diff --git a/lib/documentview/documentview.h b/lib/documentview/documentview.h
--- a/lib/documentview/documentview.h
+++ b/lib/documentview/documentview.h
@@ -134,12 +134,6 @@
     int sortKey() const;
     void setSortKey(int sortKey);
 
-    /**
-     * If true, areas around the document will be painted with the default brush.
-     * If false they will be kept transparent.
-     */
-    void setEraseBorders(bool);
-
     bool isAnimated() const;
 
 public Q_SLOTS:
diff --git a/lib/documentview/documentview.cpp b/lib/documentview/documentview.cpp
--- a/lib/documentview/documentview.cpp
+++ b/lib/documentview/documentview.cpp
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@
     DocumentView::Setup mSetup;
     bool mCurrent;
     bool mCompareMode;
-    bool mEraseBorders;
     int controlWheelAccumulatedDelta;
 
     void setCurrentAdapter(AbstractDocumentViewAdapter* adapter)
@@ -346,7 +345,6 @@
     d->mBirdEyeView = 0;
     d->mCurrent = false;
     d->mCompareMode = false;
-    d->mEraseBorders = false;
     d->controlWheelAccumulatedDelta = 0;
 
     setOpacity(0);
@@ -627,15 +625,11 @@
 
 void DocumentView::paint(QPainter* painter, const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem* /*option*/, QWidget* /*widget*/)
 {
-    QRectF visibleRect = mapRectFromItem(d->mAdapter->widget(), d->mAdapter->visibleDocumentRect());
-    if (d->mEraseBorders) {
-        QRegion borders = QRegion(boundingRect().toRect())
-            - QRegion(visibleRect.toRect());
-        Q_FOREACH(const QRect& rect, borders.rects()) {
-            painter->eraseRect(rect);
-        }
-    }
+    // This effectively fills the background with the default brush, otherwise it's transparent and other
+    // DocumentViews could be visible underneath (bad for smooth fade transitions)
+    painter->eraseRect(rect());
 
+    QRectF visibleRect = mapRectFromItem(d->mAdapter->widget(), d->mAdapter->visibleDocumentRect());
     if (d->mCompareMode && d->mCurrent) {
         painter->save();
         painter->setBrush(Qt::NoBrush);
@@ -801,11 +795,6 @@
     d->mSortKey = sortKey;
 }
 
-void DocumentView::setEraseBorders(bool value)
-{
-    d->mEraseBorders = value;
-}
-
 void DocumentView::hideAndDeleteLater()
 {
     hide();
diff --git a/lib/documentview/documentviewcontainer.cpp b/lib/documentview/documentviewcontainer.cpp
--- a/lib/documentview/documentviewcontainer.cpp
+++ b/lib/documentview/documentviewcontainer.cpp
@@ -185,7 +185,6 @@
         DocumentView* newView = *d->mAddedViews.begin();
 
         newView->setGeometry(rect());
-        newView->setEraseBorders(true);
         QPropertyAnimation* anim = newView->fadeIn();
 
         oldView->setZValue(-1);
@@ -300,7 +299,6 @@
     }
     d->mAddedViews.remove(view);
     d->mViews.insert(view);
-    view->setEraseBorders(false);
 }
 
 void DocumentViewContainer::slotConfigChanged()