diff --git a/app/dev/forms.py b/app/dev/forms.py
index 7fb9bedb..055e8b05 100644
--- a/app/dev/forms.py
+++ b/app/dev/forms.py
@@ -9,4 +9,7 @@ from app import db
 
 
 class AddTestCommunities(FlaskForm):
-    submit = SubmitField(_l('Populate Communities for Testing'))
\ No newline at end of file
+    communities_submit = SubmitField(_l('Populate Communities for Testing'))
+
+class AddTestTopics(FlaskForm):
+    topics_submit = SubmitField(_l('Populate Topics for Testing'))
diff --git a/app/dev/routes.py b/app/dev/routes.py
index 28d7205b..1f1a220b 100644
--- a/app/dev/routes.py
+++ b/app/dev/routes.py
@@ -5,21 +5,20 @@ from sqlalchemy import desc, or_, and_, text
 
 from app.activitypub.signature import RsaKeys
 from app import db, celery, cache
-from app.dev.forms import AddTestCommunities
-# from app.chat.forms import AddReply, ReportConversationForm
-# from app.chat.util import send_message
-from app.models import Site, User, Community, CommunityMember, Language
-# from app.user.forms import ReportUserForm
+from app.dev.forms import AddTestCommunities, AddTestTopics
+from app.models import Site, User, Community, CommunityMember, Language, Topic
 from app.utils import render_template, community_membership, moderating_communities, joined_communities, menu_topics, markdown_to_html
 from app.dev import bp
+import random
 
 
 # use this to populate communities in the database
 @bp.route('/dev/tools', methods=['GET', 'POST'])
 @login_required
-def populate_communities():
-    form = AddTestCommunities()
-    if form.validate_on_submit():
+def tools():
+    communities_form = AddTestCommunities()
+    topics_form = AddTestTopics()
+    if communities_form.communities_submit.data and communities_form.validate():
         # do a for loop for a range up to 30 or so
         # build the community title from that and then submit it 
         # to the db
@@ -64,5 +63,65 @@ def populate_communities():
             cache.delete_memoized(joined_communities, current_user.id)
             cache.delete_memoized(moderating_communities, current_user.id)
         return redirect(url_for('main.list_communities'))
+    elif topics_form.topics_submit.data and topics_form.validate():
+        # get the list of communities in the db
+        communities = Community.query.filter_by(banned=False)
+        
+        # pick 10 random communities from the communities list
+        rand_communities = []
+        for c in range(10):
+            rand_communities.append(random.choice(communities.all()))
+        
+        # get those community_ids
+        # rand_community_ids = []
+        # for c in rand_communities:
+            # rand_community_ids.append(c.id)
+        
+        # generate new topics
+        # for n in range(10):
+        #     # generate strings for name, machine_name, and default to 0 communities
+        #     loop_num = "{:02d}".format(n)
+        #     name = "dev_Topic_" + loop_num
+        #     machine_name = "dev-topic-" + loop_num
+        #     num_communities = 0
+        #     # make the topic
+        #     topic = Topic(name=name, machine_name=machine_name, num_communities=num_communities)
+        #     # add the new topic to the db
+        #     db.session.add(topic)
+        #     db.session.commit()
+        #     # refresh the topic menu
+        #     cache.delete_memoized(menu_topics)
+
+        # get the list of topics in the db
+        topics = Topic.query.filter_by()
+
+        # pick 10 random topics from the topics list
+        rand_topics = []
+        for t in range(10):
+            rand_topics.append(random.choice(topics.all()))
+
+        # get those topic_ids
+        rand_topic_ids = []
+        for t in rand_topics:
+            rand_topic_ids.append(t.id)
+
+        # loop 10 times
+        # get the community
+        # add the topic_id to the community
+        # save the db
+        # update the num_communities for the topic
+        # save the db again
+        for i in range(10): 
+
+            community = rand_communities[i]
+            community.topic_id = rand_topic_ids[i]
+            db.session.commit()
+            community.topic.num_communities = community.topic.communities.count()
+            db.session.commit()
+
+        
+        # flash(_(f'rand_topic_ids: {rand_topic_ids}'))
+        # return redirect(url_for('dev.tools'))
+        return redirect(url_for('main.list_topics'))
     else:
-        return render_template('dev/tools.html', form=form)
+        return render_template('dev/tools.html', communities_form=communities_form, topics_form=topics_form)
diff --git a/app/templates/dev/tools.html b/app/templates/dev/tools.html
index 1a2b8c40..8f7e2d37 100644
--- a/app/templates/dev/tools.html
+++ b/app/templates/dev/tools.html
@@ -12,7 +12,17 @@
                 <div class="card-body p-6">
                     <div class="card-title">{{ _('Add Communities to DB for Testing') }}</div>
                     <div class="card-body">
-                        {{ render_form(form) }}
+                        {{ render_form(communities_form) }}
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+            </div>
+        </div>
+        <div class="col col-login mx-auto">
+            <div class="card mt-5">
+                <div class="card-body p-6">
+                    <div class="card-title">{{ _('Add Topics to DB for Testing') }}</div>
+                    <div class="card-body">
+                        {{ render_form(topics_form) }}
                     </div>
                 </div>
             </div>