diff --git a/lib/components/term.tsx b/lib/components/term.tsx
index 4f9fd432..741a023c 100644
--- a/lib/components/term.tsx
+++ b/lib/components/term.tsx
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ const isWebgl2Supported = (() => {
 const getTermOptions = (props: TermProps): ITerminalOptions => {
   // Set a background color only if it is opaque
   const needTransparency = Color(props.backgroundColor).alpha() < 1;
-  const backgroundColor = needTransparency ? 'transparent' : props.backgroundColor;
+  const backgroundColor = needTransparency ? 'rgba(0,0,0,0)' : props.backgroundColor;
 
   return {
     macOptionIsMeta: props.modifierKeys.altIsMeta,
diff --git a/lib/containers/hyper.tsx b/lib/containers/hyper.tsx
index babfcf11..53efda6c 100644
--- a/lib/containers/hyper.tsx
+++ b/lib/containers/hyper.tsx
@@ -23,11 +23,6 @@ class Hyper extends React.PureComponent<HyperProps> {
   }
 
   componentDidUpdate(prev: HyperProps) {
-    if (this.props.backgroundColor !== prev.backgroundColor) {
-      // this can be removed when `setBackgroundColor` in electron
-      // starts working again
-      document.body.style.backgroundColor = this.props.backgroundColor;
-    }
     const {lastConfigUpdate} = this.props;
     if (lastConfigUpdate && lastConfigUpdate !== prev.lastConfigUpdate) {
       this.attachKeyListeners();
@@ -96,7 +91,6 @@ class Hyper extends React.PureComponent<HyperProps> {
   };
 
   componentWillUnmount() {
-    document.body.style.backgroundColor = 'inherit';
     this.mousetrap?.reset();
   }