diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 7fb9904fd..912ed00d7 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ To update |kitty|, :doc:`follow the instructions <binary>`.
 - Fix :opt:`background_opacity` incorrectly applying to selected text and
   reverse video text (:iss:`2177`)
 
+- Add a new option :opt:`tab_bar_background` to specify a different color
+  for the tab bar (:iss:`2198`)
+
 0.15.0 [2019-11-27]
 --------------------
 
diff --git a/kitty/config_data.py b/kitty/config_data.py
index 9218621ec..0c77f8958 100644
--- a/kitty/config_data.py
+++ b/kitty/config_data.py
@@ -730,6 +730,7 @@ o('active_tab_font_style', 'bold-italic', option_type=tab_font_style)
 o('inactive_tab_foreground', '#444', option_type=to_color)
 o('inactive_tab_background', '#999', option_type=to_color)
 o('inactive_tab_font_style', 'normal', option_type=tab_font_style)
+o('tab_bar_background', 'none', option_type=to_color_or_none)
 
 # }}}
 
diff --git a/kitty/tab_bar.py b/kitty/tab_bar.py
index da5c3f75a..248a735f7 100644
--- a/kitty/tab_bar.py
+++ b/kitty/tab_bar.py
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ class TabBar:
             self.leading_spaces, self.sep, self.trailing_spaces, self.opts.bell_on_tab, self.bell_fg,
             self.opts.tab_fade, self.opts.active_tab_foreground, self.opts.active_tab_background,
             self.opts.inactive_tab_foreground, self.opts.inactive_tab_background,
-            self.opts.background, self.opts.tab_title_template
+            self.opts.tab_bar_background or self.opts.background, self.opts.tab_title_template
         )
         if self.opts.tab_bar_style == 'separator':
             self.draw_func = draw_tab_with_separator
@@ -194,7 +194,9 @@ class TabBar:
             self.draw_data = self.draw_data._replace(active_bg=color_from_int(spec['active_tab_background']))
         if 'inactive_tab_background' in spec:
             self.draw_data = self.draw_data._replace(inactive_bg=color_from_int(spec['inactive_tab_background']))
-        if 'background' in spec:
+        if 'tab_bar_background' in spec:
+            self.draw_data = self.draw_data._replace(default_bg=color_from_int(spec['tab_bar_background']))
+        elif 'background' in spec and not self.opts.tab_bar_background:
             self.draw_data = self.draw_data._replace(default_bg=color_from_int(spec['background']))
         self.screen.color_profile.set_configured_colors(
                 spec.get('inactive_tab_foreground', color_as_int(self.opts.inactive_tab_foreground)),