diff --git a/template/viewDeck.sh b/template/viewDeck.sh
index e10483530f351d95b8f95f744eb1b7e39152e98f..161119e581313b3df94c4b0086fdad1a37e3f4a7 100644
--- a/template/viewDeck.sh
+++ b/template/viewDeck.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
-npm install -g npm@latest grunt-cli generator-reveal
-npm install
+# create symlinks to theme
+if [ ! -L "theme" ]; then
+    ln -s ../theme theme
+    echo "symbolic link to theme created"
+fi
+if [ ! -L "package.json" ]; then
+    ln -s ../theme/package.json package.json
+    echo "symbolic link to package.json of theme created"
+fi
+
+# install
+if [ ! -d "node_modules" ]; then
+    npm install -g npm@latest grunt-cli generator-reveal
+    npm install
+fi
+# serve
 grunt server