diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/gui/skin/FSkin.java b/src/main/java/forge/gui/skin/FSkin.java
index 8e0b8f4c7d3..44d9ba6e340 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/gui/skin/FSkin.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/gui/skin/FSkin.java
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ public class FSkin {
     public ImageIcon btnRover           = null;  
     public ImageIcon btnLdown           = null;
     public ImageIcon btnMdown           = null;
-    public ImageIcon btnRdown           = null;  
+    public ImageIcon btnRdown           = null; 
+    public ImageIcon splash             = null;
     
     public Color bg1a                   = Color.red;
     public Color bg1b                   = Color.red;
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ public class FSkin {
     private final String btnLdownfile   = "btnLdown.png";
     private final String btnMdownfile   = "btnMdown.png";
     private final String btnRdownfile   = "btnRdown.png";
+    private final String splashfile     = "bg_splash.jpg";
     
     private ImageIcon tempImg;
     private Font tempFont;
@@ -165,6 +167,7 @@ public class FSkin {
         btnLdown = retrieveImage(dirName + btnLdownfile);
         btnMdown = retrieveImage(dirName + btnMdownfile);
         btnRdown = retrieveImage(dirName + btnRdownfile);
+        splash = retrieveImage(dirName + splashfile);
         
         // Color palette
         File file= new File(dirName + paletteFile);
diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/model/FModel.java b/src/main/java/forge/model/FModel.java
index 14b82eb6c62..b87be5f5180 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/model/FModel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/model/FModel.java
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ public class FModel {
     private final transient PrintStream oldSystemOut;
     private final transient PrintStream oldSystemErr;
     private BuildInfo buildInfo;
-    private ForgePreferences preferences;
+    public ForgePreferences preferences;
     private FGameState gameState;
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/ApplicationView.java b/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/ApplicationView.java
index be54c774013..963e0e1f443 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/ApplicationView.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/ApplicationView.java
@@ -37,14 +37,14 @@ public class ApplicationView implements FView {
      * The splashFrame field is guaranteed to exist when this constructor
      * exits.
      */
-    public ApplicationView() {
+    public ApplicationView(final FSkin skin) {
 
         // We must use invokeAndWait here to fulfill the constructor's
         // contract.
 
         UtilFunctions.invokeInEventDispatchThreadAndWait(new Runnable() { // NOPMD by Braids on 8/18/11 11:37 PM
             public void run() { 
-                splashFrame = new SplashFrame();
+                splashFrame = new SplashFrame(skin);
             }
         });
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/Main.java b/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/Main.java
index a5a95ffc0d5..c26a92ae19d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/Main.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/Main.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package forge.view.swing;
 import forge.Singletons;
 import forge.error.ErrorViewer;
 import forge.error.ExceptionHandler;
+import forge.gui.skin.FSkin;
 import forge.model.FModel;
 import forge.view.FView;
 
@@ -27,10 +28,13 @@ public final class Main {
     public static void main(final String[] args) {
         ExceptionHandler.registerErrorHandling();
         try {
-            final FView view = new ApplicationView();
-            Singletons.setView(view);
             final FModel model = new FModel(null);
             Singletons.setModel(model);
+            
+            FSkin skin = new FSkin(model.preferences.skin);
+            final FView view = new ApplicationView(skin);
+            Singletons.setView(view);
+            
 
             // Need this soon after card factory is loaded
             OldGuiNewGame.loadDynamicGamedata();            
diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/SplashFrame.java b/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/SplashFrame.java
index 40cde882a7d..6951542a105 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/SplashFrame.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/view/swing/SplashFrame.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import javax.swing.JLabel;
 import javax.swing.KeyStroke;
 import javax.swing.SwingConstants;
 import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
+import forge.gui.skin.FSkin;
 
 import net.slightlymagic.braids.util.progress_monitor.BraidsProgressMonitor;
 
@@ -24,9 +25,7 @@ import net.slightlymagic.braids.util.progress_monitor.BraidsProgressMonitor;
 @SuppressWarnings("serial")
 public class SplashFrame extends JFrame {
 
-    // Inits: Visual changes can be made here.
-    private static final String BG_ADDRESS = "res/images/ui/forgeSplash.jpg";
-    
+    // Inits: Visual changes can be made here.    
     private static final int    BAR_PADDING_X           = 20;
     private static final int    BAR_PADDING_Y           = 20;
     private static final int    BAR_HEIGHT              = 57;
@@ -54,17 +53,17 @@ public class SplashFrame extends JFrame {
      * Throws {@link IllegalStateException} if not called from an event
      * dispatch thread.
      */
-    public SplashFrame() {
+    public SplashFrame(FSkin skin) {
         super();
-
+        
         if (!SwingUtilities.isEventDispatchThread()) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("SplashFrame() must be called from an event dispatch thread.");
         }
 
         setUndecorated(true);
 
-        // Load icon and set preferred JFrame properties.
-        final ImageIcon bgIcon = new ImageIcon(BG_ADDRESS);
+        // Set preferred JFrame properties.
+        final ImageIcon bgIcon = skin.splash;
         final int splashWidthPx = bgIcon.getIconWidth();
         final int splashHeightPx = bgIcon.getIconHeight();