diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 448a31071..bb04716a5 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -477,10 +477,11 @@ set_cell_uniforms(float current_inactive_text_alpha, bool force) {
 
 void
 blank_canvas(float background_opacity, color_type color) {
-#define C(shift) (((GLfloat)((color >> shift) & 0xFF)) / 255.0f)
-        glClearColor(C(16), C(8), C(0), background_opacity);
+    // See https://github.com/glfw/glfw/issues/1538 for why we use pre-multiplied alpha
+#define C(shift) ((((GLfloat)((color >> shift) & 0xFF)) / 255.0f) * background_opacity)
+    glClearColor(C(16), C(8), C(0), background_opacity);
 #undef C
-        glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);
+    glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);
 }
 
 bool