diff --git a/src/ctxt/ctxt.c b/src/ctxt/ctxt.c
index ee06ed0..c0d059d 100644
--- a/src/ctxt/ctxt.c
+++ b/src/ctxt/ctxt.c
@@ -109,20 +109,26 @@ void ax_begin_theme(struct ax_ctxt* ax)
 
 struct ax_theme* ax_end_theme(struct ax_ctxt* ax)
 {
-    ASSERT(ax->thmb != NULL, "`ax_end_theme' called while not building a theme");
-
-    struct ax_theme* thm = ax__theme_builder_finish(ax->thmb, ax->init_rgn);
+    if (ax->thmb == NULL) {
+        ax_log(ax, "`ax_end_theme' called while not building a theme");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    struct ax_theme* thm = ax__theme_builder_finish(
+        ax->thmb,
+        ax->init_rgn,
+        ax__backend_msgq(ax->bac));
     ax->thmb = NULL;
     rgn_clear(ax->thmb_rgn);
-
-    ax__theme_load(thm, ax__backend_msgq(ax->bac));
     return thm;
 }
 
 void ax_set_theme_color(
     struct ax_ctxt* ax, const char* cat_name, int64_t rgb)
 {
-    ASSERT(ax->thmb != NULL, "`ax_set_theme_color' called while not building a theme");
+    if (ax->thmb == NULL) {
+        ax_log(ax, "`ax_set_theme_color' called while not building a theme");
+        return;
+    }
     enum ax_color_cat cat;
     if (ax__string_to_color_cat(cat_name, &cat) != 0) {
         ax->thmb->err =
@@ -135,7 +141,10 @@ void ax_set_theme_color(
 void ax_set_theme_font(
     struct ax_ctxt* ax, const char* cat_name, const char* fnt_path, size_t fnt_size)
 {
-    ASSERT(ax->thmb != NULL, "`ax_set_theme_font' called while not building a theme");
+    if (ax->thmb == NULL) {
+        ax_log(ax, "`ax_set_theme_font' called while not building a theme");
+        return;
+    }
     enum ax_font_cat cat;
     if (ax__string_to_font_cat(cat_name, &cat) != 0) {
         ax->thmb->err =
@@ -148,7 +157,10 @@ void ax_set_theme_font(
 void ax_set_theme_iconset(
     struct ax_ctxt* ax, const char* iconset_dir)
 {
-    ASSERT(ax->thmb != NULL, "`ax_set_theme_iconset' called while not building a theme");
+    if (ax->thmb == NULL) {
+        ax_log(ax, "`ax_set_theme_iconset' called while not building a theme");
+        return;
+    }
     UNIMPLEMENTED();
 }
 
@@ -159,7 +171,10 @@ void ax_theme_wait_until_loaded(struct ax_ctxt* ax, struct ax_theme* thm)
     struct msgq* mq = msgq_new(rgn);
     ax__theme_on_load(thm, mq);
     msgq_begin_recv_and_wait(mq);
-    MSGQ_RECV_ALL(mq) {}
+    MSGQ_RECV_ALL(mq) {
+        default:
+            break;
+    }
     msgq_end_recv(mq);
     rgn_cleanup(rgn);
 }
diff --git a/src/ctxt/theme.c b/src/ctxt/theme.c
index 8c119ec..b219e2f 100644
--- a/src/ctxt/theme.c
+++ b/src/ctxt/theme.c
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ void ax__theme_set_font(
 
 struct ax_theme* ax__theme_builder_finish(
     struct ax_theme_builder* thmb,
-    struct rgn* dst_rgn)
+    struct rgn* dst_rgn,
+    struct msgq* req_to_load_mq)
 {
     struct ax_theme* thm = ralloc_typed(dst_rgn, struct ax_theme, 1);
     if (thmb->err != NULL) {
@@ -99,6 +100,15 @@ struct ax_theme* ax__theme_builder_finish(
     thm->on_load = NULL;
     pthread_mutex_init(&thm->mx, NULL);
     rgn_pin(dst_rgn, thm, (void*) pthread_mutex_destroy);
+
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < AX_FONT__COUNT; i++) {
+        struct ax_msg_load_font* m =
+            msgq_begin_send_typed(req_to_load_mq, ax_msg_load_font);
+        m->theme = thm;
+        m->category = i;
+        msgq_end_send(req_to_load_mq);
+    }
+
     return thm;
 }
 
@@ -157,16 +167,6 @@ void ax__theme_set_font_handle(
     pthread_mutex_unlock(&thm->mx);
 }
 
-void ax__theme_load(struct ax_theme* thm, struct msgq* req_mq)
-{
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < AX_FONT__COUNT; i++) {
-        struct ax_msg_load_font* m = msgq_begin_send_typed(req_mq, ax_msg_load_font);
-        m->theme = thm;
-        m->category = i;
-        msgq_end_send(req_mq);
-    }
-}
-
 void ax__theme_on_load(struct ax_theme* thm, struct msgq* res_mq)
 {
     pthread_mutex_lock(&thm->mx);
diff --git a/src/ctxt/theme.h b/src/ctxt/theme.h
index f4ad927..6fb6668 100644
--- a/src/ctxt/theme.h
+++ b/src/ctxt/theme.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 struct rgn;
 struct msgq;
 struct msgq_list;
+struct ax_font_h;
 
 #define THEME_BUILDER_DESIRED_REGION_SIZE (16*1024)
 
@@ -36,8 +37,6 @@ enum ax_font_cat {
     AX_FONT__DEFAULT,
 };
 
-struct ax_font_h; // defined by backend
-
 struct ax_theme {
     const char*       err;
     int64_t           color[AX_COLOR__COUNT];
@@ -75,7 +74,8 @@ void ax__theme_set_font(
 
 struct ax_theme* ax__theme_builder_finish(
     struct ax_theme_builder* thmb,
-    struct rgn* dst_rgn);
+    struct rgn* dst_rgn,
+    struct msgq* req_to_load_mq);
 
 static inline int64_t ax__theme_color(
     struct ax_theme* thm,
@@ -107,10 +107,6 @@ void ax__theme_set_font_handle(
     enum ax_font_cat i,
     struct ax_font_h* h);
 
-void ax__theme_load(
-    struct ax_theme* thm,
-    struct msgq* req_mq);
-
 void ax__theme_on_load(
     struct ax_theme* thm,
     struct msgq* res_mq);