diff --git a/src/frame.c b/src/frame.c
index 33e9606e41..e9a4c1edc3 100644
--- a/src/frame.c
+++ b/src/frame.c
@@ -3898,6 +3898,7 @@ DEFUN ("frame-scale-factor", Fframe_scale_factor, Sframe_scale_factor,
   {"z-group",			SYMBOL_INDEX (Qz_group)},
   {"override-redirect",		SYMBOL_INDEX (Qoverride_redirect)},
   {"no-special-glyphs",		SYMBOL_INDEX (Qno_special_glyphs)},
+  {"alpha-background",          SYMBOL_INDEX (Qalpha_background)},
 #ifdef NS_IMPL_COCOA
   {"ns-appearance",		SYMBOL_INDEX (Qns_appearance)},
   {"ns-transparent-titlebar",	SYMBOL_INDEX (Qns_transparent_titlebar)},
@@ -5015,6 +5016,33 @@ gui_set_alpha (struct frame *f, Lisp_Object arg, Lisp_Object oldval)
     }
 }
 
+void
+gui_set_alpha_background (struct frame *f, Lisp_Object arg, Lisp_Object oldval)
+{
+  double alpha = 1.0;
+
+  if (NILP (arg))
+    alpha = 1.0;
+  else if (FLOATP (arg))
+    {
+      alpha = XFLOAT_DATA (arg);
+      if (! (0 <= alpha && alpha <= 1.0))
+	args_out_of_range (make_float (0.0), make_float (1.0));
+    }
+  else if (FIXNUMP (arg))
+    {
+      EMACS_INT ialpha = XFIXNUM (arg);
+      if (! (0 <= ialpha && ialpha <= 100))
+	args_out_of_range (make_fixnum (0), make_fixnum (100));
+      alpha = ialpha / 100.0;
+    }
+  else
+    wrong_type_argument (Qnumberp, arg);
+
+  f->alpha_background = alpha;
+
+  SET_FRAME_GARBAGED (f);
+}
 
 /**
  * gui_set_no_special_glyphs:
@@ -6083,6 +6111,7 @@ syms_of_frame (void)
 #endif
 
   DEFSYM (Qalpha, "alpha");
+  DEFSYM (Qalpha_background, "alpha-background");
   DEFSYM (Qauto_lower, "auto-lower");
   DEFSYM (Qauto_raise, "auto-raise");
   DEFSYM (Qborder_color, "border-color");
diff --git a/src/frame.h b/src/frame.h
index cb2bad71c5..e45e0714a1 100644
--- a/src/frame.h
+++ b/src/frame.h
@@ -636,6 +636,9 @@ #define EMACS_FRAME_H
      Negative values mean not to change alpha.  */
   double alpha[2];
 
+  /* Background opacity */
+  double alpha_background;
+
   /* Exponent for gamma correction of colors.  1/(VIEWING_GAMMA *
      SCREEN_GAMMA) where viewing_gamma is 0.4545 and SCREEN_GAMMA is a
      frame parameter.  0 means don't do gamma correction.  */
@@ -1658,6 +1661,7 @@ #define EMACS_CLASS "Emacs"
 extern long gui_figure_window_size (struct frame *, Lisp_Object, bool, bool);
 
 extern void gui_set_alpha (struct frame *, Lisp_Object, Lisp_Object);
+extern void gui_set_alpha_background (struct frame *, Lisp_Object, Lisp_Object);
 extern void gui_set_no_special_glyphs (struct frame *, Lisp_Object, Lisp_Object);
 
 extern void validate_x_resource_name (void);
diff --git a/src/gtkutil.c b/src/gtkutil.c
index 8f8db4ed37..17d93e504e 100644
--- a/src/gtkutil.c
+++ b/src/gtkutil.c
@@ -195,6 +195,27 @@ xg_get_scale (struct frame *f)
   return xg_get_gdk_scale ();
 }
 
+static unsigned int
+x_get_bit_depth (struct frame *f)
+{
+  Visual *visual = FRAME_X_VISUAL (f);
+  VisualID visual_id = XVisualIDFromVisual (visual);
+
+  XVisualInfo vinfo_template;
+  vinfo_template.visualid = visual_id;
+
+  int num_items;
+
+  XVisualInfo *visual_infos = XGetVisualInfo (FRAME_X_DISPLAY (f),
+					      VisualIDMask,
+					      &vinfo_template,
+					      &num_items);
+
+  eassert (num_items > 0);
+
+  return visual_infos[0].depth;
+}
+
 /* Close display DPY.  */
 
 void
@@ -1236,6 +1257,10 @@ xg_create_frame_widgets (struct frame *f)
   else
     wtop = gtk_window_new (GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
 
+  /* This prevents GTK from painting the window's background, which
+     would interfere with transparent background in some environments */
+  gtk_widget_set_app_paintable (wtop, TRUE);
+
   /* gtk_window_set_has_resize_grip is a Gtk+ 3.0 function but Ubuntu
      has backported it to Gtk+ 2.0 and they add the resize grip for
      Gtk+ 2.0 applications also.  But it has a bug that makes Emacs loop
@@ -1343,6 +1368,15 @@ xg_create_frame_widgets (struct frame *f)
                          | GDK_STRUCTURE_MASK
                          | GDK_VISIBILITY_NOTIFY_MASK);
 
+  GdkScreen *screen = gtk_widget_get_screen (wtop);
+
+  if (x_get_bit_depth (f) == 32)
+    {
+      GdkVisual *visual = gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual (screen);
+      gtk_widget_set_visual (wtop, visual);
+      gtk_widget_set_visual (wfixed, visual);
+    }
+
   /* Must realize the windows so the X window gets created.  It is used
      by callers of this function.  */
   gtk_widget_realize (wfixed);
@@ -1383,7 +1417,6 @@ xg_create_frame_widgets (struct frame *f)
   g_signal_connect (wtop, "query-tooltip", G_CALLBACK (qttip_cb), f);
 
   {
-    GdkScreen *screen = gtk_widget_get_screen (wtop);
     GtkSettings *gs = gtk_settings_get_for_screen (screen);
     /* Only connect this signal once per screen.  */
     if (! g_signal_handler_find (G_OBJECT (gs),
diff --git a/src/xfns.c b/src/xfns.c
index 5eff9f5b0f..6660d725a6 100644
--- a/src/xfns.c
+++ b/src/xfns.c
@@ -4118,6 +4118,8 @@ DEFUN ("x-create-frame", Fx_create_frame, Sx_create_frame,
                          RES_TYPE_NUMBER);
   gui_default_parameter (f, parms, Qalpha, Qnil,
                          "alpha", "Alpha", RES_TYPE_NUMBER);
+  gui_default_parameter (f, parms, Qalpha_background, Qnil,
+			 "alpha_background", "AlphaBackground", RES_TYPE_NUMBER);
 
   if (!NILP (parent_frame))
     {
@@ -5734,14 +5736,35 @@ select_visual (struct x_display_info *dpyinfo)
       int n_visuals;
       XVisualInfo *vinfo, vinfo_template;
 
-      dpyinfo->visual = DefaultVisualOfScreen (screen);
+      vinfo_template.screen = XScreenNumberOfScreen (screen);
+
+#if defined (USE_GTK) && defined (USE_CAIRO)
+      /* First attempt to use 32-bit visual if available */
+
+      vinfo_template.depth = 32;
+
+      vinfo = XGetVisualInfo (dpy, VisualScreenMask | VisualDepthMask,
+			      &vinfo_template, &n_visuals);
+
+      if (n_visuals > 0)
+	{
+	  dpyinfo->n_planes = vinfo->depth;
+	  dpyinfo->visual = vinfo->visual;
+	  XFree (vinfo);
+	  return;
+	}
 
+#endif // defined (USE_GTK) && defined (USE_CAIRO)
+
+      /* 32-bit visual not available, fallback to default visual */
+      dpyinfo->visual = DefaultVisualOfScreen (screen);
       vinfo_template.visualid = XVisualIDFromVisual (dpyinfo->visual);
-      vinfo_template.screen = XScreenNumberOfScreen (screen);
+
       vinfo = XGetVisualInfo (dpy, VisualIDMask | VisualScreenMask,
 			      &vinfo_template, &n_visuals);
+
       if (n_visuals <= 0)
-	fatal ("Can't get proper X visual info");
+	  fatal ("Can't get proper X visual info");
 
       dpyinfo->n_planes = vinfo->depth;
       XFree (vinfo);
@@ -6549,6 +6572,8 @@ x_create_tip_frame (struct x_display_info *dpyinfo, Lisp_Object parms)
                          "cursorType", "CursorType", RES_TYPE_SYMBOL);
   gui_default_parameter (f, parms, Qalpha, Qnil,
                          "alpha", "Alpha", RES_TYPE_NUMBER);
+  gui_default_parameter (f, parms, Qalpha_background, Qnil,
+			 "alpha_background", "AlphaBackground", RES_TYPE_NUMBER);
 
   /* Add `tooltip' frame parameter's default value. */
   if (NILP (Fframe_parameter (frame, Qtooltip)))
@@ -7878,6 +7903,7 @@ DEFUN ("x-gtk-debug", Fx_gtk_debug, Sx_gtk_debug, 1, 1, 0,
   x_set_z_group,
   x_set_override_redirect,
   gui_set_no_special_glyphs,
+  gui_set_alpha_background,
 };
 
 void
diff --git a/src/xterm.c b/src/xterm.c
index ae0daa79f3..e6e71982a0 100644
--- a/src/xterm.c
+++ b/src/xterm.c
@@ -684,9 +684,12 @@ x_set_cr_source_with_gc_background (struct frame *f, GC gc)
 
   XGetGCValues (FRAME_X_DISPLAY (f), gc, GCBackground, &xgcv);
   color.pixel = xgcv.background;
+
   x_query_colors (f, &color, 1);
-  cairo_set_source_rgb (FRAME_CR_CONTEXT (f), color.red / 65535.0,
-			color.green / 65535.0, color.blue / 65535.0);
+  cairo_set_source_rgba (FRAME_CR_CONTEXT (f), color.red / 65535.0,
+                         color.green / 65535.0, color.blue / 65535.0, f->alpha_background);
+
+  cairo_set_operator (FRAME_CR_CONTEXT (f), CAIRO_OPERATOR_SOURCE);
 }
 
 static const cairo_user_data_key_t xlib_surface_key, saved_drawable_key;
@@ -1096,6 +1099,29 @@ x_fill_rectangle (struct frame *f, GC gc, int x, int y, int width, int height)
 #endif
 }
 
+
+static void
+x_clear_rectangle (struct frame *f, GC gc, int x, int y, int width, int height)
+{
+#ifdef USE_CAIRO
+  cairo_t *cr;
+
+  cr = x_begin_cr_clip (f, gc);
+  x_set_cr_source_with_gc_background (f, gc);
+  cairo_rectangle (cr, x, y, width, height);
+  cairo_fill (cr);
+  x_end_cr_clip (f);
+#else
+  XGCValues xgcv;
+  Display *dpy = FRAME_X_DISPLAY (f);
+  XGetGCValues (dpy, gc, GCBackground | GCForeground, &xgcv);
+  XSetForeground (dpy, gc, xgcv.background);
+  XFillRectangle (dpy, FRAME_X_DRAWABLE (f),
+		  gc, x, y, width, height);
+  XSetForeground (dpy, gc, xgcv.foreground);
+#endif
+}
+
 static void
 x_draw_rectangle (struct frame *f, GC gc, int x, int y, int width, int height)
 {
@@ -1672,9 +1698,9 @@ x_draw_fringe_bitmap (struct window *w, struct glyph_row *row, struct draw_fring
       if (face->stipple)
 	XSetFillStyle (display, face->gc, FillOpaqueStippled);
       else
-	XSetForeground (display, face->gc, face->background);
+	XSetBackground (display, face->gc, face->background);
 
-      x_fill_rectangle (f, face->gc, p->bx, p->by, p->nx, p->ny);
+      x_clear_rectangle (f, face->gc, p->bx, p->by, p->nx, p->ny);
 
       if (!face->stipple)
 	XSetForeground (display, face->gc, face->foreground);
@@ -1975,12 +2001,7 @@ x_compute_glyph_string_overhangs (struct glyph_string *s)
 static void
 x_clear_glyph_string_rect (struct glyph_string *s, int x, int y, int w, int h)
 {
-  Display *display = FRAME_X_DISPLAY (s->f);
-  XGCValues xgcv;
-  XGetGCValues (display, s->gc, GCForeground | GCBackground, &xgcv);
-  XSetForeground (display, s->gc, xgcv.background);
-  x_fill_rectangle (s->f, s->gc, x, y, w, h);
-  XSetForeground (display, s->gc, xgcv.foreground);
+  x_clear_rectangle (s->f, s->gc, x, y, w, h);
 }