diff --git a/openlp/core/lib/htmlbuilder.py b/openlp/core/lib/htmlbuilder.py
index c4361a421..c874c9ff2 100644
--- a/openlp/core/lib/htmlbuilder.py
+++ b/openlp/core/lib/htmlbuilder.py
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ sup {
 </head>
 <body>
 <img id="bgimage" class="size" %s />
-<img id="image" class="size" style="display:none" />
+<img id="image" class="size" %s />
 <video id="video1" class="size" style="visibility:hidden" autobuffer preload>
 </video>
 <video id="video2" class="size" style="visibility:hidden" autobuffer preload>
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ sup {
 </html>
     """
 
-def build_html(item, screen, alert, islive, background):
+def build_html(item, screen, alert, islive, background, image=None):
     """
     Build the full web paged structure for display
 
@@ -332,6 +332,10 @@ def build_html(item, screen, alert, islive, background):
         Alert display display information
     `islive`
         Item is going live, rather than preview/theme building
+    `background`
+        Theme background image - bytes
+    `image`
+        Image media item - bytes
     """
     width = screen[u'size'].width()
     height = screen[u'size'].height()
@@ -339,11 +343,15 @@ def build_html(item, screen, alert, islive, background):
     webkitvers = webkit_version()
     # Image generated and poked in
     if background:
-        image = u'src="data:image/png;base64,%s"' % background
+        bgimage = u'src="data:image/png;base64,%s"' % background
     elif item.bg_image_bytes:
-        image = u'src="data:image/png;base64,%s"' % item.bg_image_bytes
+        bgimage = u'src="data:image/png;base64,%s"' % item.bg_image_bytes
     else:
-        image = u'style="display:none;"'
+        bgimage = u'style="display:none;"'
+    if image:
+        image_src = u'src="data:image/png;base64,%s"' % image
+    else:
+        image_src = u'style="display:none;"'
     html = HTMLSRC % (build_background_css(item, width, height),
         width, height,
         build_alert_css(alert, width),
@@ -351,7 +359,7 @@ def build_html(item, screen, alert, islive, background):
         build_lyrics_css(item, webkitvers),
         u'true' if theme and theme.display_slide_transition and islive \
             else u'false',
-        image,
+        bgimage, image_src,
         build_lyrics_html(item, webkitvers))
     return html
 
diff --git a/openlp/core/ui/maindisplay.py b/openlp/core/ui/maindisplay.py
index 5a864957e..3931139d1 100644
--- a/openlp/core/ui/maindisplay.py
+++ b/openlp/core/ui/maindisplay.py
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ class MainDisplay(DisplayWidget):
         painter.end()
         return preview
 
-    def buildHtml(self, serviceItem):
+    def buildHtml(self, serviceItem, image=None):
         """
         Store the serviceItem and build the new HTML from it. Add the
         HTML to the display
@@ -480,8 +480,12 @@ class MainDisplay(DisplayWidget):
         if self.serviceItem.themedata.background_filename:
             self.serviceItem.bg_image_bytes = self.imageManager. \
                 get_image_bytes(self.serviceItem.themedata.theme_name)
+        if image:
+            image_bytes = self.imageManager.get_image_bytes(image)
+        else:
+            image_bytes = None
         html = build_html(self.serviceItem, self.screen, self.alertTab,
-            self.isLive, background)
+            self.isLive, background, image_bytes)
         log.debug(u'buildHtml - pre setHtml')
         self.webView.setHtml(html)
         log.debug(u'buildHtml - post setHtml')
diff --git a/openlp/core/ui/slidecontroller.py b/openlp/core/ui/slidecontroller.py
index ccdb1f17c..0261b5782 100644
--- a/openlp/core/ui/slidecontroller.py
+++ b/openlp/core/ui/slidecontroller.py
@@ -567,20 +567,12 @@ class SlideController(QtGui.QWidget):
         """
         log.debug(u'processManagerItem live = %s' % self.isLive)
         self.onStopLoop()
-        # If old item was a command tell it to stop
-        if self.serviceItem:
-            oldItem = self.serviceItem
-            self.serviceItem = None
-            if oldItem.is_command():
-                Receiver.send_message(u'%s_stop' %
-                    oldItem.name.lower(), [oldItem, self.isLive])
-            if oldItem.is_media():
-                self.onMediaClose()
-            if self.isLive and oldItem.is_capable(
-                ItemCapabilities.ProvidesOwnDisplay):
-                self._resetBlank()
+        old_item = self.serviceItem
+        if old_item and self.isLive and old_item.is_capable(
+            ItemCapabilities.ProvidesOwnDisplay):
+            self._resetBlank()
         Receiver.send_message(u'%s_start' % serviceItem.name.lower(),
-            [serviceItem, self.isLive, self.display.hideMode, slideno])
+            [serviceItem, self.isLive, self.hideMode(), slideno])
         self.slideList = {}
         width = self.parent.controlSplitter.sizes()[self.split]
         self.serviceItem = serviceItem
@@ -642,12 +634,25 @@ class SlideController(QtGui.QWidget):
             self.previewListWidget.viewport().size().width())
         self.__updatePreviewSelection(slideno)
         self.enableToolBar(serviceItem)
-        # Pass to display for viewing
-        self.display.buildHtml(self.serviceItem)
+        # Pass to display for viewing.
+        # Postpone image build, we need to do this later to avoid theme
+        # flashing on the screen
+        if not self.serviceItem.is_image():
+            self.display.buildHtml(self.serviceItem)
         if serviceItem.is_media():
             self.onMediaStart(serviceItem)
         self.onSlideSelected(True)
         self.previewListWidget.setFocus()
+        if old_item:
+            # Close the old item after the new one is opened
+            # This avoids the service theme/desktop flashing on screen
+            # However opening a new item of the same type will automatically
+            # close the previous, so make sure we don't close the new one.
+            if old_item.is_command() and not serviceItem.is_command():
+                Receiver.send_message(u'%s_stop' %
+                    old_item.name.lower(), [old_item, self.isLive])
+            if old_item.is_media() and not serviceItem.is_media():
+                self.onMediaClose()
         Receiver.send_message(u'slidecontroller_%s_started' % self.typePrefix,
             [serviceItem])
 
@@ -852,7 +857,11 @@ class SlideController(QtGui.QWidget):
                 if self.serviceItem.is_text():
                     frame = self.display.text(toDisplay)
                 else:
-                    frame = self.display.image(toDisplay)
+                    if start:
+                        self.display.buildHtml(self.serviceItem, toDisplay)
+                        frame = self.display.preview()
+                    else:
+                        frame = self.display.image(toDisplay)
                     # reset the store used to display first image
                     self.serviceItem.bg_image_bytes = None
                 self.slidePreview.setPixmap(QtGui.QPixmap.fromImage(frame))
@@ -1099,9 +1108,25 @@ class SlideController(QtGui.QWidget):
         Used by command items which provide their own displays to reset the
         screen hide attributes
         """
-        if self.blankScreen.isChecked():
+        hide_mode = self.hideMode()
+        if hide_mode == HideMode.Blank:
             self.onBlankDisplay(True)
-        elif self.themeScreen.isChecked():
+        elif hide_mode == HideMode.Theme:
             self.onThemeDisplay(True)
-        elif self.desktopScreen.isChecked():
+        elif hide_mode == HideMode.Screen:
             self.onHideDisplay(True)
+
+    def hideMode(self):
+        """
+        Determine what the hide mode should be according to the blank button
+        """
+        if not self.isLive:
+            return None
+        elif self.blankScreen.isChecked():
+            return HideMode.Blank
+        elif self.themeScreen.isChecked():
+            return HideMode.Theme
+        elif self.desktopScreen.isChecked():
+            return HideMode.Screen
+        else:
+            return None
