diff --git a/patch/sixel_st.c b/patch/sixel_st.c
index ed64fee..13e1062 100644
--- a/patch/sixel_st.c
+++ b/patch/sixel_st.c
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ sixel_state_t sixel_st;
 void
 dcshandle(void)
 {
+	int bgcolor;
+	unsigned char r, g, b, a = 255;
+
 	switch (csiescseq.mode[0]) {
 	default:
 		fprintf(stderr, "erresc: unknown csi ");
@@ -10,7 +13,19 @@ dcshandle(void)
 		/* die(""); */
 		break;
 	case 'q': /* DECSIXEL */
-		if (sixel_parser_init(&sixel_st, 0, 0 << 16 | 0 << 8 | 0, 1, win.cw, win.ch) != 0)
+		if (IS_TRUECOL(term.c.attr.bg)) {
+			r = term.c.attr.bg >> 16 & 255;
+			g = term.c.attr.bg >> 8 & 255;
+			b = term.c.attr.bg >> 0 & 255;
+		} else {
+			xgetcolor(term.c.attr.bg, &r, &g, &b);
+			#if ALPHA_PATCH
+			if (term.c.attr.bg == defaultbg)
+				a = dc.col[defaultbg].pixel >> 24 & 255;
+			#endif // ALPHA_PATCH
+		}
+		bgcolor = a << 24 | b << 16 | g << 8 | r;
+		if (sixel_parser_init(&sixel_st, 255 << 24, bgcolor, 1, win.cw, win.ch) != 0)
 			perror("sixel_parser_init() failed");
 		term.mode |= MODE_SIXEL;
 		break;
@@ -39,4 +54,4 @@ scroll_images(int n) {
 			im->should_delete = 1;
 		}
 	}
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/sixel.c b/sixel.c
index 2c382f4..1ef2484 100644
--- a/sixel.c
+++ b/sixel.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include "sixel.h"
 #include "sixel_hls.h"
 
-#define SIXEL_RGB(r, g, b) ((r) + ((g) << 8) +  ((b) << 16))
+#define SIXEL_RGB(r, g, b) ((r) + ((g) << 8) + ((b) << 16) + (255 << 24))
 #define SIXEL_PALVAL(n,a,m) (((n) * (a) + ((m) / 2)) / (m))
 #define SIXEL_XRGB(r,g,b) SIXEL_RGB(SIXEL_PALVAL(r, 255, 100), SIXEL_PALVAL(g, 255, 100), SIXEL_PALVAL(b, 255, 100))
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ sixel_parser_finalize(sixel_state_t *st, unsigned char *pixels)
 			*dst++ = color >> 16 & 0xff;   /* b */
 			*dst++ = color >> 8 & 0xff;    /* g */
 			*dst++ = color >> 0 & 0xff;    /* r */
-			*dst++ = 255;                  /* a */
+			*dst++ = color >> 24 & 0xff;   /* a */
 		}
 		/* fill right padding with bgcolor */
 		for (; x < st->image.width; ++x) {
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ sixel_parser_finalize(sixel_state_t *st, unsigned char *pixels)
 			*dst++ = color >> 16 & 0xff;   /* b */
 			*dst++ = color >> 8 & 0xff;    /* g */
 			*dst++ = color >> 0 & 0xff;    /* r */
-			dst++;                         /* a */
+			*dst++ = color >> 24 & 0xff;   /* a */
 		}
 	}
 	/* fill bottom padding with bgcolor */
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ sixel_parser_finalize(sixel_state_t *st, unsigned char *pixels)
 			*dst++ = color >> 16 & 0xff;   /* b */
 			*dst++ = color >> 8 & 0xff;    /* g */
 			*dst++ = color >> 0 & 0xff;    /* r */
-			dst++;                         /* a */
+			*dst++ = color >> 24 & 0xff;   /* a */
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/sixel_hls.c b/sixel_hls.c
index 4f157b2..c88241c 100644
--- a/sixel_hls.c
+++ b/sixel_hls.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 // sale, use or other dealings in this Software without prior written
 // authorization.
 
-#define SIXEL_RGB(r, g, b) (((r) << 16) + ((g) << 8) +  (b))
+#define SIXEL_RGB(r, g, b) ((r) + ((g) << 8) + ((b) << 16) + (255 << 24))
 
 int
 hls_to_rgb(int hue, int lum, int sat)