diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f7e5b76..99daeca 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -499,6 +499,13 @@ Or you can use another theme altogether by adding something in `personal/preload
   install it from MELPA first (`M-x package-install RET
   solarized-theme`).
 
+Finally, if you don't want any theme at all, you can add this to your
+`personal/preload`:
+
+```lisp
+(setq prelude-theme nil)
+```
+
 ### Personalizing
 
 Fork the official Prelude repo and add your own touch to it. You're advised to avoid changing stuff outside of the
diff --git a/core/prelude-core.el b/core/prelude-core.el
index 42e12e9..c59028e 100644
--- a/core/prelude-core.el
+++ b/core/prelude-core.el
@@ -285,6 +285,21 @@ there's a region, all lines that region covers will be duplicated."
   (interactive)
   (byte-recompile-directory prelude-dir 0))
 
+(defun prelude-file-owner-uid (filename)
+  "Return the UID of the FILENAME as an integer.
+
+See `file-attributes' for more info."
+  (nth 2 (file-attributes filename 'integer)))
+
+(defun prelude-file-owned-by-user-p (filename)
+  "Return t if file FILENAME is owned by the currently logged in user."
+  (equal (prelude-file-owner-uid filename)
+         (user-uid)))
+
+(defun prelude-find-alternate-file-as-root (filename)
+  "Wraps `find-alternate-file' with opening a file as root."
+  (find-alternate-file (concat "/sudo:root@localhost:" filename)))
+
 (require 'ido)
 (defun prelude-sudo-edit (&optional arg)
   "Edit currently visited file as root.
@@ -296,15 +311,17 @@ buffer is not visiting a file."
   (if (or arg (not buffer-file-name))
       (find-file (concat "/sudo:root@localhost:"
                          (ido-read-file-name "Find file(as root): ")))
-    (find-alternate-file (concat "/sudo:root@localhost:" buffer-file-name))))
+    (prelude-find-alternate-file-as-root buffer-file-name)))
 
-(defadvice ido-find-file (after find-file-sudo activate)
+(defun prelude-reopen-as-root ()
   "Find file as root if necessary."
   (unless (or (tramp-tramp-file-p buffer-file-name)
               (equal major-mode 'dired-mode)
               (not (file-exists-p (file-name-directory buffer-file-name)))
-              (file-writable-p buffer-file-name))
-    (find-alternate-file (concat "/sudo:root@localhost:" buffer-file-name))))
+              (file-writable-p buffer-file-name)
+              (prelude-file-owned-by-user-p buffer-file-name))
+    (prelude-find-alternate-file-as-root buffer-file-name)))
+(add-hook 'find-file-hook 'prelude-reopen-as-root)
 
 (defun prelude-start-or-switch-to (function buffer-name)
   "Invoke FUNCTION if there is no buffer with BUFFER-NAME.
diff --git a/core/prelude-ui.el b/core/prelude-ui.el
index 3544051..bf59f57 100644
--- a/core/prelude-ui.el
+++ b/core/prelude-ui.el
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@
                                           "%b"))))
 
 ;; use zenburn as the default theme
-(load-theme prelude-theme t)
+(when prelude-theme
+  (load-theme prelude-theme t))
 
 (provide 'prelude-ui)
 ;;; prelude-ui.el ends here
diff --git a/modules/prelude-python.el b/modules/prelude-python.el
index 5c28374..7def5fd 100644
--- a/modules/prelude-python.el
+++ b/modules/prelude-python.el
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@
   (subword-mode +1)
   (anaconda-mode 1)
   (eldoc-mode 1)
-  (which-function-mode -1)
   (setq-local electric-layout-rules
               '((?: . (lambda ()
                         (and (zerop (first (syntax-ppss)))