diff --git a/web/core/views.py b/web/core/views.py
index 061d16b..a2b7f57 100644
--- a/web/core/views.py
+++ b/web/core/views.py
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ def search_page(request):
             ctx = entry_context(entry, ids)
             ctx.update({"from_search": True})
 
-    # 🔽 ADD THIS
+            # 🔽 ADD THIS
             if request.user.is_staff:
                 ctx["tts_url"] = reverse("api_tts_for_entry", args=[entry.id])
 
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ def export_csv(request):
 #    series = [
 #        (label, Entry.objects.filter(date_added__gte=start, date_added__lt=end).count())
 #        for label, start, end in months
- #   ]
+#    ]
 #    peak = max((v for _, v in series), default=1)
 #    heights = [
 #        (label, value, 8 + int((value / peak) * 100) if peak else 8)
@@ -1052,26 +1052,29 @@ def audit_log(request):
     return render(request, "tools/audit_log.html", {"rows": rows})
 
 
-from django.contrib.staticfiles import finders
-from django.http import HttpResponseBadRequest, HttpResponseRedirect
-from django.urls import reverse
-import os
-
+# === Theme selection (robust) ================================================
 def _is_valid_theme(name: str) -> bool:
-    # Validate against files present in /static/themes
-    for finder in finders.get_finders():
-        for path, storage in finder.list(['themes']):
-            if path == f'themes/{name}.css':
-                return True
-    return False
+    # Validate that /static/themes/<name>.css exists (works with collectstatic)
+    try:
+        return staticfiles_storage.exists(f"themes/{name}.css")
+    except Exception:
+        return False
 
+@login_required
+@require_POST
 def set_theme(request):
-    if request.method != 'POST':
-        return HttpResponseBadRequest('Invalid method')
-    theme = (request.POST.get('theme') or '').strip()
+    theme = (request.POST.get("theme") or "").strip()
+    if not theme:
+        messages.error(request, "Pick a theme first.")
+        return redirect("settings_home")
+
     if not _is_valid_theme(theme):
-        return HttpResponseBadRequest('Unknown theme')
-    request.session['theme'] = theme
-    # also write to localStorage on next load via inline script in base.html
-    # redirect back to settings
-    return HttpResponseRedirect(reverse('settings'))  # adjust to your settings view name/URL
\ No newline at end of file
+        messages.error(
+            request,
+            f"Theme “{theme}” not found. Make sure /static/themes/{theme}.css exists (and run collectstatic in production)."
+        )
+        return redirect("settings_home")
+
+    request.session["theme"] = theme
+    messages.success(request, f"Theme set to {theme.title()}.")
+    return redirect("settings_home")
\ No newline at end of file