diff --git a/include/components/renderer.hpp b/include/components/renderer.hpp
index aff9d714..0366cb8a 100644
--- a/include/components/renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/components/renderer.hpp
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ class renderer
   cairo_operator_t m_comp_ol{CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER};
   cairo_operator_t m_comp_ul{CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER};
   cairo_operator_t m_comp_border{CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER};
+  bool m_pseudo_transparency{false};
 
   alignment m_align;
   std::bitset<3> m_attr;
diff --git a/include/x11/background_manager.hpp b/include/x11/background_manager.hpp
index adcdddad..33d5a36f 100644
--- a/include/x11/background_manager.hpp
+++ b/include/x11/background_manager.hpp
@@ -47,11 +47,9 @@ class background_manager : public signal_receiver<SIGN_PRIORITY_SCREEN, signals:
   unique_ptr<cairo::xcb_surface> m_surface;
 
   bool m_attached{false};
-  bool m_pseudo_transparency{false};
 
-  void allocate_resources(bool use_root_depth);
+  void allocate_resources();
   void free_resources();
-  void make_transparent_pixmap();
   void fetch_root_pixmap();
 
 };
diff --git a/src/components/renderer.cpp b/src/components/renderer.cpp
index 257ab691..72de6666 100644
--- a/src/components/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/components/renderer.cpp
@@ -175,6 +175,8 @@ renderer::renderer(
   m_comp_ul = m_conf.get<cairo_operator_t>("settings", "compositing-underline", m_comp_ul);
   m_comp_border = m_conf.get<cairo_operator_t>("settings", "compositing-border", m_comp_border);
 
+  m_pseudo_transparency = m_conf.get<bool>("settings", "pseudo-transparency", m_pseudo_transparency);
+
   m_fixedcenter = m_conf.get(m_conf.section(), "fixed-center", true);
 }
 
@@ -503,14 +505,21 @@ void renderer::fill_background() {
   m_context->save();
   *m_context << m_comp_bg;
 
-  auto root_bg = m_background.get_surface();
-  if(root_bg != nullptr) {
-    m_log.trace_x("renderer: root background");
-    *m_context << *root_bg;
-    m_context->paint();
-    *m_context << CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER;
+  // if using pseudo-transparency, fill the background with the root window's contents
+  // otherwise, we simply use a fully transparent base layer
+  if(m_pseudo_transparency) {
+    auto root_bg = m_background.get_surface();
+    if(root_bg != nullptr) {
+      m_log.trace_x("renderer: root background");
+      *m_context << *root_bg;
+    }
+  } else {
+    *m_context << (unsigned int)0;
   }
 
+  m_context->paint();
+  *m_context << CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER;
+
   if (!m_bar.background_steps.empty()) {
     m_log.trace_x("renderer: gradient background (steps=%lu)", m_bar.background_steps.size());
     *m_context << cairo::linear_gradient{0.0, 0.0 + m_rect.y, 0.0, 0.0 + m_rect.height, m_bar.background_steps};
diff --git a/src/x11/background_manager.cpp b/src/x11/background_manager.cpp
index 1b2d4981..383d44bc 100644
--- a/src/x11/background_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/x11/background_manager.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ background_manager::background_manager(
   , m_sig(sig)
   , m_log(log) {
   m_sig.attach(this);
-  m_pseudo_transparency = config::make().get("settings", "pseudo-transparency", false);
 }
 
 background_manager::~background_manager() {
@@ -43,7 +42,7 @@ void background_manager::activate(xcb_window_t window, xcb_rectangle_t rect) {
   free_resources();
 
   // make sure that we receive a notification when the background changes
-  if(!m_attached && m_pseudo_transparency) {
+  if(!m_attached) {
     m_connection.ensure_event_mask(m_connection.root(), XCB_EVENT_MASK_PROPERTY_CHANGE);
     m_connection.flush();
     m_connection.attach_sink(this, SINK_PRIORITY_SCREEN);
@@ -51,11 +50,7 @@ void background_manager::activate(xcb_window_t window, xcb_rectangle_t rect) {
 
   m_window = window;
   m_rect = rect;
-  if(m_pseudo_transparency) {
-    fetch_root_pixmap();
-  } else {
-    make_transparent_pixmap();
-  }
+  fetch_root_pixmap();
 }
 
 void background_manager::deactivate() {
@@ -63,7 +58,7 @@ void background_manager::deactivate() {
 }
 
 
-void background_manager::allocate_resources(bool use_root_depth) {
+void background_manager::allocate_resources() {
   if(!m_visual) {
     m_log.trace("background_manager: Finding root visual");
     m_visual = m_connection.visual_type_for_id(m_connection.screen(), m_connection.screen()->root_visual);
@@ -73,8 +68,7 @@ void background_manager::allocate_resources(bool use_root_depth) {
   if(m_pixmap == XCB_NONE) {
     m_log.trace("background_manager: Allocating pixmap");
     m_pixmap = m_connection.generate_id();
-    auto depth = use_root_depth ? m_connection.screen()->root_depth : 32;
-    m_connection.create_pixmap(depth, m_pixmap, m_window, m_rect.width, m_rect.height);
+    m_connection.create_pixmap(m_connection.screen()->root_depth, m_pixmap, m_window, m_rect.width, m_rect.height);
   }
 
   if(m_gcontext == XCB_NONE) {
@@ -112,16 +106,8 @@ void background_manager::free_resources() {
   }
 }
 
-void background_manager::make_transparent_pixmap() {
-  allocate_resources(false);
-
-  m_log.trace("background_manager: Using transparent background pixmap");
-  auto context = cairo::context(*m_surface, m_log);
-  context << (unsigned int)0;
-}
-
 void background_manager::fetch_root_pixmap() {
-  allocate_resources(true);
+  allocate_resources();
 
   m_log.trace("background_manager: Fetching pixmap");
 
@@ -152,8 +138,6 @@ void background_manager::fetch_root_pixmap() {
 }
 
 void background_manager::handle(const evt::property_notify& evt) {
-  if(!m_pseudo_transparency) return;
-
   // if region that we should observe is empty, don't do anything
   if(m_rect.width == 0 || m_rect.height == 0) return;
 
@@ -164,8 +148,6 @@ void background_manager::handle(const evt::property_notify& evt) {
 }
 
 bool background_manager::on(const signals::ui::update_geometry&) {
-  if(!m_pseudo_transparency) return false;
-
   fetch_root_pixmap();
   m_sig.emit(signals::ui::update_background());
   return false;