diff --git a/lib/theming.zsh b/lib/theming.zsh
index 00d77f47b..a890beacc 100644
--- a/lib/theming.zsh
+++ b/lib/theming.zsh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 set_theme() {
   local themes
   themes=({$OMZ,$ZSH}/themes/$1.zsh-theme(N))
-  source $themes[1]
+  source $themes[1] || omz_log_msg "theme: $1 was not found. falling back to default." && source $ZSH/themes/default.zsh-theme
 }
 
 random_theme() {
diff --git a/themes/default.zsh-theme b/themes/default.zsh-theme
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d05a0700c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/themes/default.zsh-theme
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+(( EUID == 0 )) && ucolor=red || ucolor=cyan
+
+PROMPT='%{$fg[$ucolor]%}%n%{$reset_color%}@%{$fg[blue]%}%m%{$reset_color%}: %{$fg[green]%}%0~%{$fg[red]%}%(?.. [%?]) %{$reset_color%}%% '
+RPROMPT='$(git_prompt_info)'
+
+ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX="%{$fg[green]%}["
+ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX="]%{$reset_color%}"
+ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_DIRTY=" %{$fg[red]%}*%{$fg[green]%}"
+ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_CLEAN=""