diff --git a/src/compositor/compositor-private.h b/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
index a2b540716..f4eab4521 100644
--- a/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
+++ b/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ void meta_compositor_window_actor_stage_views_changed (MetaCompositor *composito
 
 void meta_switch_workspace_completed (MetaCompositor *compositor);
 
+META_EXPORT_TEST
 MetaPluginManager * meta_compositor_get_plugin_manager (MetaCompositor *compositor);
 
 int64_t meta_compositor_monotonic_to_high_res_xserver_time (MetaCompositor *compositor,
diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.c b/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.c
index 65b7fa66c..22ce62abd 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.c
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.c
@@ -457,3 +457,9 @@ meta_plugin_manager_locate_pointer (MetaPluginManager *plugin_mgr)
   if (klass->locate_pointer)
     klass->locate_pointer (plugin);
 }
+
+MetaPlugin *
+meta_plugin_manager_get_plugin (MetaPluginManager *plugin_mgr)
+{
+  return plugin_mgr->plugin;
+}
diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.h b/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.h
index 8e5251f3f..fc14270fb 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.h
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-plugin-manager.h
@@ -100,3 +100,6 @@ MetaInhibitShortcutsDialog *
                                                        MetaWindow        *window);
 
 void meta_plugin_manager_locate_pointer (MetaPluginManager *mgr);
+
+META_EXPORT_TEST
+MetaPlugin * meta_plugin_manager_get_plugin (MetaPluginManager *plugin_mgr);
diff --git a/src/tests/meta-context-test.c b/src/tests/meta-context-test.c
index fb937e23b..f90d1078e 100644
--- a/src/tests/meta-context-test.c
+++ b/src/tests/meta-context-test.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@
 #include <gio/gsettingsbackend.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 
+#include "compositor/compositor-private.h"
+#include "compositor/meta-plugin-manager.h"
+#include "core/display-private.h"
 #include "core/meta-context-private.h"
 #include "meta/meta-x11-display.h"
 #include "tests/meta-backend-test.h"
@@ -53,6 +56,7 @@ typedef struct _MetaContextTestPrivate
   MetaContextTestType type;
   MetaContextTestFlag flags;
   MetaSessionManager *session_manager;
+  CoglColor *background_color;
 } MetaContextTestPrivate;
 
 struct _MetaContextTestClass
@@ -85,6 +89,7 @@ meta_context_test_finalize (GObject *object)
   MetaContextTestPrivate *priv =
     meta_context_test_get_instance_private (context_test);
 
+  g_clear_pointer (&priv->background_color, cogl_color_free);
   g_clear_object (&priv->session_manager);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_context_test_parent_class)->finalize (object);
@@ -307,6 +312,8 @@ meta_context_test_run_tests (MetaContextTest  *context_test,
                              MetaTestRunFlags  flags)
 {
   MetaContext *context = META_CONTEXT (context_test);
+  MetaContextTestPrivate *priv =
+    meta_context_test_get_instance_private (context_test);
   g_autoptr (GError) error = NULL;
 
   if (!meta_context_setup (context, &error))
@@ -335,6 +342,18 @@ meta_context_test_run_tests (MetaContextTest  *context_test,
       return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
 
+  if (priv->background_color)
+    {
+      MetaDisplay *display = meta_context_get_display (context);
+      MetaCompositor *compositor = display->compositor;
+      MetaPluginManager *plugin_manager =
+        meta_compositor_get_plugin_manager (compositor);
+      MetaPlugin *plugin = meta_plugin_manager_get_plugin (plugin_manager);
+
+      meta_test_shell_set_background_color (META_TEST_SHELL (plugin),
+                                            *priv->background_color);
+    }
+
   g_idle_add (run_tests_idle, context_test);
 
   meta_context_notify_ready (context);
@@ -459,3 +478,14 @@ meta_context_test_init (MetaContextTest *context_test)
   if (ret == NULL)
     g_warning ("Failed to clear mocked color devices: %s", error->message);
 }
+
+void
+meta_context_test_set_background_color (MetaContextTest *context_test,
+                                        CoglColor        color)
+{
+  MetaContextTestPrivate *priv =
+    meta_context_test_get_instance_private (context_test);
+
+  g_clear_pointer (&priv->background_color, cogl_color_free);
+  priv->background_color = cogl_color_copy (&color);
+}
diff --git a/src/tests/meta-test-shell.c b/src/tests/meta-test-shell.c
index e4037eb83..92b325952 100644
--- a/src/tests/meta-test-shell.c
+++ b/src/tests/meta-test-shell.c
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ struct _MetaTestShell
 
   ClutterActor *background_group;
 
+  CoglColor *background_color;
+
   struct {
     ClutterGrab *grab;
     ClutterActor *prev_focus;
@@ -257,11 +259,9 @@ on_switch_workspace_effect_stopped (ClutterTimeline *timeline,
 }
 
 static void
-on_monitors_changed (MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager,
-                     MetaPlugin         *plugin)
+reload_backgrounds (MetaTestShell *test_shell)
 {
-  MetaTestShell *test_shell = META_TEST_SHELL (plugin);
-  MetaDisplay *display = meta_plugin_get_display (plugin);
+  MetaDisplay *display = meta_plugin_get_display (META_PLUGIN (test_shell));
   GRand *rand;
   int i, n;
 
@@ -275,10 +275,6 @@ on_monitors_changed (MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager,
       ClutterContent *content;
       MtkRectangle rect;
       ClutterActor *background_actor;
-      MetaBackground *background;
-      uint8_t red;
-      uint8_t green;
-      uint8_t blue;
 
       meta_display_get_monitor_geometry (display, i, &rect);
 
@@ -289,17 +285,33 @@ on_monitors_changed (MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager,
       clutter_actor_set_position (background_actor, rect.x, rect.y);
       clutter_actor_set_size (background_actor, rect.width, rect.height);
 
-      blue = g_rand_int_range (rand, 0, 255);
-      green = g_rand_int_range (rand, 0, 255);
-      red = g_rand_int_range (rand, 0, 255);
+      if (test_shell->background_color)
+        {
+          g_autoptr (MetaBackground) background = NULL;
 
-      background = meta_background_new (display);
-      meta_background_set_color (background,
-                                 &COGL_COLOR_INIT (red, green, blue, 255));
-      meta_background_content_set_background (background_content, background);
-      g_object_unref (background);
+          background = meta_background_new (display);
+          meta_background_set_color (background, test_shell->background_color);
+          meta_background_content_set_background (background_content, background);
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          g_autoptr (MetaBackground) background = NULL;
+          uint8_t red;
+          uint8_t green;
+          uint8_t blue;
 
-      meta_background_content_set_vignette (background_content, TRUE, 0.5, 0.5);
+          blue = g_rand_int_range (rand, 0, 255);
+          green = g_rand_int_range (rand, 0, 255);
+          red = g_rand_int_range (rand, 0, 255);
+
+          background = meta_background_new (display);
+          meta_background_set_color (background,
+                                     &COGL_COLOR_INIT (red, green, blue, 255));
+          meta_background_content_set_background (background_content, background);
+
+          meta_background_content_set_vignette (background_content,
+                                                TRUE, 0.5, 0.5);
+        }
 
       clutter_actor_add_child (test_shell->background_group, background_actor);
     }
@@ -307,6 +319,15 @@ on_monitors_changed (MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager,
   g_rand_free (rand);
 }
 
+static void
+on_monitors_changed (MetaMonitorManager *monitor_manager,
+                     MetaPlugin         *plugin)
+{
+  MetaTestShell *test_shell = META_TEST_SHELL (plugin);
+
+  reload_backgrounds (test_shell);
+}
+
 static void
 on_overlay_key (MetaDisplay   *display,
                 MetaTestShell *test_shell)
@@ -825,6 +846,16 @@ meta_test_shell_set_property (GObject      *object,
     }
 }
 
+static void
+meta_test_shell_finalize (GObject *object)
+{
+  MetaTestShell *test_shell = META_TEST_SHELL (object);
+
+  g_clear_pointer (&test_shell->background_color, cogl_color_free);
+
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_test_shell_parent_class)->finalize (object);
+}
+
 static void
 meta_test_shell_class_init (MetaTestShellClass *klass)
 {
@@ -832,6 +863,7 @@ meta_test_shell_class_init (MetaTestShellClass *klass)
   MetaPluginClass *plugin_class  = META_PLUGIN_CLASS (klass);
 
   object_class->set_property = meta_test_shell_set_property;
+  object_class->finalize = meta_test_shell_finalize;
 
   plugin_class->start = meta_test_shell_start;
   plugin_class->map = meta_test_shell_map;
@@ -858,3 +890,16 @@ meta_test_shell_init (MetaTestShell *test_shell)
 {
   test_shell->show_stage = TRUE;
 }
+
+void
+meta_test_shell_set_background_color (MetaTestShell *test_shell,
+                                      CoglColor      color)
+{
+  if (test_shell->background_color &&
+      cogl_color_equal (test_shell->background_color, &color))
+    return;
+
+  g_clear_pointer (&test_shell->background_color, cogl_color_free);
+  test_shell->background_color = cogl_color_copy (&color);
+  reload_backgrounds (test_shell);
+}
diff --git a/src/tests/meta-test-shell.h b/src/tests/meta-test-shell.h
index 01f4c8d0e..b969bbd31 100644
--- a/src/tests/meta-test-shell.h
+++ b/src/tests/meta-test-shell.h
@@ -24,3 +24,7 @@ META_EXPORT
 G_DECLARE_FINAL_TYPE (MetaTestShell, meta_test_shell,
                       META, TEST_SHELL,
                       MetaPlugin)
+
+META_EXPORT
+void meta_test_shell_set_background_color (MetaTestShell *test_shell,
+                                           CoglColor      color);
diff --git a/src/tests/meta-test/meta-context-test.h b/src/tests/meta-test/meta-context-test.h
index e3ef6fb69..292592b2e 100644
--- a/src/tests/meta-test/meta-context-test.h
+++ b/src/tests/meta-test/meta-context-test.h
@@ -57,3 +57,7 @@ int meta_context_test_run_tests (MetaContextTest  *context_test,
 
 META_EXPORT
 void meta_context_test_wait_for_x11_display (MetaContextTest *context_test);
+
+META_EXPORT
+void meta_context_test_set_background_color (MetaContextTest *context_test,
+                                             CoglColor        color);