diff --git a/applet.cpp b/applet.cpp
index 163d1f879..212c7cc09 100644
--- a/applet.cpp
+++ b/applet.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ protected:
         Q_UNUSED(widget)
         painter->save();
         painter->setRenderHint(QPainter::Antialiasing);
-        QColor wash = Plasma::Theme::self()->backgroundColor();
+        QColor wash = Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme()->backgroundColor();
         wash.setAlphaF(.6);
         painter->fillPath(parentItem()->shape(), wash);
         painter->restore();
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ public:
 
         applet->setDrawStandardBackground(true);
 
-        connect(Plasma::Theme::self(), SIGNAL(changed()), applet, SLOT(themeChanged()));
+        connect(Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme(), SIGNAL(changed()), applet, SLOT(themeChanged()));
     }
 
     // put all setup routines for script here. at this point we can assume that
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ void Applet::setFailedToLaunch(bool failed, const QString& reason)
         //FIXME: this needs to get the colour from the theme's colour scheme
         d->failureText->setDefaultTextColor(KStatefulBrush(KColorScheme::Window,
                                                            KColorScheme::NormalText,
-                                                           Theme::self()->colors())
+                                                           Theme::defaultTheme()->colors())
                                                         .brush(QPalette::Normal).color());
         failureLayout->addItem(d->failureText);
         #endif
diff --git a/applethandle.cpp b/applethandle.cpp
index 07ecac3d0..b9d48757e 100644
--- a/applethandle.cpp
+++ b/applethandle.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ AppletHandle::AppletHandle(Containment *parent, Applet *applet)
       m_buttonsOnRight(false),
       m_pendingFade(false)
 {
-    KColorScheme colorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::View, Theme::self()->colorScheme());
+    KColorScheme colorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::View, Theme::defaultTheme()->colorScheme());
     m_gradientColor = colorScheme.background(KColorScheme::NormalBackground).color();
 
     QTransform originalMatrix = m_applet->transform();
diff --git a/desktoptoolbox.cpp b/desktoptoolbox.cpp
index ba838258b..917b0753d 100644
--- a/desktoptoolbox.cpp
+++ b/desktoptoolbox.cpp
@@ -119,11 +119,11 @@ void DesktopToolbox::paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *op
     painter->translate(boundingRect().topLeft());
 
     QColor color1 = KColorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::Window,
-                               Plasma::Theme::self()->colorScheme()).background().color();
+                               Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme()->colorScheme()).background().color();
     color1.setAlpha(64);
 
     QColor color2 = KColorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::Window,
-                               Plasma::Theme::self()->colorScheme()).foreground().color();
+                               Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme()->colorScheme()).foreground().color();
     color2.setAlpha(64);
 
     QPainterPath p = shape();
diff --git a/dialog.cpp b/dialog.cpp
index 6126173c9..22f211b53 100644
--- a/dialog.cpp
+++ b/dialog.cpp
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ Dialog::Dialog( QWidget * parent, Qt::WindowFlags f )
 
     connect(d->background, SIGNAL(repaintNeeded()), this, SLOT(update()));
 
-    connect(Plasma::Theme::self(), SIGNAL(changed()), this, SLOT(themeUpdated()));
+    connect(Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme(), SIGNAL(changed()), this, SLOT(themeUpdated()));
     d->themeUpdated();
 }
 
diff --git a/paneltoolbox.cpp b/paneltoolbox.cpp
index e736e3d53..08b5ed72e 100644
--- a/paneltoolbox.cpp
+++ b/paneltoolbox.cpp
@@ -124,11 +124,11 @@ void PanelToolbox::paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *opti
     painter->translate(boundingRect().topLeft());
 
     QColor color1 = KColorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::Window,
-                               Plasma::Theme::self()->colorScheme()).background().color();
+                               Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme()->colorScheme()).background().color();
     color1.setAlpha(64);
 
     QColor color2 = KColorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::Window,
-                               Plasma::Theme::self()->colorScheme()).foreground().color();
+                               Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme()->colorScheme()).foreground().color();
     color2.setAlpha(64);
 
     QPainterPath p = shape();
diff --git a/svg.cpp b/svg.cpp
index a22a372df..f11c43b85 100644
--- a/svg.cpp
+++ b/svg.cpp
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class Svg::Private
         void setImagePath(const QString &imagePath, Svg *q)
         {
             if (themed) {
-                disconnect(Plasma::Theme::self(), SIGNAL(changed()), q, SLOT(themeChanged()));
+                disconnect(Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme(), SIGNAL(changed()), q, SLOT(themeChanged()));
                 disconnect(KGlobalSettings::self(), SIGNAL(kdisplayPaletteChanged()), q, SLOT(colorsChanged()));
             }
 
@@ -89,12 +89,12 @@ class Svg::Private
 
             if (themed) {
                 themePath = imagePath;
-                connect(Plasma::Theme::self(), SIGNAL(changed()), q, SLOT(themeChanged()));
+                connect(Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme(), SIGNAL(changed()), q, SLOT(themeChanged()));
 
                 // check if svg wants colorscheme applied
                 createRenderer();
                 applyColors = renderer->elementExists("hint-apply-color-scheme");
-                if (applyColors && !Theme::self()->colorScheme()) {
+                if (applyColors && !Theme::defaultTheme()->colorScheme()) {
                     connect(KGlobalSettings::self(), SIGNAL(kdisplayPaletteChanged()), q, SLOT(colorsChanged()));
                 }
 
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ class Svg::Private
             // Apply current color scheme if the svg asks for it
             if (applyColors) {
                 QImage itmp = p.toImage();
-                KIconEffect::colorize(itmp, Theme::self()->backgroundColor(), 1.0);
+                KIconEffect::colorize(itmp, Theme::defaultTheme()->backgroundColor(), 1.0);
                 p = p.fromImage(itmp);
             }
 
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ class Svg::Private
             }
 
             if (themed && path.isEmpty()) {
-                path = Plasma::Theme::self()->imagePath(themePath);
+                path = Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme()->imagePath(themePath);
             }
 
             QHash<QString, SharedSvgRenderer::Ptr>::const_iterator it = renderers.find(path);
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ class Svg::Private
                 return;
             }
 
-            QString newPath = Theme::self()->imagePath(themePath);
+            QString newPath = Theme::defaultTheme()->imagePath(themePath);
 
             if (path == newPath) {
                 return;
diff --git a/theme.cpp b/theme.cpp
index fc2ed5a89..5928db52c 100644
--- a/theme.cpp
+++ b/theme.cpp
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public:
 
 K_GLOBAL_STATIC( ThemeSingleton, privateThemeSelf )
 
-Theme* Theme::self()
+Theme* Theme::defaultTheme()
 {
     return &privateThemeSelf->self;
 }
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ void Theme::setThemeName(const QString &themeName)
         d->colors = KSharedConfig::openConfig(colorsFile);
     }
 
-    if (this == self()) {
+    if (this == defaultTheme()) {
         // we're the defualt theme, let's save our state
         KConfigGroup cg = d->config();
         if (Private::defaultTheme == d->themeName) {
@@ -257,13 +257,13 @@ KSharedConfigPtr Theme::colorScheme() const
 
 QColor Theme::textColor() const
 {
-    KColorScheme colorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::Window, Theme::self()->colorScheme());
+    KColorScheme colorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::Window, Theme::defaultTheme()->colorScheme());
     return colorScheme.foreground(KColorScheme::NormalText).color();
 }
 
 QColor Theme::backgroundColor() const
 {
-    KColorScheme colorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::Window, Theme::self()->colorScheme());
+    KColorScheme colorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::Window, Theme::defaultTheme()->colorScheme());
     return colorScheme.background().color();
 }
 
diff --git a/theme.h b/theme.h
index 4e2adaf17..f4f350cd6 100644
--- a/theme.h
+++ b/theme.h
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ namespace Plasma
 /**
  * @short Interface to the Plasma theme
  *
- * Accessed via Plasma::Theme::self() e.g:
+ * Accessed via Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme() e.g:
  * \code
- * QString imagePath = Plasma::Theme::self()->imagePath("widgets/clock")
+ * QString imagePath = Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme()->imagePath("widgets/clock")
  * \endcode
  *
  * Plasma::Theme provides access to a common and standardized set of graphic
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Theme : public QObject
         /**
          * Singleton pattern accessor
          **/
-        static Theme* self();
+        static Theme* defaultTheme();
 
         /**
          * Default constructor. Usually you want to use the singleton instead.
diff --git a/widgets/icon.cpp b/widgets/icon.cpp
index 0ca238423..69f14bcc2 100644
--- a/widgets/icon.cpp
+++ b/widgets/icon.cpp
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ Icon::Private::~Private()
 
 void Icon::readColors() 
 {
-    d->textColor = Plasma::Theme::self()->textColor();
-    d->shadowColor = Plasma::Theme::self()->backgroundColor();
+    d->textColor = Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme()->textColor();
+    d->shadowColor = Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme()->backgroundColor();
 
 }
 
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ Icon::~Icon()
 void Icon::init()
 {
     readColors();
-    connect(Plasma::Theme::self(), SIGNAL(changed()), SLOT(readColors()));
+    connect(Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme(), SIGNAL(changed()), SLOT(readColors()));
 
     // setAcceptedMouseButtons(Qt::LeftButton);
     setAcceptsHoverEvents(true);
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ QSizeF Icon::Private::displaySizeHint(const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *option, co
                       horizontalMargin[Private::TextMargin].right;
 
     //allow only five lines of text
-    const qreal maxHeight = numDisplayLines*Plasma::Theme::self()->fontMetrics().lineSpacing();
+    const qreal maxHeight = numDisplayLines*Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme()->fontMetrics().lineSpacing();
 
     // To compute the nominal size for the label + info, we'll just append
     // the information string to the label
@@ -1127,7 +1127,7 @@ QSizeF Icon::sizeFromIconSize(const qreal iconWidth) const
                             Private::ItemMargin);
     }
 
-    QFontMetricsF fm = Plasma::Theme::self()->fontMetrics();
+    QFontMetricsF fm = Plasma::Theme::defaultTheme()->fontMetrics();
     qreal width = 0;
 
     if (d->orientation == Qt::Vertical) {