diff --git a/src/bauhaus/bauhaus.c b/src/bauhaus/bauhaus.c
index adb276f874a6..104e0e0afeb4 100644
--- a/src/bauhaus/bauhaus.c
+++ b/src/bauhaus/bauhaus.c
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ static void _window_position(const int offset)
       pop->offcut += offset;
       return;
     }
-    gtk_widget_set_app_paintable(pop->window, TRUE);
+    dt_gui_add_class(pop->window, "dt_transparent_background");
     GdkScreen *screen = gtk_widget_get_screen(pop->window);
     GdkVisual *visual = gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual(screen);
     pop->offcut = -height;
diff --git a/src/dtgtk/culling.c b/src/dtgtk/culling.c
index 3a8e08076c17..9fbec2269eda 100644
--- a/src/dtgtk/culling.c
+++ b/src/dtgtk/culling.c
@@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ dt_culling_t *dt_culling_new(const dt_culling_mode_t mode)
                         | GDK_LEAVE_NOTIFY_MASK
                         | GDK_TOUCHPAD_GESTURE_MASK);
 
-  gtk_widget_set_app_paintable(table->widget, TRUE);
+  dt_gui_add_class(table->widget, "dt_transparent_background");
   gtk_widget_set_can_focus(table->widget, TRUE);
 
   g_signal_connect(G_OBJECT(table->widget), "event",
diff --git a/src/dtgtk/thumbnail_btn.c b/src/dtgtk/thumbnail_btn.c
index b2e42d004cd5..6cfcd901afdb 100644
--- a/src/dtgtk/thumbnail_btn.c
+++ b/src/dtgtk/thumbnail_btn.c
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ GtkWidget *dtgtk_thumbnail_btn_new(DTGTKCairoPaintIconFunc paint, gint paintflag
                                                 | GDK_POINTER_MOTION_MASK | GDK_BUTTON_PRESS_MASK
                                                 | GDK_BUTTON_RELEASE_MASK | GDK_STRUCTURE_MASK
                                                 | GDK_ENTER_NOTIFY_MASK | GDK_ALL_EVENTS_MASK);
-  gtk_widget_set_app_paintable(GTK_WIDGET(button), TRUE);
+  dt_gui_add_class(GTK_WIDGET(button), "dt_transparent_background");
   gtk_widget_set_name(GTK_WIDGET(button), "thumbnail_btn");
   return (GtkWidget *)button;
 }
diff --git a/src/dtgtk/thumbtable.c b/src/dtgtk/thumbtable.c
index 4a4bee4c49f6..bd2aa404d575 100644
--- a/src/dtgtk/thumbtable.c
+++ b/src/dtgtk/thumbtable.c
@@ -2559,7 +2559,7 @@ dt_thumbtable_t *dt_thumbtable_new()
                         | GDK_BUTTON_PRESS_MASK | GDK_BUTTON_RELEASE_MASK
                         | GDK_STRUCTURE_MASK
                         | GDK_ENTER_NOTIFY_MASK | GDK_LEAVE_NOTIFY_MASK);
-  gtk_widget_set_app_paintable(table->widget, TRUE);
+  dt_gui_add_class(table->widget, "dt_transparent_background");
   gtk_widget_set_can_focus(table->widget, TRUE);
 
   // drag and drop : used for reordering, interactions with maps,
diff --git a/src/gui/gtk.c b/src/gui/gtk.c
index 32fc10563c8b..510fc2495c12 100644
--- a/src/gui/gtk.c
+++ b/src/gui/gtk.c
@@ -1680,7 +1680,7 @@ int dt_gui_gtk_init(dt_gui_gtk_t *gui)
   dt_gui_presets_init();
 
   widget = dt_ui_center(darktable.gui->ui);
-  gtk_widget_set_app_paintable(widget, TRUE);
+  dt_gui_add_class(widget, "dt_transparent_background");
 
   // TODO: make this work as: libgnomeui testgnome.c
   /*  GtkContainer *box = GTK_CONTAINER(darktable.gui->widgets.plugins_vbox);
@@ -1908,7 +1908,7 @@ static GtkWidget *_init_outer_border(const gint width,
 {
   GtkWidget *widget = gtk_drawing_area_new();
   gtk_widget_set_size_request(widget, width, height);
-  gtk_widget_set_app_paintable(widget, TRUE);
+  dt_gui_add_class(widget, "dt_transparent_background");
   gtk_widget_set_events(widget,
                         GDK_EXPOSURE_MASK | GDK_BUTTON_PRESS_MASK | GDK_BUTTON_RELEASE_MASK
                         | GDK_ENTER_NOTIFY_MASK | GDK_LEAVE_NOTIFY_MASK | GDK_STRUCTURE_MASK
@@ -2036,7 +2036,7 @@ static void _init_main_table(GtkWidget *container)
   gtk_widget_set_size_request(cda, DT_PIXEL_APPLY_DPI(50), DT_PIXEL_APPLY_DPI(200));
   gtk_widget_set_hexpand(ocda, TRUE);
   gtk_widget_set_vexpand(ocda, TRUE);
-  gtk_widget_set_app_paintable(cda, TRUE);
+  dt_gui_add_class(cda, "dt_transparent_background");
   gtk_widget_set_can_focus(cda, TRUE);
   darktable.gui->ui->snapshot = gtk_drawing_area_new();
   gtk_widget_set_no_show_all(darktable.gui->ui->snapshot, TRUE);
diff --git a/src/gui/styles_dialog.c b/src/gui/styles_dialog.c
index 93c6e32fffd0..e92f53393b36 100644
--- a/src/gui/styles_dialog.c
+++ b/src/gui/styles_dialog.c
@@ -1040,7 +1040,7 @@ GtkWidget *dt_gui_style_content_dialog(char *name, const dt_imgid_t imgid)
       GtkWidget *da = gtk_drawing_area_new();
       gtk_widget_set_size_request(da, data.psize, data.psize);
       gtk_widget_set_halign(da, GTK_ALIGN_CENTER);
-      gtk_widget_set_app_paintable(da, TRUE);
+      dt_gui_add_class(da, "dt_transparent_background");
       gtk_box_pack_start(GTK_BOX(ht), da, TRUE, TRUE, 0);
       data.first_draw = TRUE;
       g_signal_connect(G_OBJECT(da), "draw", G_CALLBACK(_preview_draw), &data);
diff --git a/src/libs/navigation.c b/src/libs/navigation.c
index 975fd476ffec..8c73f69ab2b5 100644
--- a/src/libs/navigation.c
+++ b/src/libs/navigation.c
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ void gui_init(dt_lib_module_t *self)
      _("navigation\nclick or drag to position zoomed area in center view"));
 
   /* connect callbacks */
-  gtk_widget_set_app_paintable(thumbnail, TRUE);
+  dt_gui_add_class(thumbnail, "dt_transparent_background");
   g_signal_connect(G_OBJECT(thumbnail), "draw",
                    G_CALLBACK(_lib_navigation_draw_callback), self);
   g_signal_connect(G_OBJECT(thumbnail), "button-press-event",
diff --git a/src/libs/tools/ratings.c b/src/libs/tools/ratings.c
index 80bf76e925cb..65133d7ffa19 100644
--- a/src/libs/tools/ratings.c
+++ b/src/libs/tools/ratings.c
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ void gui_init(dt_lib_module_t *self)
 
   /* connect callbacks */
   gtk_widget_set_tooltip_text(drawing, _("set star rating for selected images"));
-  gtk_widget_set_app_paintable(drawing, TRUE);
+  dt_gui_add_class(drawing, "dt_transparent_background");
   g_signal_connect(G_OBJECT(drawing), "draw", G_CALLBACK(_lib_ratings_draw_callback), self);
   g_signal_connect(G_OBJECT(drawing), "button-press-event", G_CALLBACK(_lib_ratings_button_press_callback), self);
   g_signal_connect(G_OBJECT(drawing), "button-release-event", G_CALLBACK(_lib_ratings_button_release_callback),
diff --git a/src/views/darkroom.c b/src/views/darkroom.c
index 0ad5215b4af8..d76e4225f460 100644
--- a/src/views/darkroom.c
+++ b/src/views/darkroom.c
@@ -4991,7 +4991,7 @@ static void _darkroom_display_second_window(dt_develop_t *dev)
     gtk_widget_set_size_request(dev->preview2.widget, DT_PIXEL_APPLY_DPI_2ND_WND(dev, 50), DT_PIXEL_APPLY_DPI_2ND_WND(dev, 200));
     gtk_widget_set_hexpand(dev->preview2.widget, TRUE);
     gtk_widget_set_vexpand(dev->preview2.widget, TRUE);
-    gtk_widget_set_app_paintable(dev->preview2.widget, TRUE);
+    dt_gui_add_class(dev->preview2.widget, "dt_transparent_background");
 
     gtk_widget_set_events(dev->preview2.widget,
                           GDK_POINTER_MOTION_MASK