diff --git a/src/cli/error.js b/src/cli/error.js
index e76cb08..e592c42 100644
--- a/src/cli/error.js
+++ b/src/cli/error.js
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ Error-handling routines for HackMyResume.
       case HMSTATUS.invalidHelperUse:
         msg = printf( M2C( this.msgs.invalidHelperUse.msg ), ex.helper );
         quit = false;
-        etype = 'error';
+        etype = 'warning';
         break;
 
       case HMSTATUS.notOnPath:
@@ -226,10 +226,18 @@ Error-handling routines for HackMyResume.
         break;
 
       case HMSTATUS.compileTemplate:
-        //msg = printf( M2C( this.msgs.compileTemplate.msg ), ex.inner);
         etype = 'error';
         break;
 
+      case HMSTATUS.themeLoad:
+        msg = M2C( printf( this.msgs.themeLoad.msg, ex.attempted.toUpperCase() ), 'red');
+        if( ex.inner && ex.inner.fluenterror ) {
+          msg += M2C('\nError: ', 'red') + assembleError.call( this, ex.inner ).msg;
+        }
+        quit = true;
+        etype = 'custom';
+        break;
+
       case HMSTATUS.parseError:
         if( SyntaxErrorEx.is( ex.inner )) {
           console.error( printf( M2C(this.msgs.readError.msg, 'red'), ex.file ) );
diff --git a/src/cli/main.js b/src/cli/main.js
index 5db46a3..0e4f1c0 100644
--- a/src/cli/main.js
+++ b/src/cli/main.js
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ Definition of the `main` function.
     var hand = require( './error' );
     hand.init( _opts.debug, _opts.assert, _opts.silent );
     var v = new HMR.verbs[ this.name() ]();
+    _opts.errHandler = v;
     _out.init( _opts );
     v.on( 'hmr:status', function() { _out.do.apply( _out, arguments ); });
     v.on( 'hmr:error', function() {
diff --git a/src/cli/msg.yml b/src/cli/msg.yml
index e55e808..029b668 100644
--- a/src/cli/msg.yml
+++ b/src/cli/msg.yml
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ errors:
   parseError:
     msg: Invalid or corrupt JSON on line %s column %s.
   invalidHelperUse:
-    msg: Invalid use of the **%s** theme helper.
+    msg: Warning: Invalid use of the **%s** theme helper.
   fileSaveError:
     msg: An error occurred while writing %s to disk: %s.
   mixedMerge:
@@ -90,3 +90,5 @@ errors:
     msg: "An error occurred during template invocation."
   compileTemplate:
     msg: "An error occurred during template compilation."
+  themeLoad:
+    msg: "Applying **%s** theme (? formats)"
diff --git a/src/cli/out.js b/src/cli/out.js
index 58ff0c5..797463e 100644
--- a/src/cli/out.js
+++ b/src/cli/out.js
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ Output routines for HackMyResume.
         case HME.applyTheme:
           this.theme = evt.theme;
           var numFormats = Object.keys( evt.theme.formats ).length;
-          L( M2C(this.msgs.applyTheme.msg, 'green'),
+          L( M2C(this.msgs.applyTheme.msg, evt.status === 'error' ? 'red' : 'green'),
             evt.theme.name.toUpperCase(),
             numFormats, ( numFormats === 1 ? '' : 's') );
           break;
diff --git a/src/core/fresh-theme.js b/src/core/fresh-theme.js
index 68b300c..994cae2 100644
--- a/src/core/fresh-theme.js
+++ b/src/core/fresh-theme.js
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ Definition of the FRESHTheme class.
     , parsePath = require('parse-filepath')
     , pathExists = require('path-exists').sync
     , EXTEND = require('extend')
+    , HMSTATUS = require('./status-codes')
     , moment = require('moment')
+    , loadSafeJson = require('../utils/safe-json-loader')
     , READFILES = require('recursive-readdir-sync');
 
 
@@ -46,11 +48,17 @@ Definition of the FRESHTheme class.
 
     // Load the theme
     var themeFile = PATH.join( themeFolder, 'theme.json' );
-    var themeInfo = JSON.parse( FS.readFileSync( themeFile, 'utf8' ) );
+    var themeInfo = loadSafeJson( themeFile );
+    if( themeInfo.ex ) throw {
+      fluenterror: themeInfo.ex.operation === 'parse' ?
+        HMSTATUS.parseError : HMSTATUS.readError,
+      inner: themeInfo.ex.inner
+    };
+
     var that = this;
 
     // Move properties from the theme JSON file to the theme object
-    EXTEND( true, this, themeInfo );
+    EXTEND( true, this, themeInfo.json );
 
     // Check for an "inherits" entry in the theme JSON.
     if( this.inherits ) {
diff --git a/src/core/status-codes.js b/src/core/status-codes.js
index 302d1d3..f398dcb 100644
--- a/src/core/status-codes.js
+++ b/src/core/status-codes.js
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ Status codes for HackMyResume.
     invalidHelperUse: 18,
     mixedMerge: 19,
     invokeTemplate: 20,
-    compileTemplate: 21
+    compileTemplate: 21,
+    themeLoad: 22
   };
 
 }());
diff --git a/src/verbs/build.js b/src/verbs/build.js
index 677c3ca..4c4dd2b 100644
--- a/src/verbs/build.js
+++ b/src/verbs/build.js
@@ -74,12 +74,30 @@ Implementation of the 'build' verb for HackMyResume.
       format: null, objectify: false, quit: true, inner: { sort: _opts.sort }
     }, this);
 
+    // Explicit check for any resume loading errors...
+    if( !sheetObjects ||
+        _.some( sheetObjects, function(so) { return so.fluenterror; } ) ) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
     var sheets = sheetObjects.map(function(r) { return r.json; });
 
     // Load the theme...
+    var theme;
     this.stat( HMEVENT.beforeTheme, { theme: _opts.theme });
-    var tFolder = verifyTheme.call( this, _opts.theme );
-    var theme = _opts.themeObj = loadTheme( tFolder );
+    try {
+      var tFolder = verifyTheme.call( this, _opts.theme );
+      theme = _opts.themeObj = loadTheme( tFolder );
+    }
+    catch( ex ) {
+      var newEx = {
+        fluenterror: HMSTATUS.themeLoad,
+        inner: ex,
+        attempted: _opts.theme
+      };
+      this.err( HMSTATUS.themeLoad, newEx );
+      return null;
+    }
     this.stat( HMEVENT.afterTheme, { theme: theme });
 
     // Check for invalid outputs...
@@ -149,6 +167,7 @@ Implementation of the 'build' verb for HackMyResume.
     _opts.wrap = opts.wrap || 60;
     _opts.stitles = opts.sectionTitles;
     _opts.tips = opts.tips;
+    _opts.errHandler = opts.errHandler;
     _opts.noTips = opts.noTips;
     _opts.debug = opts.debug;
     _opts.sort = opts.sort;