diff --git a/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl b/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
index a9e5729b8..df12b5a51 100644
--- a/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
+++ b/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
@@ -201,13 +201,13 @@ void main() {
 
     // Background {{{
 #ifdef NEEDS_BACKROUND
-    float cell_has_non_default_bg = step(ONE, abs(bg_as_uint - default_colors[bg_index]));
+    float cell_has_non_default_bg = step(1, float(abs(bg_as_uint - default_colors[bg_index])));
 
 #if defined(BACKGROUND)
     background = bg;
     // draw_bg_bitfield has bit 0 set to draw default bg cells and bit 1 set to draw non-default bg cells
     uint draw_bg_mask = uint(2 * cell_has_non_default_bg + (1 - cell_has_non_default_bg));
-    draw_bg = step(ONE, draw_bg_bitfield & draw_bg_mask);
+    draw_bg = step(1, float(draw_bg_bitfield & draw_bg_mask));
 #endif
 
 #ifdef TRANSPARENT