diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 175403dc..0dce3dd0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -263,6 +263,9 @@
 
 ### Added
 
+* `alpha-mode` option to `foot.ini`. Defaults to `default`. This
+  config changes how alpha is handled on background colours not set by
+  the terminal.(e.g. vim) ([#1510](1510))
 * Support for building with _wayland-protocols_ as a subproject.
 * Mouse wheel scrolls can now be used in `mouse-bindings`
   ([#1077][1077]).
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index d63934b3..b0d1eb54 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -1055,6 +1055,15 @@ parse_section_main(struct context *ctx)
         return true;
     }
 
+    else if (strcmp(key, "alpha-mode") == 0) {
+        _Static_assert(sizeof(conf->alpha_mode) == sizeof(int),
+        "enum is not 32-bit");
+        return value_to_enum(
+            ctx,
+            (const char *[]){"default", "matching", "all", NULL},
+            (int *)&conf->alpha_mode);
+    }
+
     else {
         LOG_CONTEXTUAL_ERR("not a valid option: %s", key);
         return false;
@@ -3083,6 +3092,7 @@ config_load(struct config *conf, const char *conf_path,
             },
             .multiplier = 3.,
         },
+        .alpha_mode = ALPHA_MODE_DEFAULT,
         .colors = {
             .fg = default_foreground,
             .bg = default_background,
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index df3d45f9..c94d2058 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ struct config {
 
     enum { STARTUP_WINDOWED, STARTUP_MAXIMIZED, STARTUP_FULLSCREEN } startup_mode;
 
+    enum { ALPHA_MODE_DEFAULT, ALPHA_MODE_MATCHING, ALPHA_MODE_ALL } alpha_mode;
+
     bool dpi_aware;
     struct config_font_list fonts[4];
     struct font_size_adjustment font_size_adjustment;
diff --git a/foot.ini b/foot.ini
index a2c85e97..76ffcced 100644
--- a/foot.ini
+++ b/foot.ini
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@
 # utmp-helper=/usr/lib/utempter/utempter  # When utmp backend is ‘libutempter’ (Linux)
 # utmp-helper=/usr/libexec/ulog-helper    # When utmp backend is ‘ulog’ (FreeBSD)
 
+# alpha-mode=default # Can be `default`, `matching` or `all`
+
 [environment]
 # name=value
 
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 804ccdc3..baa8604f 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -576,6 +576,27 @@ render_cell(struct terminal *term, pixman_image_t *pix, pixman_region32_t *damag
                 alpha = term->colors.alpha;
             }
         }
+
+        if (!term->window->is_fullscreen) {
+            switch (term->conf->alpha_mode) {
+                case ALPHA_MODE_DEFAULT: {
+                    if (cell->attrs.bg_src == COLOR_DEFAULT) {
+                        alpha = term->colors.alpha;
+                    }
+                    break;
+                }
+                case ALPHA_MODE_MATCHING: {
+                    if (cell->attrs.bg == term->colors.bg) {
+                        alpha = term->colors.alpha;
+                    }
+                    break;
+                }
+                case ALPHA_MODE_ALL: {
+                    alpha = term->colors.alpha;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     if (unlikely(is_selected && _fg == _bg)) {