diff --git a/js/ui/background.js b/js/ui/background.js
index 7de204b60..81d186eb1 100644
--- a/js/ui/background.js
+++ b/js/ui/background.js
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ const Main = imports.ui.main;
 const Params = imports.misc.params;
 const Tweener = imports.ui.tweener;
 
+const DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_COLOR = Clutter.Color.from_pixel(0x2e3436ff);
+
 const BACKGROUND_SCHEMA = 'org.gnome.desktop.background';
 const PRIMARY_COLOR_KEY = 'primary-color';
 const SECONDARY_COLOR_KEY = 'secondary-color';
@@ -463,6 +465,7 @@ const SystemBackground = new Lang.Class({
 
         if (_systemBackground == null) {
             _systemBackground = new Meta.Background({ meta_screen: global.screen });
+            _systemBackground.set_color(DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_COLOR);
             _systemBackground.set_file(file, GDesktopEnums.BackgroundStyle.WALLPAPER);
         }
 
diff --git a/js/ui/layout.js b/js/ui/layout.js
index dda9fc7d6..c20dc61ff 100644
--- a/js/ui/layout.js
+++ b/js/ui/layout.js
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ const Tweener = imports.ui.tweener;
 const STARTUP_ANIMATION_TIME = 0.5;
 const KEYBOARD_ANIMATION_TIME = 0.15;
 const BACKGROUND_FADE_ANIMATION_TIME = 1.0;
-const DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_COLOR = Clutter.Color.from_pixel(0x2e3436ff);
 
 // The message tray takes this much pressure
 // in the pressure barrier at once to release it.
@@ -160,10 +159,10 @@ const LayoutManager = new Lang.Class({
         this._isPopupWindowVisible = false;
         this._startingUp = true;
 
-        // Normally, the stage is always covered so Clutter doesn't need to clear
-        // it; however it becomes visible during the startup animation
-        // See the comment below for a longer explanation
-        global.stage.background_color = DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_COLOR;
+        // We don't want to paint the stage background color because either
+        // the SystemBackground we create or the MetaBackgroundActor inside
+        // global.window_group covers the entirety of the screen.
+        global.stage.no_clear_hint = true;
 
         // Set up stage hierarchy to group all UI actors under one container.
         this.uiGroup = new Shell.GenericContainer({ name: 'uiGroup' });
@@ -588,10 +587,6 @@ const LayoutManager = new Lang.Class({
     //
     // When starting a normal user session, we want to grow it out of the middle
     // of the screen.
-    //
-    // Usually, we don't want to paint the stage background color because the
-    // MetaBackgroundActor inside global.window_group covers the entirety of the
-    // screen. So, we set no_clear_hint at the end of the animation.
 
     _prepareStartupAnimation: function() {
         // During the initial transition, add a simple actor to block all events,
@@ -672,10 +667,6 @@ const LayoutManager = new Lang.Class({
     },
 
     _startupAnimationComplete: function() {
-        // At this point, the UI group is covering everything, so
-        // we no longer need to clear the stage
-        global.stage.no_clear_hint = true;
-
         this._coverPane.destroy();
         this._coverPane = null;
 
diff --git a/js/ui/magnifier.js b/js/ui/magnifier.js
index ccbf8cda4..101c14c77 100644
--- a/js/ui/magnifier.js
+++ b/js/ui/magnifier.js
@@ -1198,12 +1198,7 @@ const ZoomRegion = new Lang.Class({
 
         // Add a background for when the magnified uiGroup is scrolled
         // out of view (don't want to see desktop showing through).
-        this._background = new Clutter.Actor({ background_color: Main.DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_COLOR,
-                                               layout_manager: new Clutter.BinLayout(),
-                                               width: global.screen_width,
-                                               height: global.screen_height });
-        let noiseTexture = (new Background.SystemBackground()).actor;
-        this._background.add_actor(noiseTexture);
+        this._background = (new Background.SystemBackground()).actor;
         mainGroup.add_actor(this._background);
 
         // Clone the group that contains all of UI on the screen.  This is the
diff --git a/js/ui/main.js b/js/ui/main.js
index 2fff9e654..4735cbe59 100644
--- a/js/ui/main.js
+++ b/js/ui/main.js
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ const Magnifier = imports.ui.magnifier;
 const XdndHandler = imports.ui.xdndHandler;
 const Util = imports.misc.util;
 
-const DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_COLOR = Clutter.Color.from_pixel(0x2e3436ff);
-
 const A11Y_SCHEMA = 'org.gnome.desktop.a11y.keyboard';
 const STICKY_KEYS_ENABLE = 'stickykeys-enable';
 const GNOMESHELL_STARTED_MESSAGE_ID = 'f3ea493c22934e26811cd62abe8e203a';