diff --git a/angular.json b/angular.json
index 00799dc33c..d158577e06 100644
--- a/angular.json
+++ b/angular.json
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
               "src/robots.txt"
             ],
             "styles": [
+              "src/styles/startup.scss",
               {
                 "input": "src/styles/base-theme.scss",
                 "inject": false,
diff --git a/src/app/root/root.component.html b/src/app/root/root.component.html
index aef07d79f4..4768fb737c 100644
--- a/src/app/root/root.component.html
+++ b/src/app/root/root.component.html
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
   </div>
 </div>
 <ng-template #authLoader>
-  <div class="text-center ds-full-screen-loader d-flex align-items-center flex-column justify-content-center">
+  <div class="ds-full-screen-loader">
     <ds-loading [showMessage]="false"></ds-loading>
   </div>
 </ng-template>
diff --git a/src/index.html b/src/index.html
index cb5d35e4f5..491a2d319c 100644
--- a/src/index.html
+++ b/src/index.html
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
   <title>DSpace</title>
   <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,minimum-scale=1">
   <link rel="icon" type="image/x-icon" href="assets/images/favicon.ico" />
-  <link class="theme-css" rel="stylesheet" href="/dspace-theme.css">
 </head>
 
 <body>
diff --git a/src/styles/_global-styles.scss b/src/styles/_global-styles.scss
index d151bb3ba7..2098fc4f74 100644
--- a/src/styles/_global-styles.scss
+++ b/src/styles/_global-styles.scss
@@ -40,10 +40,6 @@ ds-admin-sidebar {
   z-index: var(--ds-sidebar-z-index);
 }
 
-.ds-full-screen-loader {
-  height: 100vh;
-}
-
 .sticky-top {
   z-index: 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/styles/startup.scss b/src/styles/startup.scss
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c6866f6b45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/styles/startup.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+.ds-full-screen-loader {
+  height: 100vh;
+  text-align: center;
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: center;
+  align-items: center;
+  flex-direction: column;
+}
