diff --git a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
index ae75ca0c0..ab79fac78 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
@@ -881,10 +881,19 @@ void ViewController::preload()
         (*it)->getIndex()->resetFilters();
         getGameListView(*it);
     }
-    // Load navigation sounds, but only if at least one system exists.
-    if (systemCount > 0)
-        NavigationSounds::getInstance()->loadThemeNavigationSounds(
-                SystemData::sSystemVector.front()->getTheme());
+
+    // Load navigation sounds, either from the theme if it supports it, or otherwise from
+    // the bundled fallback sound files.
+    bool themeSoundSupport = false;
+    for (SystemData* system : SystemData::sSystemVector) {
+        if (system->getTheme()->hasView("all")) {
+            NavigationSounds::getInstance()->loadThemeNavigationSounds(system->getTheme());
+            themeSoundSupport = true;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    if (!SystemData::sSystemVector.empty() && !themeSoundSupport)
+        NavigationSounds::getInstance()->loadThemeNavigationSounds(nullptr);
 }
 
 void ViewController::reloadGameListView(IGameListView* view, bool reloadTheme)
@@ -972,10 +981,19 @@ void ViewController::reloadAll()
         goToSystemView(SystemData::sSystemVector.front(), false);
     }
 
-    // Load navigation sounds.
+    // Load navigation sounds, either from the theme if it supports it, or otherwise from
+    // the bundled fallback sound files.
     NavigationSounds::getInstance()->deinit();
-    NavigationSounds::getInstance()->loadThemeNavigationSounds(
-            SystemData::sSystemVector.front()->getTheme());
+    bool themeSoundSupport = false;
+    for (SystemData* system : SystemData::sSystemVector) {
+        if (system->getTheme()->hasView("all")) {
+            NavigationSounds::getInstance()->loadThemeNavigationSounds(system->getTheme());
+            themeSoundSupport = true;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    if (!SystemData::sSystemVector.empty() && !themeSoundSupport)
+        NavigationSounds::getInstance()->loadThemeNavigationSounds(nullptr);
 
     mCurrentView->onShow();
     updateHelpPrompts();
diff --git a/es-core/src/Sound.cpp b/es-core/src/Sound.cpp
index 6ca48d8a4..ab1dc64e5 100644
--- a/es-core/src/Sound.cpp
+++ b/es-core/src/Sound.cpp
@@ -34,14 +34,18 @@ std::shared_ptr<Sound> Sound::get(const std::string& path)
 std::shared_ptr<Sound> Sound::getFromTheme(const std::shared_ptr<ThemeData>& theme,
         const std::string& view, const std::string& element)
 {
-    LOG(LogDebug) << "Sound::getFromTheme(): Looking for navigation sound tag <sound name=\"" <<
-            element << "\">";
+    if (!theme) {
+        LOG(LogDebug) << "Sound::getFromTheme(): Using fallback sound file for \""
+                << element << "\"";
+        return get(ResourceManager::getInstance()->getResourcePath(":/sounds/" + element + ".wav"));
+    }
+
+    LOG(LogDebug) << "Sound::getFromTheme(): Looking for tag <sound name=\"" << element << "\">";
 
     const ThemeData::ThemeElement* elem = theme->getElement(view, element, "sound");
     if (!elem || !elem->has("path")) {
         LOG(LogDebug) << "Sound::getFromTheme(): " << "Tag not found, using fallback sound file";
-        return get(ResourceManager::getInstance()->
-                getResourcePath(":/sounds/" + element + ".wav"));
+        return get(ResourceManager::getInstance()->getResourcePath(":/sounds/" + element + ".wav"));
     }
 
     LOG(LogDebug) << "Sound::getFromTheme(): Tag found, ready to load theme sound file";
@@ -228,6 +232,15 @@ void NavigationSounds::deinit()
 
 void NavigationSounds::loadThemeNavigationSounds(const std::shared_ptr<ThemeData>& theme)
 {
+    if (theme) {
+        LOG(LogDebug) << "NavigationSounds::loadThemeNavigationSounds(): "
+                "Theme set includes navigation sound support, loading custom sounds";
+    }
+    else {
+        LOG(LogDebug) << "NavigationSounds::loadThemeNavigationSounds(): "
+                "Theme set does not include navigation sound support, using fallback sounds";
+    }
+
     navigationSounds.push_back(std::move(Sound::getFromTheme(theme, "all", "systembrowse")));
     navigationSounds.push_back(std::move(Sound::getFromTheme(theme, "all", "quicksysselect")));
     navigationSounds.push_back(std::move(Sound::getFromTheme(theme, "all", "select")));