diff --git a/core/includes/ajax.inc b/core/includes/ajax.inc
index cda55b4..084c70d 100644
--- a/core/includes/ajax.inc
+++ b/core/includes/ajax.inc
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ function ajax_base_page_theme() {
     // to see the default theme, token validation isn't required for that, and
     // bypassing it allows most use-cases to work even when accessed from the
     // page cache.
-    if ($theme === variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik') || drupal_valid_token($token, $theme)) {
+    if ($theme === variable_get('theme_default', 'stark') || drupal_valid_token($token, $theme)) {
       return $theme;
     }
   }
diff --git a/core/includes/theme.inc b/core/includes/theme.inc
index 5c38525..6b9da33 100644
--- a/core/includes/theme.inc
+++ b/core/includes/theme.inc
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ function drupal_theme_initialize() {
 
   // Only select the user selected theme if it is available in the
   // list of themes that can be accessed.
-  $theme = !empty($user->theme) && drupal_theme_access($user->theme) ? $user->theme : variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik');
+  $theme = !empty($user->theme) && drupal_theme_access($user->theme) ? $user->theme : variable_get('theme_default', 'stark');
 
   // Allow modules to override the theme. Validation has already been performed
   // inside menu_get_custom_theme(), so we do not need to check it again here.
@@ -1429,7 +1429,7 @@ function theme_enable($theme_list) {
  */
 function theme_disable($theme_list) {
   // Don't disable the default theme.
-  if ($pos = array_search(variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik'), $theme_list) !== FALSE) {
+  if ($pos = array_search(variable_get('theme_default', 'stark'), $theme_list) !== FALSE) {
     unset($theme_list[$pos]);
     if (empty($theme_list)) {
       return;
diff --git a/core/modules/block/block.admin.inc b/core/modules/block/block.admin.inc
index 7169190..5e58832 100644
--- a/core/modules/block/block.admin.inc
+++ b/core/modules/block/block.admin.inc
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ function block_admin_configure($form, &$form_state, $module, $delta) {
     '#tree' => TRUE,
   );
 
-  $theme_default = variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik');
+  $theme_default = variable_get('theme_default', 'stark');
   $admin_theme = variable_get('admin_theme');
   foreach (list_themes() as $key => $theme) {
     // Only display enabled themes
diff --git a/core/modules/block/block.module b/core/modules/block/block.module
index 920090f..e3987eb 100644
--- a/core/modules/block/block.module
+++ b/core/modules/block/block.module
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ function block_help($path, $arg) {
       return '<p>' . t('Use this page to create a new custom block.') . '</p>';
   }
   if ($arg[0] == 'admin' && $arg[1] == 'structure' && $arg['2'] == 'block' && (empty($arg[3]) || $arg[3] == 'list')) {
-    $demo_theme = !empty($arg[4]) ? $arg[4] : variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik');
+    $demo_theme = !empty($arg[4]) ? $arg[4] : variable_get('theme_default', 'stark');
     $themes = list_themes();
     $output = '<p>' . t('This page provides a drag-and-drop interface for assigning a block to a region, and for controlling the order of blocks within regions. Since not all themes implement the same regions, or display regions in the same way, blocks are positioned on a per-theme basis. Remember that your changes will not be saved until you click the <em>Save blocks</em> button at the bottom of the page. Click the <em>configure</em> link next to each block to configure its specific title and visibility settings.') . '</p>';
     $output .= '<p>' . l(t('Demonstrate block regions (@theme)', array('@theme' => $themes[$demo_theme]->info['name'])), 'admin/structure/block/demo/' . $demo_theme) . '</p>';
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ function block_permission() {
  * Implements hook_menu().
  */
 function block_menu() {
-  $default_theme = variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik');
+  $default_theme = variable_get('theme_default', 'stark');
   $items['admin/structure/block'] = array(
     'title' => 'Blocks',
     'description' => 'Configure what block content appears in your site\'s sidebars and other regions.',
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ function block_page_build(&$page) {
       $page['page_top']['backlink'] = array(
         '#type' => 'link',
         '#title' => t('Exit block region demonstration'),
-        '#href' => 'admin/structure/block' . (variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik') == $theme ? '' : '/list/' . $theme),
+        '#href' => 'admin/structure/block' . (variable_get('theme_default', 'stark') == $theme ? '' : '/list/' . $theme),
         // Add the "overlay-restore" class to indicate this link should restore
         // the context in which the region demonstration page was opened.
         '#options' => array('attributes' => array('class' => array('block-demo-backlink', 'overlay-restore'))),
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ function block_theme_initialize($theme) {
   // Initialize theme's blocks if none already registered.
   $has_blocks = (bool) db_query_range('SELECT 1 FROM {block} WHERE theme = :theme', 0, 1, array(':theme' => $theme))->fetchField();
   if (!$has_blocks) {
-    $default_theme = variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik');
+    $default_theme = variable_get('theme_default', 'stark');
     // Apply only to new theme's visible regions.
     $regions = system_region_list($theme, REGIONS_VISIBLE);
     $result = db_query("SELECT * FROM {block} WHERE theme = :theme", array(':theme' => $default_theme), array('fetch' => PDO::FETCH_ASSOC));
diff --git a/core/modules/block/block.test b/core/modules/block/block.test
index 0b41be5..5d3c15d 100644
--- a/core/modules/block/block.test
+++ b/core/modules/block/block.test
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ class NewDefaultThemeBlocks extends DrupalWebTestCase {
 
     // Ensure no other theme's blocks are in the block table yet.
     $themes = array();
-    $themes['default'] = variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik');
+    $themes['default'] = variable_get('theme_default', 'stark');
     if ($admin_theme = variable_get('admin_theme')) {
       $themes['admin'] = $admin_theme;
     }
diff --git a/core/modules/node/node.test b/core/modules/node/node.test
index 817f390..991a766 100644
--- a/core/modules/node/node.test
+++ b/core/modules/node/node.test
@@ -1872,7 +1872,7 @@ class NodeBlockFunctionalTest extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     $custom_block['title'] = $this->randomName();
     $custom_block['types[article]'] = TRUE;
     $custom_block['body[value]'] = $this->randomName(32);
-    $custom_block['regions[' . variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik') . ']'] = 'content';
+    $custom_block['regions[' . variable_get('theme_default', 'stark') . ']'] = 'content';
     if ($admin_theme = variable_get('admin_theme')) {
       $custom_block['regions[' . $admin_theme . ']'] = 'content';
     }
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
index a5a8885..bdc3342 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ function system_themes_page() {
   $themes = system_rebuild_theme_data();
   uasort($themes, 'system_sort_modules_by_info_name');
 
-  $theme_default = variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik');
+  $theme_default = variable_get('theme_default', 'stark');
   $theme_groups  = array();
 
   foreach ($themes as &$theme) {
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ function system_theme_disable() {
 
     // Check if the specified theme is one recognized by the system.
     if (!empty($themes[$theme])) {
-      if ($theme == variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik')) {
+      if ($theme == variable_get('theme_default', 'stark')) {
         // Don't disable the default theme.
         drupal_set_message(t('%theme is the default theme and cannot be disabled.', array('%theme' => $themes[$theme]->info['name'])), 'error');
       }
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.install b/core/modules/system/system.install
index 6f81509..b8023a5 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.install
@@ -499,11 +499,11 @@ function system_install() {
   system_rebuild_theme_data();
 
   // Enable the default theme.
-  variable_set('theme_default', 'bartik');
+  variable_set('theme_default', 'stark');
   db_update('system')
     ->fields(array('status' => 1))
     ->condition('type', 'theme')
-    ->condition('name', 'bartik')
+    ->condition('name', 'stark')
     ->execute();
 
   // Populate the cron key variable.
diff --git a/profiles/standard/standard.install b/profiles/standard/standard.install
index 5d44717..4da5bcb 100644
--- a/profiles/standard/standard.install
+++ b/profiles/standard/standard.install
@@ -62,8 +62,22 @@ function standard_install() {
   $full_html_format = (object) $full_html_format;
   filter_format_save($full_html_format);
 
+  // Enable Bartik theme and set it as default theme instead of Stark.
+  // @see system_install()
+  $default_theme = 'bartik';
+  variable_set('theme_default', $default_theme);
+  db_update('system')
+    ->fields(array('status' => 1))
+    ->condition('type', 'theme')
+    ->condition('name', $default_theme)
+    ->execute();
+  db_update('system')
+    ->fields(array('status' => 0))
+    ->condition('type', 'theme')
+    ->condition('name', 'stark')
+    ->execute();
+
   // Enable some standard blocks.
-  $default_theme = variable_get('theme_default', 'bartik');
   $admin_theme = 'seven';
   $values = array(
     array(