diff --git a/source/rofi.c b/source/rofi.c
index 7b8d553c..2bf17cb0 100644
--- a/source/rofi.c
+++ b/source/rofi.c
@@ -946,6 +946,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     TICK_N("Parse theme");
     rofi_theme_reset();
     if (rofi_theme_parse_file(config.theme)) {
+      g_warning("Failed to parse theme: \"%s\"", config.theme);
       // TODO: instantiate fallback theme.?
       rofi_theme_free(rofi_theme);
       rofi_theme = NULL;
@@ -986,7 +987,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
       windowid = config.monitor;
     }
   }
-  if (rofi_theme_is_empty()) {
+  // Load default theme, if no theme was set and we don't have a current theme
+  // loaded.
+  if (config.theme == NULL && rofi_theme_is_empty()) {
     GBytes *theme_data = g_resource_lookup_data(
         resources_get_resource(), "/org/qtools/rofi/default_theme.rasi",
         G_RESOURCE_LOOKUP_FLAGS_NONE, NULL);
@@ -1016,6 +1019,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   if (theme_str) {
     for (int index = 0; theme_str && theme_str[index]; index++) {
       if (rofi_theme_parse_string(theme_str[index])) {
+        g_warning("Failed to parse -theme-str option: \"%s\"",
+                  theme_str[index]);
         rofi_theme_free(rofi_theme);
         rofi_theme = NULL;
       }
diff --git a/source/theme.c b/source/theme.c
index 10b4e0f5..8a7e3d0a 100644
--- a/source/theme.c
+++ b/source/theme.c
@@ -1313,16 +1313,6 @@ gboolean rofi_theme_is_empty(void) {
   if (rofi_theme->properties == NULL && rofi_theme->num_widgets == 0) {
     return TRUE;
   }
-  if (rofi_theme->num_widgets == 3) {
-    // HACK: check for default added elements.
-    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < rofi_theme->num_widgets; i++) {
-      if (strncmp(rofi_theme->widgets[i]->name, "element", 7) != 0) {
-        return FALSE;
-      }
-    }
-    return TRUE;
-  }
-
   return FALSE;
 }