diff --git a/THEMES.md b/THEMES.md
index b472a41d3..a85846650 100644
--- a/THEMES.md
+++ b/THEMES.md
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ Or, you can create your own elements by adding `extra="true"` (as is done in the
 Advanced Features
 =================
 
+It is recommended that if you are writing a theme you launch EmulationStation with the `--debug` and `--windowed` switches.  This way you can read error messages without having to check the log file.  You can also reload the current gamelist view with `Ctrl-R` if `--debug` is specified.
+
 ### The `<include>` tag
 
 You can include theme files within theme files, similar to `#include` in C (though the mechanism is different, the effect is the same).  Example:
diff --git a/src/SystemData.cpp b/src/SystemData.cpp
index a0ee45567..486c809ee 100644
--- a/src/SystemData.cpp
+++ b/src/SystemData.cpp
@@ -46,15 +46,7 @@ SystemData::SystemData(const std::string& name, const std::string& fullName, con
 
 	mRootFolder->sort(FileSorts::SortTypes.at(0));
 
-	mTheme = std::make_shared<ThemeData>();
-	try
-	{
-		mTheme->loadFile(getThemePath());
-	} catch(ThemeException& e)
-	{
-		LOG(LogError) << e.what();
-		mTheme = std::make_shared<ThemeData>(); // reset to empty
-	}
+	loadTheme();
 }
 
 SystemData::~SystemData()
@@ -384,3 +376,16 @@ unsigned int SystemData::getGameCount() const
 {
 	return mRootFolder->getFilesRecursive(GAME).size();
 }
+
+void SystemData::loadTheme()
+{
+	mTheme = std::make_shared<ThemeData>();
+	try
+	{
+		mTheme->loadFile(getThemePath());
+	} catch(ThemeException& e)
+	{
+		LOG(LogError) << e.what();
+		mTheme = std::make_shared<ThemeData>(); // reset to empty
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/SystemData.h b/src/SystemData.h
index 901b3756d..149a3afd4 100644
--- a/src/SystemData.h
+++ b/src/SystemData.h
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ public:
 		return *it;
 	}
 
+	// Load or re-load theme.
+	void loadTheme();
+
 private:
 	std::string mName;
 	std::string mFullName;
diff --git a/src/views/ViewController.cpp b/src/views/ViewController.cpp
index 7f6bcf922..d0b4dc8af 100644
--- a/src/views/ViewController.cpp
+++ b/src/views/ViewController.cpp
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ void ViewController::preload()
 	}
 }
 
-void ViewController::reloadGameListView(IGameListView* view)
+void ViewController::reloadGameListView(IGameListView* view, bool reloadTheme)
 {
 	for(auto it = mGameListViews.begin(); it != mGameListViews.end(); it++)
 	{
@@ -237,6 +237,9 @@ void ViewController::reloadGameListView(IGameListView* view)
 			FileData* cursor = view->getCursor();
 			mGameListViews.erase(it);
 
+			if(reloadTheme)
+				system->loadTheme();
+
 			std::shared_ptr<IGameListView> newView = getGameListView(system);
 			newView->setCursor(cursor);
 
diff --git a/src/views/ViewController.h b/src/views/ViewController.h
index a924d9f58..b2225275e 100644
--- a/src/views/ViewController.h
+++ b/src/views/ViewController.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ public:
 
 	// If a basic view detected a metadata change, it can request to recreate
 	// the current gamelist view (as it may change to be detailed).
-	void reloadGameListView(IGameListView* gamelist);
+	void reloadGameListView(IGameListView* gamelist, bool reloadTheme = false);
 
 	// Navigation.
 	void goToNextGameList();
diff --git a/src/views/gamelist/IGameListView.cpp b/src/views/gamelist/IGameListView.cpp
index 096db00ce..3e8574db5 100644
--- a/src/views/gamelist/IGameListView.cpp
+++ b/src/views/gamelist/IGameListView.cpp
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@
 #include "../../components/GuiMenu.h"
 #include "../../components/GuiFastSelect.h"
 #include "../ViewController.h"
+#include "../../Settings.h"
 
 bool IGameListView::input(InputConfig* config, Input input)
 {
+	// F3 to open metadata editor
 	if(config->getDeviceId() == DEVICE_KEYBOARD && input.id == SDLK_F3 && input.value != 0)
 	{
 		// open metadata editor
@@ -23,6 +25,15 @@ bool IGameListView::input(InputConfig* config, Input input)
 		}));
 		Sound::getFromTheme(mTheme, getName(), "menuOpen")->play();
 		return true;
+
+	// Ctrl-R to reload a view when debugging
+	}else if(Settings::getInstance()->getBool("DEBUG") && config->getDeviceId() == DEVICE_KEYBOARD && 
+		(SDL_GetModState() & (KMOD_LCTRL | KMOD_RCTRL)) && input.id == SDLK_r && input.value != 0)
+	{
+		LOG(LogDebug) << "reloading view";
+		mWindow->getViewController()->reloadGameListView(this, true);
+		return true;
+	// select opens the fast select GUI
 	}else if(config->isMappedTo("select", input) && input.value != 0)
 	{
 		// open fast select