diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-background-actor.c b/src/compositor/meta-background-actor.c
index f027d1c96..199e63d60 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-background-actor.c
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-background-actor.c
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ meta_background_actor_get_preferred_width (ClutterActor *actor,
   if (min_width_p)
     *min_width_p = width;
   if (natural_width_p)
-    *natural_width_p = height;
+    *natural_width_p = width;
 }
 
 static void