diff --git a/kitty/config_data.py b/kitty/config_data.py
index f39c2e095..d657ec123 100644
--- a/kitty/config_data.py
+++ b/kitty/config_data.py
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@ default as it has a performance cost)
 '''))
 
 
-def startup_session(x):
+def config_or_absolute_path(x):
     if x.lower() == 'none':
         return
     x = os.path.expanduser(x)
@@ -858,8 +858,8 @@ def startup_session(x):
     return x
 
 
-o('background_image', 'none', option_type=startup_session, long_text=_('''
-Path to a background image. Must be PNG.'''))
+o('background_image', 'none', option_type=config_or_absolute_path, long_text=_('''
+Path to a background image. Must be in PNG format.'''))
 
 o('background_image_layout', 'tiling', option_type=choices('tiling', 'scaled', 'mirror_tiled'), long_text=_('''
 Whether to tile or scale the background image.'''))
@@ -995,7 +995,7 @@ The default is to check every 24 hrs, set to zero to disable.
 '''))
 
 
-o('startup_session', 'none', option_type=startup_session, long_text=_('''
+o('startup_session', 'none', option_type=config_or_absolute_path, long_text=_('''
 Path to a session file to use for all kitty instances. Can be overridden
 by using the :option:`kitty --session` command line option for individual
 instances. See :ref:`sessions` in the kitty documentation for details. Note
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 5544c126a..72f46ab7a 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ cell_prepare_to_render(ssize_t vao_idx, ssize_t gvao_idx, Screen *screen, GLfloa
     return changed;
 }
 
-void
+static void
 draw_bg(int program, OSWindow *w) {
     if (w->bvao_idx == 0) {
         const GLfloat screenrect[4][2] = {
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ draw_bg(int program, OSWindow *w) {
         bind_vertex_array(w->bvao_idx);
         glGenBuffers(1, &w->vbo_idx);
         glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, w->vbo_idx);
-        glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, 4*2*sizeof(float), screenrect, GL_STATIC_DRAW);
+        glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, sizeof(screenrect), screenrect, GL_STATIC_DRAW);
     }
     bind_vertex_array(w->bvao_idx);
     glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, w->vbo_idx);
diff --git a/kitty/state.c b/kitty/state.c
index d28d7a6ba..5b5686932 100644
--- a/kitty/state.c
+++ b/kitty/state.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ add_os_window() {
     ans->gvao_idx = create_graphics_vao();
     ans->background_opacity = OPT(background_opacity);
 
-    bool wants_bg = OPT(background_image) != NULL;
+    bool wants_bg = OPT(background_image) && OPT(background_image)[0] != 0;
     if (wants_bg) {
         bool has_bg;
         has_bg = global_state.bgimage != NULL;
@@ -450,7 +450,8 @@ window_title_in(PyObject *title_in) {
     return ALL;
 }
 
-static BackgroundImageLayout bglayout(PyObject *layout_name) {
+static BackgroundImageLayout
+bglayout(PyObject *layout_name) {
     const char *name = PyUnicode_AsUTF8(layout_name);
     switch(name[0]) {
         case 't': return TILING;
@@ -461,6 +462,18 @@ static BackgroundImageLayout bglayout(PyObject *layout_name) {
     return TILING;
 }
 
+static void
+background_image(PyObject *src) {
+    if (OPT(background_image)) free(OPT(background_image));
+    OPT(background_image) = NULL;
+    if (src == Py_None || !PyUnicode_Check(src)) return;
+    Py_ssize_t sz;
+    const char *s = PyUnicode_AsUTF8AndSize(src, &sz);
+    OPT(background_image) = calloc(sz + 1, 1);
+    if (OPT(background_image)) memcpy(OPT(background_image), s, sz);
+}
+
+
 static MouseShape
 pointer_shape(PyObject *shape_name) {
     const char *name = PyUnicode_AsUTF8(shape_name);
@@ -532,7 +545,6 @@ PYWRAP1(set_options) {
     S(background_image_opacity, PyFloat_AsFloat);
     S(background_image_scale, PyFloat_AsFloat);
     S(background_image_layout, bglayout);
-    S(background_image, (char*)PyUnicode_AsUTF8);
     S(background_image_linear, PyObject_IsTrue);
     S(dim_opacity, PyFloat_AsFloat);
     S(dynamic_background_opacity, PyObject_IsTrue);
@@ -601,6 +613,8 @@ PYWRAP1(set_options) {
     GA(sequence_map); set_special_keys(ret);
     Py_DECREF(ret); if (PyErr_Occurred()) return NULL;
 
+    GA(background_image); background_image(ret); Py_CLEAR(ret);
+
 #define read_adjust(name) { \
     PyObject *al = PyObject_GetAttrString(opts, #name); \
     if (PyFloat_Check(al)) { \
@@ -945,6 +959,7 @@ finalize(void) {
     }
     if (detached_windows.windows) free(detached_windows.windows);
     detached_windows.capacity = 0;
+    if (OPT(background_image)) free(OPT(background_image));
 }
 
 bool