diff --git a/scripts/install-wordpress.sh b/scripts/install-wordpress.sh
index 3978555..bb57134 100644
--- a/scripts/install-wordpress.sh
+++ b/scripts/install-wordpress.sh
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ fi
 if [[ ! -f "index.php" || ! -f "wp-includes/version.php" || ! -d "wp-admin" ]]; then
     info "WordPress core files seem missing or incomplete. Downloading..."
     # Use determined $SUDO_CMD, $WP_EXECUTABLE, and $WP_RUN_ARGS
-    if ! $SUDO_CMD $WP_EXECUTABLE core download "${WP_RUN_ARGS[@]}" --skip-content --version=latest; then
+    if ! $SUDO_CMD $WP_EXECUTABLE core download "${WP_RUN_ARGS[@]}" --version=latest; then
         error_exit "Failed to download WordPress core files using WP-CLI."
     fi
     success "WordPress core downloaded."
@@ -607,6 +607,19 @@ if ! $SUDO_CMD $WP_EXECUTABLE core is-installed "${WP_RUN_ARGS[@]}"; then
     # Use determined $SUDO_CMD, $WP_EXECUTABLE, and $WP_RUN_ARGS
     $SUDO_CMD $WP_EXECUTABLE plugin delete akismet hello "${WP_RUN_ARGS[@]}" --quiet || warning "Could not delete default plugins (might not exist)."
 
+    # Ensure a default theme is activated (uses Twenty Twenty-Four or fallback to any available theme)
+    info "Ensuring a default theme is activated..."
+    if $SUDO_CMD $WP_EXECUTABLE theme is-installed twentytwentyfour "${WP_RUN_ARGS[@]}"; then
+        $SUDO_CMD $WP_EXECUTABLE theme activate twentytwentyfour "${WP_RUN_ARGS[@]}" || warning "Could not activate Twenty Twenty-Four theme"
+    else
+        # Get first available theme and activate it
+        FIRST_THEME=$($SUDO_CMD $WP_EXECUTABLE theme list --status=inactive --field=name --format=csv "${WP_RUN_ARGS[@]}" | head -n 1)
+        if [[ -n "$FIRST_THEME" ]]; then
+            info "Twenty Twenty-Four not found. Activating $FIRST_THEME theme instead."
+            $SUDO_CMD $WP_EXECUTABLE theme activate "$FIRST_THEME" "${WP_RUN_ARGS[@]}" || warning "Could not activate $FIRST_THEME theme"
+        fi
+    fi
+
     success "WordPress installed successfully via WP-CLI."
 else
     info "WordPress is already installed according to WP-CLI."