diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index f3d3ccf..d5c9ca2 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -14,9 +14,11 @@ var SPAWNW = require('./core/spawn-watch')
   , FCMD  = require( './hackmycmd')
   , PKG = require('../package.json')
   , FS = require('fs')
+  , EXTEND = require('./utils/extend')
   , chalk = require('chalk')
   , PATH = require('path')
   , HACKMYSTATUS = require('./core/status-codes')
+  , safeLoadJSON = require('./utils/safe-json-loader')
   , _opts = { }
   , title = chalk.white.bold('\n*** HackMyResume v' + PKG.version + ' ***')
   , StringUtils = require('./utils/string.js')
@@ -40,13 +42,6 @@ function main() {
 
   var args = initialize();
 
-  function execVerb( src, dst, opts, log ) {
-    _opts = opts;
-    _opts.silent = this.parent.silent;
-    _opts.opts = this.parent.opts;
-    FCMD.verbs[ this.name() ].call( null, src, dst, opts, log );
-  }
-
   // Create the top-level (application) command...
   var program = new Command('hackmyresume')
     .version(PKG.version)
@@ -100,7 +95,7 @@ function main() {
     .alias('generate')
     //.arguments('<sources> TO [targets]')
     //.usage('...')
-    .option('-t --theme <theme>', 'Theme name or path', 'modern')
+    .option('-t --theme <theme>', 'Theme name or path')
     .option('-n --no-prettify', 'Disable HTML prettification', true)
     .option('-c --css <option>', 'CSS linking / embedding', 'embed')
     .option('-p --pdf <engine>', 'PDF generation engine')
@@ -165,6 +160,40 @@ function initialize() {
 
 
 
+/**
+Invoke a HackMyResume verb.
+*/
+function execVerb( src, dst, opts, log ) {
+  loadOptions.call( this, opts );
+  FCMD.verbs[ this.name() ].call( null, src, dst, _opts, log );
+}
+
+
+
+/**
+Initialize HackMyResume options.
+*/
+function loadOptions( opts ) {
+
+  opts.opts = this.parent.opts;
+
+  // Load the specified options file (if any) and apply options
+  if( opts.opts && String.is( opts.opts )) {
+    var json = safeLoadJSON( PATH.relative( process.cwd(), opts.opts ) );
+    json && ( opts = EXTEND( true, opts, json ) );
+    if( !json ) {
+      throw safeLoadJSON.error;
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Merge in command-line options
+  opts = EXTEND( true, opts, this.opts() )
+  opts.silent = this.parent.silent;
+  _opts = opts;
+}
+
+
+
 /**
 Split multiple command-line filenames by the 'TO' keyword
 */
diff --git a/src/utils/safe-json-loader.js b/src/utils/safe-json-loader.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0744b3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/safe-json-loader.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/**
+Definition of the SafeJsonLoader class.
+@module syntax-error-ex.js
+@license MIT. See LICENSE.md for details.
+*/
+
+
+
+(function() {
+
+  var FS = require('fs');
+
+  module.exports = function loadSafeJson( file ) {
+    try {
+      return JSON.parse( FS.readFileSync( file ) );
+    }
+    catch(ex) {
+      loadSafeJson.error = ex;
+    }
+    return null;
+  };
+
+
+}());
diff --git a/src/utils/syntax-error-ex.js b/src/utils/syntax-error-ex.js
index 9b2834e..ff73df4 100644
--- a/src/utils/syntax-error-ex.js
+++ b/src/utils/syntax-error-ex.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /**
 Definition of the SyntaxErrorEx class.
 @module syntax-error-ex.js
+@license MIT. See LICENSE.md for details.
 */
 
 (function() {
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ Definition of the SyntaxErrorEx class.
       colNum = ex.columnNumber;
     }
     if( lineNum === null || colNum === null ) {
-      var JSONLint = require('json-lint');
+      var JSONLint = require('json-lint'); // TODO: json-lint or is-my-json-valid?
       var lint = JSONLint( rawData, { comments: false } );
       if( lineNum === null ) lineNum = (lint.error ? lint.line : '???');
       if( colNum === null ) colNum = (lint.error ? lint.character : '???');