diff --git a/js/ui/screenShield.js b/js/ui/screenShield.js
index 91532b9a5..53f46b2f3 100644
--- a/js/ui/screenShield.js
+++ b/js/ui/screenShield.js
@@ -467,8 +467,10 @@ const ScreenShield = new Lang.Class({
                                                    name: 'lockScreenContents' });
         this._lockScreenContents.add_constraint(new Layout.MonitorConstraint({ primary: true }));
 
+        this._settings = new Gio.Settings({ schema: SCREENSAVER_SCHEMA });
+
         let backgroundActor = new Meta.BackgroundActor({ screen: global.screen,
-                                                         settings: Main.background });
+                                                         settings: this._settings });
         backgroundActor.add_glsl_snippet(Meta.SnippetHook.TEXTURE_LOOKUP,
                                          GLSL_BLUR_EFFECT_DECLARATIONS,
                                          GLSL_BLUR_EFFECT_CODE,
@@ -532,8 +534,6 @@ const ScreenShield = new Lang.Class({
         this._loginSession.connectSignal('Lock', Lang.bind(this, function() { this.lock(false); }));
         this._loginSession.connectSignal('Unlock', Lang.bind(this, function() { this.deactivate(false); }));
 
-        this._settings = new Gio.Settings({ schema: SCREENSAVER_SCHEMA });
-
         this._isModal = false;
         this._hasLockScreen = false;
         this._isGreeter = false;