diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index 61b9fd7c0..050cf9986 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -3520,32 +3520,9 @@ clutter_actor_paint_node (ClutterActor        *actor,
 
   bg_color = priv->bg_color;
 
-  if (CLUTTER_ACTOR_IS_TOPLEVEL (actor))
-    {
-      ClutterPaintNode *node;
-      CoglFramebuffer *fb;
-      CoglBufferBit clear_flags;
-
-      fb = clutter_paint_context_get_base_framebuffer (paint_context);
-
-      bg_color.alpha = 255;
-
-      CLUTTER_NOTE (PAINT, "Stage clear color: (%d, %d, %d, %d)",
-                    bg_color.red,
-                    bg_color.green,
-                    bg_color.blue,
-                    bg_color.alpha);
-
-      clear_flags = COGL_BUFFER_BIT_DEPTH;
-
-      node = clutter_root_node_new (fb, &bg_color, clear_flags);
-      clutter_paint_node_set_static_name (node, "stageClear");
-      clutter_paint_node_add_rectangle (node, &box);
-      clutter_paint_node_add_child (root, node);
-      clutter_paint_node_unref (node);
-    }
-  else if (priv->bg_color_set &&
-           !clutter_color_equal (&priv->bg_color, CLUTTER_COLOR_Transparent))
+  if (!CLUTTER_ACTOR_IS_TOPLEVEL (actor) &&
+      priv->bg_color_set &&
+      !clutter_color_equal (&priv->bg_color, CLUTTER_COLOR_Transparent))
     {
       ClutterPaintNode *node;
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c
index 4afb5b705..f17f331f1 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c
@@ -412,6 +412,9 @@ clutter_stage_do_paint_view (ClutterStage         *stage,
   cairo_rectangle_int_t clip_rect;
   g_autoptr (GArray) clip_frusta = NULL;
   graphene_frustum_t clip_frustum;
+  ClutterPaintNode *root_node;
+  CoglFramebuffer *fb;
+  ClutterColor bg_color;
   int n_rectangles;
 
   n_rectangles = redraw_clip ? cairo_region_num_rectangles (redraw_clip) : 0;
@@ -454,6 +457,16 @@ clutter_stage_do_paint_view (ClutterStage         *stage,
   if (frame)
     clutter_paint_context_assign_frame (paint_context, frame);
 
+  clutter_actor_get_background_color (CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage), &bg_color);
+  bg_color.alpha = 255;
+
+  fb = clutter_stage_view_get_framebuffer (view);
+
+  root_node = clutter_root_node_new (fb, &bg_color, COGL_BUFFER_BIT_DEPTH);
+  clutter_paint_node_set_static_name (root_node, "Stage (root)");
+  clutter_paint_node_paint (root_node, paint_context);
+  clutter_paint_node_unref (root_node);
+
   clutter_actor_paint (CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage), paint_context);
   clutter_paint_context_destroy (paint_context);
 }