diff --git a/js/id/ui/background.js b/js/id/ui/background.js
index 7a4ef273b..bc50d6877 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/background.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/background.js
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ iD.ui.Background = function(context) {
             ['right', [-1, 0]],
             ['bottom', [0, 1]]],
         opacityDefault = (context.storage('background-opacity') !== null) ?
-            (+context.storage('background-opacity')) : 0.5,
+            (+context.storage('background-opacity')) : 1.0,
         customTemplate = context.storage('background-custom-template') || '';
 
     // Can be 0 from <1.3.0 use or due to issue #1923.
-    if (opacityDefault === 0) opacityDefault = 0.5;
+    if (opacityDefault === 0) opacityDefault = 1.0;
 
     function background(selection) {