diff --git a/data/theme/gnome-shell.css b/data/theme/gnome-shell.css
index 2337cef46..01536eea9 100644
--- a/data/theme/gnome-shell.css
+++ b/data/theme/gnome-shell.css
@@ -2196,6 +2196,11 @@ StButton.popup-menu-item:insensitive {
 
 /* Screen shield */
 
+.screen-shield-background {
+    background: black;
+    box-shadow: 0px 4px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.9);
+}
+
 #lockDialogGroup {
     background: #2e3436 url(noise-texture.png);
     background-repeat: repeat;
diff --git a/js/ui/screenShield.js b/js/ui/screenShield.js
index 3111047ef..8f93e4a27 100644
--- a/js/ui/screenShield.js
+++ b/js/ui/screenShield.js
@@ -366,7 +366,8 @@ const ScreenShield = new Lang.Class({
                                                    name: 'lockScreenContents' });
         this._lockScreenContents.add_constraint(new Layout.MonitorConstraint({ primary: true }));
 
-        this._background = Meta.BackgroundActor.new_for_screen(global.screen);
+        this._background = new St.Bin({ style_class: 'screen-shield-background',
+                                        child: Meta.BackgroundActor.new_for_screen(global.screen) });
         this._lockScreenGroup.add_actor(this._background);
         this._lockScreenGroup.add_actor(this._lockScreenContents);