diff --git a/src/gnome-shell-perf-tool.in b/src/gnome-shell-perf-tool.in
index ae8a84d9f..79d1d6c23 100755
--- a/src/gnome-shell-perf-tool.in
+++ b/src/gnome-shell-perf-tool.in
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ def start_shell(perf_output=None):
         env['SHELL_PERF_OUTPUT'] = perf_output
 
     # A fixed background image
-    env['SHELL_BACKGROUND_IMAGE'] = '@pkgdatadir@/perf-background.xml'
+    if os.getenv('SHELL_BACKGROUND_IMAGE') is None:
+      env['SHELL_BACKGROUND_IMAGE'] = '@pkgdatadir@/perf-background.xml'
 
     self_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(sys.argv[0]))
     args = []
diff --git a/tests/data/background.png b/tests/data/background.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cbe3f097c
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/data/background.png differ
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index 8c0202861..739b74cd0 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -46,11 +46,14 @@ perf_tests = [
 gvc_typelib_path = fs.parent(libgvc.get_variable('libgvc_gir')[1].full_path())
 libgvc_path = fs.parent(libgvc.get_variable('libgvc').full_path())
 
+background_file = files(join_paths('data', 'background.png'))
+
 perf_testenv = testenv
 perf_testenv.set('G_DEBUG', 'fatal-criticals')
 perf_testenv.set('G_MESSAGES_DEBUG', 'GNOME Shell')
 perf_testenv.set('GNOME_SHELL_DATADIR', data_builddir)
 perf_testenv.set('GNOME_SHELL_BUILDDIR', src_builddir)
+perf_testenv.set('SHELL_BACKGROUND_IMAGE', '@0@'.format(background_file))
 perf_testenv.append('GI_TYPELIB_PATH', gvc_typelib_path, separator: ':')
 perf_testenv.append('LD_LIBRARY_PATH', libgvc_path, separator: ':')