diff --git a/DOCS/man/vo.rst b/DOCS/man/vo.rst
index d6d1db60e8..da9bebe115 100644
--- a/DOCS/man/vo.rst
+++ b/DOCS/man/vo.rst
@@ -1000,6 +1000,11 @@ Available video output drivers are:
         selected layer, to handle the window background and OSD. Actual video
         rendering will happen on the layer above the selected layer.
 
+    ``background=<yes|no>``
+        Whether to render a black background behind the video (default: no).
+        Normally it's better to kill the console framebuffer instead, which
+        gives better performance.
+
 ``drm`` (Direct Rendering Manager)
     Video output driver using Kernel Mode Setting / Direct Rendering Manager.
     Does not support hardware acceleration. Should be used when one doesn't
diff --git a/video/out/vo_rpi.c b/video/out/vo_rpi.c
index 331e2a6917..d637eeca46 100644
--- a/video/out/vo_rpi.c
+++ b/video/out/vo_rpi.c
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ struct priv {
 
     int display_nr;
     int layer;
+    int background;
 };
 
 // Magic alignments (in pixels) expected by the MMAL internals.
@@ -226,12 +227,17 @@ static int update_display_size(struct vo *vo)
         .flags = DISPMANX_FLAGS_ALPHA_FIXED_ALL_PIXELS,
         .opacity = 0xFF,
     };
-    p->window = vc_dispmanx_element_add(p->update, p->display, p->background_layer,
-                                        &dst, 0, &src,
-                                        DISPMANX_PROTECTION_NONE, &alpha, 0, 0);
-    if (!p->window) {
-        MP_FATAL(vo, "Could not add DISPMANX element.\n");
-        return -1;
+
+    if (p->background) {
+        p->window = vc_dispmanx_element_add(p->update, p->display,
+                                            p->background_layer,
+                                            &dst, 0, &src,
+                                            DISPMANX_PROTECTION_NONE,
+                                            &alpha, 0, 0);
+        if (!p->window) {
+            MP_FATAL(vo, "Could not add DISPMANX element.\n");
+            return -1;
+        }
     }
 
     alpha = (VC_DISPMANX_ALPHA_T){
@@ -653,6 +659,7 @@ fail:
 static const struct m_option options[] = {
     OPT_INT("display", display_nr, 0),
     OPT_INT("layer", layer, 0, OPTDEF_INT(-10)),
+    OPT_FLAG("background", background, 0),
     {0},
 };