(Theme *theme)
         return;
     delete m_creatorTheme;
     m_creatorTheme = theme;
+    if (theme && theme->flag(Theme::ApplyThemePaletteGlobally))
+        QApplication::setPalette(theme->palette());
 }
 
 Theme::Theme(const QString &id, QObject *parent)
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.cpp
index 75df4228015..888abfbb5c2 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.cpp
@@ -93,53 +93,29 @@ CorePlugin::~CorePlugin()
     setCreatorTheme(0);
 }
 
-void CorePlugin::parseArguments(const QStringList &arguments)
-{
-    const Id settingsThemeId = Id::fromSetting(ICore::settings()->value(
-                QLatin1String(Constants::SETTINGS_THEME), QLatin1String(Constants::DEFAULT_THEME)));
-    Id themeId = settingsThemeId;
+struct CoreArguments {
     QColor overrideColor;
+    Id themeId;
     bool presentationMode = false;
+};
 
+CoreArguments parseArguments(const QStringList &arguments)
+{
+    CoreArguments args;
     for (int i = 0; i < arguments.size(); ++i) {
         if (arguments.at(i) == QLatin1String("-color")) {
             const QString colorcode(arguments.at(i + 1));
-            overrideColor = QColor(colorcode);
+            args.overrideColor = QColor(colorcode);
             i++; // skip the argument
         }
         if (arguments.at(i) == QLatin1String("-presentationMode"))
-            presentationMode = true;
+            args.presentationMode = true;
         if (arguments.at(i) == QLatin1String("-theme")) {
-            themeId = Id::fromString(arguments.at(i + 1));
-            i++;
+            args.themeId = Id::fromString(arguments.at(i + 1));
+            i++; // skip the argument
         }
     }
-    const QList<ThemeEntry> availableThemes = ThemeEntry::availableThemes();
-    int themeIndex = Utils::indexOf(availableThemes, Utils::equal(&ThemeEntry::id, themeId));
-    if (themeIndex < 0) {
-        themeIndex = Utils::indexOf(availableThemes,
-                                    Utils::equal(&ThemeEntry::id, settingsThemeId));
-    }
-    if (themeIndex < 0)
-        themeIndex = 0;
-    if (themeIndex < availableThemes.size()) {
-        const ThemeEntry themeEntry = availableThemes.at(themeIndex);
-        QSettings themeSettings(themeEntry.filePath(), QSettings::IniFormat);
-        Theme *theme = new Theme(themeEntry.id().toString(), qApp);
-        theme->readSettings(themeSettings);
-        if (theme->flag(Theme::ApplyThemePaletteGlobally))
-            QApplication::setPalette(theme->palette());
-        setCreatorTheme(theme);
-    }
-
-    // defer creation of these widgets until here,
-    // because they need a valid theme set
-    m_mainWindow = new MainWindow;
-    ActionManager::setPresentationModeEnabled(presentationMode);
-    m_locator = new Locator;
-
-    if (overrideColor.isValid())
-        m_mainWindow->setOverrideColor(overrideColor);
+    return args;
 }
 
 bool CorePlugin::initialize(const QStringList &arguments, QString *errorMessage)
@@ -148,10 +124,18 @@ bool CorePlugin::initialize(const QStringList &arguments, QString *errorMessage)
         *errorMessage = tr("No themes found in installation.");
         return false;
     }
-    new ActionManager(this);
+    const CoreArguments args = parseArguments(arguments);
     Theme::initialPalette(); // Initialize palette before setting it
+    Theme *themeFromArg = ThemeEntry::createTheme(args.themeId);
+    setCreatorTheme(themeFromArg ? themeFromArg
+                                 : ThemeEntry::createTheme(ThemeEntry::themeSetting()));
+    new ActionManager(this);
+    ActionManager::setPresentationModeEnabled(args.presentationMode);
+    m_mainWindow = new MainWindow;
+    if (args.overrideColor.isValid())
+        m_mainWindow->setOverrideColor(args.overrideColor);
+    m_locator = new Locator;
     qsrand(QDateTime::currentDateTime().toTime_t());
-    parseArguments(arguments);
     const bool success = m_mainWindow->init(errorMessage);
     if (success) {
         m_editMode = new EditMode;
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.h b/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.h
index c6135ed85c2..62a11fb2e95 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.h
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.h
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@ private slots:
 #endif
 
 private:
-    void parseArguments(const QStringList & arguments);
     static void addToPathChooserContextMenu(Utils::PathChooser *pathChooser, QMenu *menu);
 
     MainWindow *m_mainWindow;
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/themechooser.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/themechooser.cpp
index 6e18697aa26..ab695aeea82 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/themechooser.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/themechooser.cpp
@@ -171,8 +171,7 @@ void ThemeChooser::apply()
         return;
     const QString themeId = d->m_themeListModel->themeAt(index).id().toString();
     QSettings *settings = ICore::settings();
-    const QString currentThemeId = settings->value(QLatin1String(Constants::SETTINGS_THEME),
-                                                   QLatin1String(Constants::DEFAULT_THEME)).toString();
+    const QString currentThemeId = ThemeEntry::themeSetting().toString();
     if (currentThemeId != themeId) {
         QMessageBox::information(ICore::mainWindow(), tr("Restart Required"),
                                  tr("The theme change will take effect after a restart of Qt Creator."));
@@ -215,5 +214,25 @@ QList<ThemeEntry> ThemeEntry::availableThemes()
     return themes;
 }
 
+Id ThemeEntry::themeSetting()
+{
+    return Id::fromSetting(ICore::settings()->value(QLatin1String(Constants::SETTINGS_THEME),
+                                                    QLatin1String(Constants::DEFAULT_THEME)));
+}
+
+Theme *ThemeEntry::createTheme(Id id)
+{
+    if (!id.isValid())
+        return nullptr;
+    const ThemeEntry entry = Utils::findOrDefault(availableThemes(),
+                                                  Utils::equal(&ThemeEntry::id, id));
+    if (!entry.id().isValid())
+        return nullptr;
+    QSettings themeSettings(entry.filePath(), QSettings::IniFormat);
+    Theme *theme = new Theme(entry.id().toString());
+    theme->readSettings(themeSettings);
+    return theme;
+}
+
 } // namespace Internal
 } // namespace Core
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/themechooser.h b/src/plugins/coreplugin/themechooser.h
index e95c4802690..51930347601 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/themechooser.h
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/themechooser.h
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 
 #include <QWidget>
 
+namespace Utils { class Theme; }
+
 namespace Core {
 namespace Internal {
 
@@ -46,6 +48,8 @@ public:
     QString displayName() const;
     QString filePath() const;
     static QList<ThemeEntry> availableThemes();
+    static Id themeSetting();
+    static Utils::Theme *createTheme(Id id);
 
 private:
     Id m_id;