diff --git a/changelog b/changelog
index 52706bc9d2c..432e9b2b909 100644
--- a/changelog
+++ b/changelog
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ Version 1.13.11:
    * Added confirmation prompt when clearing map labels.
    * Added show_border= key to the [main_map_border] to control whether map
      borders draw. Right now this is utilized in the cutscene themes.
+   * If [main_map_border] background_image= is empty, the game map background
+     will be plain black.
  * WFL Engine:
    * A new string insert() function has been added, similar to replace()
  * WML Engine:
diff --git a/data/themes/_initial.cfg b/data/themes/_initial.cfg
index 75971021f8e..c66d3fb713c 100644
--- a/data/themes/_initial.cfg
+++ b/data/themes/_initial.cfg
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 #define CUTSCENE_THEME_BACKGROUND
     [main_map_border]
         border_size = 0.5
-        background_image = "terrain/off-map/background.png~CS(-255,-255,-255)"
         tile_image = "alphamask.png"
         show_border = no
     [/main_map_border]
diff --git a/src/display.cpp b/src/display.cpp
index b4dfc626257..a93f9451b40 100644
--- a/src/display.cpp
+++ b/src/display.cpp
@@ -1502,13 +1502,19 @@ void display::draw_all_panels()
 	render_buttons();
 }
 
-
 static void draw_background(surface screen, const SDL_Rect& area, const std::string& image)
 {
+	// No background image, just fill in black.
+	if(image.empty()) {
+		sdl::fill_rectangle(area, color_t(0, 0, 0));
+		return;
+	}
+
 	const surface background(image::get_image(image));
 	if(background.null()) {
 		return;
 	}
+
 	const unsigned int width = background->w;
 	const unsigned int height = background->h;