diff --git a/kitty/border_vertex.glsl b/kitty/border_vertex.glsl
index e86b5c7ec..e552b5da4 100644
--- a/kitty/border_vertex.glsl
+++ b/kitty/border_vertex.glsl
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ const int LEFT = 0;
 const int TOP = 1;
 const int RIGHT = 2;
 const int BOTTOM = 3;
+const uint FF = uint(0xff);
 
 const uvec2 pos_map[] = uvec2[4](
     uvec2(RIGHT, TOP),
@@ -27,9 +28,14 @@ vec2 to_opengl(uint x, uint y) {
     );
 }
 
+float to_color(uint c) {
+    return float(c & FF) / 255.0;
+}
+
 void main() {
     uvec2 pos = pos_map[gl_VertexID];
     gl_Position = vec4(to_opengl(rect[pos.x], rect[pos.y]), 0, 1);
     int rc = int(rect_color);
-    color = float(1 & rc) * default_bg + float((2 & rc) >> 1) * active_border_color + float((4 & rc) >> 2) * inactive_border_color;
+    vec3 window_bg = vec3(to_color(rect_color >> 24), to_color(rect_color >> 16), to_color(rect_color >> 8));
+    color = float(1 & rc) * default_bg + float((2 & rc) >> 1) * active_border_color + float((4 & rc) >> 2) * inactive_border_color + float((8 & rc) >> 3) * window_bg;
 }
diff --git a/kitty/borders.py b/kitty/borders.py
index 3d8046a5a..b4131c2b1 100644
--- a/kitty/borders.py
+++ b/kitty/borders.py
@@ -72,8 +72,9 @@ class Borders:
                     )
                 if pw > 0:
                     # Draw the background rectangles over the padding region
+                    color = w.screen.color_profile.default_bg
                     border(
                         self.os_window_id, self.tab_id,
-                        1, pw, g.left - pw, g.top - pw, g.right + pw,
+                        (color << 8) | 8, pw, g.left - pw, g.top - pw, g.right + pw,
                         g.bottom + pw
                     )