diff --git a/app/configdialog.cpp b/app/configdialog.cpp
--- a/app/configdialog.cpp
+++ b/app/configdialog.cpp
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 
     mAlphaBackgroundModeGroup = new InvisibleButtonGroup(widget);
     mAlphaBackgroundModeGroup->setObjectName(QLatin1String("kcfg_AlphaBackgroundMode"));
+    mAlphaBackgroundModeGroup->addButton(mImageViewConfigPage.noBackgroundRadioButton, int(AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundNone));
     mAlphaBackgroundModeGroup->addButton(mImageViewConfigPage.checkBoardRadioButton, int(AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundCheckBoard));
     mAlphaBackgroundModeGroup->addButton(mImageViewConfigPage.solidColorRadioButton, int(AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundSolid));
 
diff --git a/app/imageviewconfigpage.ui b/app/imageviewconfigpage.ui
--- a/app/imageviewconfigpage.ui
+++ b/app/imageviewconfigpage.ui
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <x>0</x>
     <y>0</y>
     <width>500</width>
-    <height>600</height>
+    <height>650</height>
    </rect>
   </property>
   <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout">
@@ -25,6 +25,39 @@
     </widget>
    </item>
    <item row="0" column="1">
+    <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_0">
+     <property name="spacing">
+      <number>6</number>
+     </property>
+     <property name="margin">
+      <number>0</number>
+     </property>
+     <item>
+      <widget class="QRadioButton" name="noBackgroundRadioButton">
+       <property name="text">
+        <string>None</string>
+       </property>
+       <property name="checked">
+        <bool>true</bool>
+       </property>
+      </widget>
+     </item>
+     <item>
+      <spacer name="horizontalSpacer_0">
+       <property name="orientation">
+        <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
+       </property>
+       <property name="sizeHint" stdset="0">
+        <size>
+         <width>40</width>
+         <height>20</height>
+        </size>
+       </property>
+      </spacer>
+     </item>
+    </layout>
+   </item>
+   <item row="1" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_1">
      <property name="spacing">
       <number>6</number>
@@ -38,7 +71,7 @@
         <string>&amp;Check board</string>
        </property>
        <property name="checked">
-        <bool>true</bool>
+        <bool>false</bool>
        </property>
       </widget>
      </item>
@@ -57,7 +90,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="1" column="1">
+   <item row="2" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_2">
      <property name="spacing">
       <number>6</number>
@@ -97,7 +130,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="2" column="1">
+   <item row="3" column="1">
     <spacer name="verticalSpacer_1">
      <property name="orientation">
       <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
@@ -113,7 +146,7 @@
      </property>
     </spacer>
    </item>
-   <item row="3" column="0">
+   <item row="4" column="0">
     <widget class="QLabel" name="label_2">
      <property name="text">
       <string>Mouse wheel behavior:</string>
@@ -126,7 +159,7 @@
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="3" column="1">
+   <item row="4" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_3">
      <item>
       <widget class="QRadioButton" name="mouseWheelScrollRadioButton">
@@ -153,7 +186,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="4" column="1">
+   <item row="5" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_4">
      <item>
       <widget class="QRadioButton" name="mouseWheelBrowseRadioButton">
@@ -177,7 +210,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="5" column="1">
+   <item row="6" column="1">
     <spacer name="verticalSpacer_2">
      <property name="orientation">
       <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
@@ -193,7 +226,7 @@
      </property>
     </spacer>
    </item>
-   <item row="6" column="0">
+   <item row="7" column="0">
     <widget class="QLabel" name="label_3">
      <property name="text">
       <string>Zoom mode:</string>
@@ -206,7 +239,7 @@
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="6" column="1">
+   <item row="7" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_5">
      <item>
       <widget class="QRadioButton" name="autofitZoomModeRadioButton">
@@ -233,7 +266,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="7" column="1">
+   <item row="8" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_6">
      <item>
       <widget class="QRadioButton" name="keepSameZoomModeRadioButton">
@@ -257,7 +290,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="8" column="1">
+   <item row="9" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_7">
      <item>
       <widget class="QRadioButton" name="individualZoomModeRadioButton">
@@ -281,7 +314,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="9" column="1">
+   <item row="10" column="1">
     <spacer name="verticalSpacer_3">
      <property name="orientation">
       <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
@@ -297,7 +330,7 @@
      </property>
     </spacer>
    </item>
-   <item row="10" column="1">
+   <item row="11" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_8">
      <item>
       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="kcfg_EnlargeSmallerImages">
@@ -321,7 +354,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="11" column="1">
+   <item row="12" column="1">
     <spacer name="verticalSpacer_4">
      <property name="orientation">
       <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
@@ -337,7 +370,7 @@
      </property>
     </spacer>
    </item>
-   <item row="12" column="0">
+   <item row="13" column="0">
     <widget class="QLabel" name="label_4">
      <property name="text">
       <string>Animations:</string>
@@ -350,7 +383,7 @@
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="12" column="1">
+   <item row="13" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_9">
      <item>
       <widget class="QRadioButton" name="glAnimationRadioButton">
@@ -377,7 +410,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="13" column="1">
+   <item row="14" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_10">
      <item>
       <widget class="QRadioButton" name="softwareAnimationRadioButton">
@@ -401,7 +434,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="14" column="1">
+   <item row="15" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_11">
      <item>
       <widget class="QRadioButton" name="noAnimationRadioButton">
@@ -425,7 +458,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="15" column="1">
+   <item row="16" column="1">
     <spacer name="verticalSpacer_5">
      <property name="orientation">
       <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
@@ -441,14 +474,14 @@
      </property>
     </spacer>
    </item>
-   <item row="16" column="0">
+   <item row="17" column="0">
     <widget class="QLabel" name="label_5">
      <property name="text">
       <string>&lt;b&gt;Thumbnail Bar&lt;/b&gt;</string>
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="17" column="1">
+   <item row="18" column="1">
     <spacer name="verticalSpacer_6">
      <property name="orientation">
       <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
@@ -464,7 +497,7 @@
      </property>
     </spacer>
    </item>
-   <item row="18" column="0">
+   <item row="19" column="0">
     <widget class="QLabel" name="label_6">
      <property name="text">
       <string>Orientation:</string>
@@ -477,7 +510,7 @@
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="18" column="1">
+   <item row="19" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_12">
      <item>
       <widget class="QRadioButton" name="horizontalRadioButton">
@@ -501,7 +534,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="19" column="1">
+   <item row="20" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_13">
      <item>
       <widget class="QRadioButton" name="verticalRadioButton">
@@ -525,7 +558,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="20" column="0">
+   <item row="21" column="0">
     <widget class="QLabel" name="label_7">
      <property name="text">
       <string>Row count:</string>
@@ -538,7 +571,7 @@
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="20" column="1">
+   <item row="21" column="1">
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_14">
      <item>
       <widget class="QSpinBox" name="kcfg_ThumbnailBarRowCount">
@@ -565,7 +598,7 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item row="21" column="1">
+   <item row="22" column="1">
     <spacer name="verticalSpacer_7">
      <property name="orientation">
       <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
diff --git a/lib/documentview/abstractimageview.h b/lib/documentview/abstractimageview.h
--- a/lib/documentview/abstractimageview.h
+++ b/lib/documentview/abstractimageview.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
         ForceUpdate
     };
     enum AlphaBackgroundMode {
+        AlphaBackgroundNone,
         AlphaBackgroundCheckBoard,
         AlphaBackgroundSolid
     };
diff --git a/lib/documentview/rasterimageview.cpp b/lib/documentview/rasterimageview.cpp
--- a/lib/documentview/rasterimageview.cpp
+++ b/lib/documentview/rasterimageview.cpp
@@ -164,17 +164,26 @@
 
     void drawAlphaBackground(QPainter* painter, const QRect& viewportRect, const QPoint& zoomedImageTopLeft, QPixmap texture)
     {
-        if (mAlphaBackgroundMode == AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundCheckBoard) {
-            QPoint textureOffset(
-                zoomedImageTopLeft.x() % texture.width(),
-                zoomedImageTopLeft.y() % texture.height()
-            );
-            painter->drawTiledPixmap(
-                viewportRect,
-                texture,
-                textureOffset);
-        } else {
-            painter->fillRect(viewportRect, mAlphaBackgroundColor);
+        switch (mAlphaBackgroundMode) {
+            case AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundNone:
+                painter->fillRect(viewportRect, Qt::transparent);
+                break;
+            case AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundCheckBoard:
+            {
+                const QPoint textureOffset(
+                    zoomedImageTopLeft.x() % texture.width(),
+                    zoomedImageTopLeft.y() % texture.height());
+                painter->drawTiledPixmap(
+                    viewportRect,
+                    texture,
+                    textureOffset);
+                break;
+            }
+            case AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundSolid:
+                painter->fillRect(viewportRect, mAlphaBackgroundColor);
+                break;
+            default:
+                Q_ASSERT(0);
         }
     }
 };
@@ -188,7 +197,7 @@
     d->mApplyDisplayTransform = true;
     d->mDisplayTransform = 0;
 
-    d->mAlphaBackgroundMode = AlphaBackgroundCheckBoard;
+    d->mAlphaBackgroundMode = AlphaBackgroundNone;
     d->mAlphaBackgroundColor = Qt::black;
     d->mRenderingIntent = INTENT_PERCEPTUAL;
     d->mEnlargeSmallerImages = false;
@@ -332,14 +341,15 @@
     d->mBufferIsEmpty = false;
     {
         QPainter painter(&d->mCurrentBuffer);
+        painter.setCompositionMode(QPainter::CompositionMode_Source);
         if (document()->hasAlphaChannel()) {
             d->drawAlphaBackground(
                 &painter, QRect(viewportLeft, viewportTop, image.width(), image.height()),
                 QPoint(zoomedImageLeft, zoomedImageTop),
                 alphaBackgroundTexture()
             );
-        } else {
-            painter.setCompositionMode(QPainter::CompositionMode_Source);
+            // This is required so transparent pixels don't replace our background
+            painter.setCompositionMode(QPainter::CompositionMode_SourceOver);
         }
         painter.drawImage(viewportLeft, viewportTop, image);
     }
@@ -379,6 +389,7 @@
         if (d->mAlternateBuffer.size() != d->mCurrentBuffer.size()) {
             d->mAlternateBuffer = QPixmap(d->mCurrentBuffer.size());
         }
+        d->mAlternateBuffer.fill(Qt::transparent);
         QPainter painter(&d->mAlternateBuffer);
         painter.drawPixmap(-delta, d->mCurrentBuffer);
     }
diff --git a/lib/documentview/svgviewadapter.cpp b/lib/documentview/svgviewadapter.cpp
--- a/lib/documentview/svgviewadapter.cpp
+++ b/lib/documentview/svgviewadapter.cpp
@@ -121,6 +121,10 @@
     const QRectF imageRect = QRectF(imageOffset(), visibleImageSize());
 
     switch (mAlphaBackgroundMode) {
+        case AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundNone:
+            // Unlike RasterImageView, SVGs are rendered directly on the image view,
+            // therefore we can simply not draw a background
+            break;
         case AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundCheckBoard:
             painter->drawTiledPixmap(imageRect, alphaBackgroundTexture(), scrollPos());
             break;
diff --git a/lib/gwenviewconfig.kcfg b/lib/gwenviewconfig.kcfg
--- a/lib/gwenviewconfig.kcfg
+++ b/lib/gwenviewconfig.kcfg
@@ -119,10 +119,11 @@
     <group name="ImageView">
         <entry name="AlphaBackgroundMode" type="Enum">
             <choices name="Gwenview::AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundMode">
+                <choice name="AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundNone"/>
                 <choice name="AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundCheckBoard"/>
                 <choice name="AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundSolid"/>
             </choices>
-            <default>AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundCheckBoard</default>
+            <default>AbstractImageView::AlphaBackgroundNone</default>
         </entry>
         <entry name="AlphaBackgroundColor" type="Color">
             <default>#ffffff</default>