diff --git a/dist/verbs/build.js b/dist/verbs/build.js
index ebebcea..ad70c41 100644
--- a/dist/verbs/build.js
+++ b/dist/verbs/build.js
@@ -423,19 +423,22 @@ Implementation of the 'build' verb for HackMyResume.
    */
 
   _verifyTheme = function(themeNameOrPath) {
-    var exists, tFolder;
-    tFolder = PATH.join(parsePath(require.resolve('fresh-themes')).dirname, '/themes/', themeNameOrPath);
-    exists = require('path-exists').sync;
-    if (!exists(tFolder)) {
+    var exists, tFolder, themesObj;
+    themesObj = require('fresh-themes');
+    if (_.has(themesObj.themes, themeNameOrPath)) {
+      tFolder = PATH.join(parsePath(require.resolve('fresh-themes')).dirname, '/themes/', themeNameOrPath);
+    } else {
       tFolder = PATH.resolve(themeNameOrPath);
-      if (!exists(tFolder)) {
-        return {
-          fluenterror: HMSTATUS.themeNotFound,
-          data: _opts.theme
-        };
-      }
     }
-    return tFolder;
+    exists = require('path-exists').sync;
+    if (exists(tFolder)) {
+      return tFolder;
+    } else {
+      return {
+        fluenterror: HMSTATUS.themeNotFound,
+        data: _opts.theme
+      };
+    }
   };
 
 
diff --git a/src/verbs/build.coffee b/src/verbs/build.coffee
index 6787e92..e3af122 100644
--- a/src/verbs/build.coffee
+++ b/src/verbs/build.coffee
@@ -334,17 +334,30 @@ _expand = ( dst, theTheme ) ->
 Verify the specified theme name/path.
 ###
 _verifyTheme = ( themeNameOrPath ) ->
-  tFolder = PATH.join(
-    parsePath( require.resolve('fresh-themes') ).dirname,
-    '/themes/',
-    themeNameOrPath
-  )
-  exists = require('path-exists').sync
-  if !exists( tFolder )
+
+  # First, see if this is one of the predefined FRESH themes. There are only a
+  # handful of these, but they may change over time, so we need to query
+  # the official source of truth: the fresh-themes repository, which mounts the
+  # themes conveniently by name to the module object, and which is embedded
+  # locally inside the HackMyResume installation.
+  themesObj = require 'fresh-themes'
+  if _.has themesObj.themes, themeNameOrPath
+    tFolder = PATH.join(
+      parsePath( require.resolve('fresh-themes') ).dirname,
+      '/themes/',
+      themeNameOrPath
+    )
+  else
+  # Otherwsie it's a path to an arbitrary FRESH or JRS theme sitting somewhere
+  # on the user's system (or, in the future, at a URI).
     tFolder = PATH.resolve themeNameOrPath
-    if !exists tFolder
-      return fluenterror: HMSTATUS.themeNotFound, data: _opts.theme
-  tFolder
+
+  # In either case, make sure the theme folder exists
+  exists = require('path-exists').sync
+  if exists tFolder
+    tFolder
+  else
+    fluenterror: HMSTATUS.themeNotFound, data: _opts.theme