diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h
index eb5f1b6630..7c507d1086 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ namespace ARDOUR {
 	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const templates_dir_name;
 	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const route_templates_dir_name;
 	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const surfaces_dir_name;
+	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const theme_dir_name;
 	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const ladspa_dir_name;
 	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const panner_dir_name;
 	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const backend_dir_name;
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/search_paths.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/search_paths.h
index 3130515852..f280e5dd3f 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/search_paths.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/search_paths.h
@@ -79,19 +79,29 @@ namespace ARDOUR {
 	 *
 	 * If ARDOUR_MIDI_PATCH_PATH is defined then the Searchpath returned
 	 * will contain only those directories specified in it, otherwise it will
-	 * contain the user and system directories which may contain control
-	 * surface plugins.
+	 * contain the user and system directories.
 	 */
 	LIBARDOUR_API PBD::Searchpath midi_patch_search_path ();
 
+	/**
+	 * return a Searchpath containing directories in which to look for
+	 * theme files.
+	 *
+	 * If ARDOUR_THEMES_PATH is defined then the Searchpath returned
+	 * will contain only those directories specified in it, otherwise it will
+	 * contain the user and system directories
+	 */
+	LIBARDOUR_API PBD::Searchpath theme_search_path ();
+
+
 	/**
 	 * return a Searchpath containing directories in which to look for
 	 * panner plugins.
 	 *
 	 * If ARDOUR_PANNER_PATH is defined then the Searchpath returned
 	 * will contain only those directories specified in it, otherwise it will
-	 * contain the user and system directories which may contain control
-	 * surface plugins.
+	 * contain the user and system directories which may contain panner
+	 * plugins.
 	 */
 	LIBARDOUR_API PBD::Searchpath panner_search_path ();
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc b/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc
index 298e4a20b3..a8108e9a39 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ const char* const templates_dir_name = X_("templates");
 const char* const route_templates_dir_name = X_("route_templates");
 const char* const surfaces_dir_name = X_("surfaces");
 const char* const ladspa_dir_name = X_("ladspa");
+const char* const theme_dir_name = X_("themes");
 const char* const panner_dir_name = X_("panners");
 const char* const backend_dir_name = X_("backends");
 const char* const automation_dir_name = X_("automation");
diff --git a/libs/ardour/search_paths.cc b/libs/ardour/search_paths.cc
index 8ee1dbc150..06032004c9 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/search_paths.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/search_paths.cc
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ namespace {
 	const char * const backend_env_variable_name = "ARDOUR_BACKEND_PATH";
 	const char * const surfaces_env_variable_name = "ARDOUR_SURFACES_PATH";
 	const char * const export_env_variable_name = "ARDOUR_EXPORT_FORMATS_PATH";
+	const char * const theme_env_variable_name = "ARDOUR_THEMES_PATH";
 	const char * const ladspa_env_variable_name = "LADSPA_PATH";
 	const char * const midi_patch_env_variable_name = "ARDOUR_MIDI_PATCH_PATH";
 	const char * const panner_env_variable_name = "ARDOUR_PANNER_PATH";
@@ -69,6 +70,16 @@ control_protocol_search_path ()
 	return spath;
 }
 
+Searchpath
+theme_search_path ()
+{
+	Searchpath spath(user_config_directory ());
+	spath.add_subdirectory_to_paths (theme_dir_name);
+
+	spath += Searchpath(Glib::getenv(theme_env_variable_name));
+	return spath;
+}
+
 Searchpath
 export_formats_search_path ()
 {