diff --git a/modules/ui/background.js b/modules/ui/background.js
index 4d98aedfd..5c2f3ebdb 100644
--- a/modules/ui/background.js
+++ b/modules/ui/background.js
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ export function uiBackground(context) {
             var description = d.description();
             var isOverflowing = (span.property('clientWidth') !== span.property('scrollWidth'));
 
+            item.call(tooltip().destroyAny);
+
             if (d === _previousBackground) {
                 item.call(tooltip()
                     .placement(placement)
@@ -66,8 +68,6 @@ export function uiBackground(context) {
                     .placement(placement)
                     .title(description || d.name())
                 );
-            } else {
-                item.call(tooltip().destroy);
             }
         });
     }
diff --git a/modules/util/tooltip.js b/modules/util/tooltip.js
index fc7ada3fb..637229aee 100644
--- a/modules/util/tooltip.js
+++ b/modules/util/tooltip.js
@@ -69,7 +69,10 @@ export function tooltip() {
     };
 
 
-    tooltip.destroy = function(selection) {
+    tooltip.destroy = function(selection, selector) {
+        // by default, just destroy the current tooltip
+        selector = selector || '.tooltip-' + _id;
+
         selection
             .on('mouseenter.tooltip', null)
             .on('mouseleave.tooltip', null)
@@ -77,11 +80,16 @@ export function tooltip() {
                 return this.getAttribute('data-original-title') || this.getAttribute('title');
             })
             .attr('data-original-title', null)
-            .selectAll('.tooltip-' + _id)
+            .selectAll(selector)
             .remove();
     };
 
 
+    tooltip.destroyAny = function(selection) {
+        selection.call(tooltip.destroy, '.tooltip');
+    };
+
+
     function setup() {
         var root = d3_select(this);
         var animate = _animation.apply(this, arguments);