diff --git a/Packages/vcs/Lib/VTKPlots.py b/Packages/vcs/Lib/VTKPlots.py
index 506ce2a86d..7d633381a7 100644
--- a/Packages/vcs/Lib/VTKPlots.py
+++ b/Packages/vcs/Lib/VTKPlots.py
@@ -228,6 +228,10 @@ def clear(self):
             ren.RemoveAllViewProps()
             if not ren.GetLayer()==0:
               self.renWin.RemoveRenderer(ren)
+            else:
+              #Update background color
+              r,g,b = [c / 255. for c in self.canvas.backgroundcolor]
+              ren.SetBackground(r,g,b)
         ren = renderers.GetNextItem()
     if hasValidRenderer and self.renWin.IsDrawable():
         self.renWin.Render()
diff --git a/testing/vcs/CMakeLists.txt b/testing/vcs/CMakeLists.txt
index c2c6761291..6ddc75fe48 100644
--- a/testing/vcs/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/testing/vcs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -199,6 +199,16 @@ add_test(vcs_test_taylor_2_quads
     ${cdat_SOURCE_DIR}/testing/vcs/test_star_triangle_markers.py
     "${BASELINE_DIR}/test_star_triangle_markers.png"
     )
+  add_test(vcs_test_canvas_background
+    "${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE}"
+    ${cdat_SOURCE_DIR}/testing/vcs/test_canvas_background.py
+    "${BASELINE_DIR}/test_canvas_background.png"
+    )
+  add_test(vcs_test_canvas_background_update
+    "${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE}"
+    ${cdat_SOURCE_DIR}/testing/vcs/test_canvas_background_update.py
+    "${BASELINE_DIR}/test_canvas_background_update.png"
+    )
   add_test(vcs_test_boxfill_10x10_numpy
     "${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE}"
     ${cdat_SOURCE_DIR}/testing/vcs/test_boxfill_10x10_numpy.py
diff --git a/testing/vcs/test_vcs_canvas_background.py b/testing/vcs/test_vcs_canvas_background.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2b2b98cfb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/vcs/test_vcs_canvas_background.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import vcs, cdms2, os, sys
+
+pth = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),"..")
+sys.path.append(pth)
+import checkimage
+
+x = vcs.init()
+
+x.drawlogooff()
+x.setbgoutputdimensions(500,500, units="pixels")
+
+x.backgroundcolor = (255, 255, 255)
+x.open()
+fnm = "test_backgroundcolor_white.png"
+x.png(fnm)
+
+src=sys.argv[1]
+ret = checkimage.check_result_image(fnm, src, checkimage.defaultThreshold)
+
+sys.exit(ret)
diff --git a/testing/vcs/test_vcs_canvas_background_update.py b/testing/vcs/test_vcs_canvas_background_update.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..454f0ef099
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/vcs/test_vcs_canvas_background_update.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import vcs, cdms2, os, sys
+
+pth = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),"..")
+sys.path.append(pth)
+import checkimage
+
+x = vcs.init()
+
+x.drawlogooff()
+x.setbgoutputdimensions(500,500, units="pixels")
+
+x.backgroundcolor = (255, 255, 255)
+x.open()
+x.backgroundcolor = (255, 255, 0)
+x.update()
+fnm = "test_backgroundcolor_yellow.png"
+x.png(fnm)
+
+src=sys.argv[1]
+ret = checkimage.check_result_image(fnm, src, checkimage.defaultThreshold)
+
+sys.exit(ret)