--- src/rxvtimg.C
+++ src/rxvtimg.C
@@ -770,9 +770,15 @@
 
   if (repeat == RepeatNone)
     {
-      XRenderColor rc = { 0, 0, 0, 0 };
+      rgba bg = GET_R->pix_colors[Color_bg];
+      XRenderColor rc = {
+        (unsigned short)(bg.r * bg.a / 65535),
+        (unsigned short)(bg.g * bg.a / 65535),
+        (unsigned short)(bg.b * bg.a / 65535),
+        GET_R->depth == 32 ? bg.a : 65535
+      };
       XRenderFillRectangle (cc.dpy, PictOpSrc, cc.dst, &rc, 0, 0, w, h);//TODO: split into four fillrectangles
-      XRenderComposite (cc.dpy, PictOpSrc, cc.src, None, cc.dst, 0, 0, 0, 0, x, y, ref->w, ref->h);
+      XRenderComposite (cc.dpy, PictOpOver, cc.src, None, cc.dst, 0, 0, 0, 0, x, y, ref->w, ref->h);
     }
   else
     XRenderComposite (cc.dpy, PictOpSrc, cc.src, None, cc.dst, -x, -y, 0, 0, 0, 0, w, h);