diff --git a/model/Image.php b/model/Image.php
index 4c42722f2..22fc1f644 100644
--- a/model/Image.php
+++ b/model/Image.php
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ class Image extends File {
 	 * @param integer $height The height to size to
 	 * @return Image_Backend
 	 */
-	public function generatePaddedImage(Image_Backend $backend, $width, $height, $backgroundColor=null) {
+	public function generatePaddedImage(Image_Backend $backend, $width, $height, $backgroundColor='FFFFFF') {
 		return $backend->paddedResize($width, $height, $backgroundColor);
 	}