diff --git a/input.c b/input.c
index 9d8bb60a..76a6e9f8 100644
--- a/input.c
+++ b/input.c
@@ -1330,7 +1330,7 @@ input_csi_dispatch(struct input_ctx *ictx)
 			screen_write_clearendofscreen(sctx, ictx->cell.cell.bg);
 			break;
 		case 1:
-			screen_write_clearstartofscreen(sctx);
+			screen_write_clearstartofscreen(sctx, ictx->cell.cell.bg);
 			break;
 		case 2:
 			screen_write_clearscreen(sctx, ictx->cell.cell.bg);
diff --git a/screen-write.c b/screen-write.c
index 9acb0c03..fe8419e3 100644
--- a/screen-write.c
+++ b/screen-write.c
@@ -971,24 +971,25 @@ screen_write_clearendofscreen(struct screen_write_ctx *ctx, u_int bg)
 
 /* Clear to start of screen. */
 void
-screen_write_clearstartofscreen(struct screen_write_ctx *ctx)
+screen_write_clearstartofscreen(struct screen_write_ctx *ctx, u_int bg)
 {
 	struct screen	*s = ctx->s;
 	struct tty_ctx	 ttyctx;
 	u_int		 sx = screen_size_x(s);
 
 	screen_write_initctx(ctx, &ttyctx);
+	ttyctx.bg = bg;
 
 	if (s->cy > 0) {
 		screen_dirty_clear(s, 0, 0, sx - 1, s->cy);
-		grid_view_clear(s->grid, 0, 0, sx, s->cy, 8);
+		grid_view_clear(s->grid, 0, 0, sx, s->cy, bg);
 	}
 	if (s->cx > sx - 1) {
 		screen_dirty_clear(s, 0, s->cy, sx - 1, s->cy);
-		grid_view_clear(s->grid, 0, s->cy, sx, 1, 8);
+		grid_view_clear(s->grid, 0, s->cy, sx, 1, bg);
 	} else {
 		screen_dirty_clear(s, 0, s->cy, s->cx, s->cy);
-		grid_view_clear(s->grid, 0, s->cy, s->cx + 1, 1, 8);
+		grid_view_clear(s->grid, 0, s->cy, s->cx + 1, 1, bg);
 	}
 
 	tty_write(tty_cmd_clearstartofscreen, &ttyctx);
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 630ba311..f52dc6b3 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1994,7 +1994,7 @@ void	 screen_write_scrollregion(struct screen_write_ctx *, u_int, u_int);
 void	 screen_write_linefeed(struct screen_write_ctx *, int);
 void	 screen_write_carriagereturn(struct screen_write_ctx *);
 void	 screen_write_clearendofscreen(struct screen_write_ctx *, u_int);
-void	 screen_write_clearstartofscreen(struct screen_write_ctx *);
+void	 screen_write_clearstartofscreen(struct screen_write_ctx *, u_int);
 void	 screen_write_clearscreen(struct screen_write_ctx *, u_int);
 void	 screen_write_clearhistory(struct screen_write_ctx *);
 void	 screen_write_cell(struct screen_write_ctx *, const struct grid_cell *);
diff --git a/tty.c b/tty.c
index 0230a60e..7ecf2a2d 100644
--- a/tty.c
+++ b/tty.c
@@ -1057,7 +1057,7 @@ tty_cmd_clearstartofscreen(struct tty *tty, const struct tty_ctx *ctx)
 	struct screen		*s = wp->screen;
 	u_int			 i, j;
 
-	tty_attributes(tty, &grid_default_cell, wp);
+	tty_default_attributes(tty, wp, ctx->bg);
 
 	tty_region_pane(tty, ctx, 0, screen_size_y(s) - 1);
 	tty_margin_off(tty);