diff --git a/core/extension.class.php b/core/extension.class.php
index 2267e63a..dcbd1010 100644
--- a/core/extension.class.php
+++ b/core/extension.class.php
@@ -85,18 +85,13 @@ abstract class Extension {
 	/** @var array which DBs this ext supports (blank for 'all') */
 	protected $db_support = [];
 
-	/** this theme's Themelet object */
+	/** @var Themelet this theme's Themelet object */
 	public $theme;
 
-	// in PHP5.3, late static bindings can take care of this; __CLASS__
-	// used here will refer to the subclass
-	// http://php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.late-static-bindings.php
-	/** @private */
-	public function i_am(Extension $child) {
-		if(is_null($this->theme)) $this->theme = $this->get_theme_object($child, false);
+	public function __construct() {
+		$this->theme = $this->get_theme_object(get_called_class());
 	}
 
-
 	public function is_live() {
 		global $database;
 		return (
@@ -108,21 +103,21 @@ abstract class Extension {
 	/**
 	 * Find the theme object for a given extension.
 	 *
-	 * @param Extension $class
-	 * @param bool $fatal
-	 * @return bool
+	 * @param string $base
+	 * @return Themelet
 	 */
-	private function get_theme_object(Extension $class, $fatal=true) {
-		$base = get_class($class);
-		if(class_exists('Custom'.$base.'Theme')) {
-			$class = 'Custom'.$base.'Theme';
-			return new $class();
+	private function get_theme_object($base) {
+		$custom = 'Custom'.$base.'Theme';
+		$normal = $base.'Theme';
+
+		if(class_exists($custom)) {
+			return new $custom();
 		}
-		elseif ($fatal || class_exists($base.'Theme')) {
-			$class = $base.'Theme';
-			return new $class();
-		} else {
-			return false;
+		elseif(class_exists($normal)) {
+			return new $normal();
+		}
+		else {
+			return null;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/core/util.inc.php b/core/util.inc.php
index 0cb81ede..c3d5a6c5 100644
--- a/core/util.inc.php
+++ b/core/util.inc.php
@@ -1429,7 +1429,6 @@ function _set_event_listeners() {
 		elseif(is_subclass_of($class, "Extension")) {
 			/** @var Extension $extension */
 			$extension = new $class();
-			$extension->i_am($extension);
 
 			// skip extensions which don't support our current database
 			if(!$extension->is_live()) continue;
@@ -1460,7 +1459,6 @@ function _dump_event_listeners($event_listeners, $path) {
 		if($rclass->isAbstract()) {}
 		elseif(is_subclass_of($class, "Extension")) {
 			$p .= "\$$class = new $class(); ";
-			$p .= "\${$class}->i_am(\$$class);\n";
 		}
 	}