diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/ui.py b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/ui.py
index 863d1feb9a..9d4bdb6e25 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/ui.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/ui.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ from PyQt5.Qt import (
 )
 
 from calibre import prints
-from calibre.constants import config_dir
 from calibre.customize.ui import available_input_formats
 from calibre.gui2 import choose_files, error_dialog
 from calibre.gui2.image_popup import ImagePopup
@@ -30,14 +29,15 @@ from calibre.gui2.viewer.convert_book import prepare_book, update_book
 from calibre.gui2.viewer.lookup import Lookup
 from calibre.gui2.viewer.toc import TOC, TOCSearch, TOCView
 from calibre.gui2.viewer.web_view import (
-    WebView, get_path_for_name, get_session_pref, set_book_path, vprefs
+    WebView, get_path_for_name, get_session_pref, set_book_path, viewer_config_dir,
+    vprefs
 )
 from calibre.utils.date import utcnow
 from calibre.utils.ipc.simple_worker import WorkerError
 from calibre.utils.serialize import json_loads
 from polyglot.builtins import as_bytes, itervalues
 
-annotations_dir = os.path.join(config_dir, 'viewer', 'annots')
+annotations_dir = os.path.join(viewer_config_dir, 'annots')
 
 
 def dock_defs():
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/web_view.py b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/web_view.py
index 30e0f33574..389cbfb384 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/web_view.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/web_view.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals
 
 import os
+import shutil
 import sys
 from itertools import count
 
@@ -19,11 +20,12 @@ from PyQt5.QtWebEngineWidgets import (
 
 from calibre import as_unicode, prints
 from calibre.constants import (
-    FAKE_HOST, FAKE_PROTOCOL, __version__, is_running_from_develop, isosx, iswindows
+    FAKE_HOST, FAKE_PROTOCOL, __version__, config_dir, is_running_from_develop,
+    isosx, iswindows
 )
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book.base import field_metadata
 from calibre.ebooks.oeb.polish.utils import guess_type
-from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, safe_open_url
+from calibre.gui2 import choose_images, error_dialog, safe_open_url
 from calibre.gui2.webengine import (
     Bridge, RestartingWebEngineView, create_script, from_js, insert_scripts,
     secure_webengine, to_js
@@ -31,7 +33,7 @@ from calibre.gui2.webengine import (
 from calibre.srv.code import get_translations_data
 from calibre.utils.config import JSONConfig
 from calibre.utils.serialize import json_loads
-from polyglot.builtins import iteritems
+from polyglot.builtins import as_bytes, iteritems
 
 try:
     from PyQt5 import sip
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ except ImportError:
     import sip
 
 vprefs = JSONConfig('viewer-webengine')
+viewer_config_dir = os.path.join(config_dir, 'viewer')
 vprefs.defaults['session_data'] = {}
 vprefs.defaults['main_window_state'] = None
 vprefs.defaults['main_window_geometry'] = None
@@ -77,6 +80,20 @@ def get_data(name):
     return None, None
 
 
+def background_image():
+    ans = getattr(background_image, 'ans', None)
+    if ans is None:
+        img_path = os.path.join(viewer_config_dir, 'bg-image.data')
+        if os.path.exists(img_path):
+            with open(img_path, 'rb') as f:
+                data = f.read()
+                mt, data = data.split(b'|', 1)
+        else:
+            ans = b'image/jpeg', b''
+        ans = background_image.ans = mt.decode('utf-8'), data
+    return ans
+
+
 def send_reply(rq, mime_type, data):
     if sip.isdeleted(rq):
         return
@@ -131,6 +148,12 @@ class UrlSchemeHandler(QWebEngineUrlSchemeHandler):
         elif name == 'manifest':
             data = b'[' + set_book_path.manifest + b',' + set_book_path.metadata + b']'
             send_reply(rq, set_book_path.manifest_mime, data)
+        elif name == 'reader-background':
+            mt, data = background_image()
+            if data:
+                send_reply(rq, mt, data)
+            else:
+                rq.fail(rq.UrlNotFound)
         elif name.startswith('mathjax/'):
             from calibre.gui2.viewer.mathjax import monkeypatch_mathjax
             if name == 'mathjax/manifest.json':
@@ -206,6 +229,7 @@ class ViewerBridge(Bridge):
     selection_changed = from_js(object)
     copy_selection = from_js(object)
     view_image = from_js(object)
+    change_background_image = from_js(object)
 
     create_view = to_js()
     show_preparing_message = to_js()
@@ -215,6 +239,7 @@ class ViewerBridge(Bridge):
     full_screen_state_changed = to_js()
     get_current_cfi = to_js()
     show_home_page = to_js()
+    background_image_changed = to_js()
 
 
 def apply_font_settings(page_or_view):
@@ -369,6 +394,7 @@ class WebView(RestartingWebEngineView):
         self.bridge.selection_changed.connect(self.selection_changed)
         self.bridge.view_image.connect(self.view_image)
         self.bridge.report_cfi.connect(self.call_callback)
+        self.bridge.change_background_image.connect(self.change_background_image)
         self.pending_bridge_ready_actions = {}
         self.setPage(self._page)
         self.setAcceptDrops(False)
@@ -483,3 +509,13 @@ class WebView(RestartingWebEngineView):
 
     def show_home_page(self):
         self.execute_when_ready('show_home_page')
+
+    def change_background_image(self, img_id):
+        files = choose_images(self, 'viewer-background-image', _('Choose background image'), formats=['png', 'gif', 'jpg', 'jpeg'])
+        if files:
+            img = files[0]
+            with open(img, 'rb') as src, open(os.path.join(viewer_config_dir, 'bg-image.data'), 'wb') as dest:
+                dest.write(as_bytes(guess_type(img)[0] or 'image/jpeg') + b'|')
+                shutil.copyfileobj(src, dest)
+            background_image.ans = None
+            self.execute_when_ready('background_image_changed', img_id)
diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/prefs/main.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/prefs/main.pyj
index 836a3805e9..b9b2e4cb4d 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/prefs/main.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/prefs/main.pyj
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class Prefs:
         items = [
             create_item(_('Colors'), def():self.show_panel('colors');, _('Colors of the page and text')),
             create_item(_('Page layout'), def():self.show_panel('layout');, _('Page margins and number of pages per screen')),
-            create_item(_('User style sheet'), def():self.show_panel('user_stylesheet');, _('Style rules for text')),
+            create_item(_('Styles'), def():self.show_panel('user_stylesheet');, _('Style rules for text and background image')),
             create_item(_('Headers and footers'), def():self.show_panel('head_foot');, _('Customize the headers and footers')),
             create_item(_('Keyboard shortcuts'), def():self.show_panel('keyboard');, _('Customize the keyboard shortcuts')),
         ]
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class Prefs:
         commit_layout(self.onchange, self.container)
 
     def display_user_stylesheet(self, container):
-        document.getElementById(self.title_id).textContent = _('User style sheet')
+        document.getElementById(self.title_id).textContent = _('Styles')
         create_user_stylesheet_panel(container)
 
     def close_user_stylesheet(self):
diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/prefs/user_stylesheet.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/prefs/user_stylesheet.pyj
index 3e85a17c66..2d8631e77b 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/prefs/user_stylesheet.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/prefs/user_stylesheet.pyj
@@ -6,18 +6,54 @@ from elementmaker import E
 from gettext import gettext as _
 
 from book_list.globals import get_session_data
-from read_book.globals import runtime
+from read_book.globals import runtime, ui_operations
+from viewer.constants import READER_BACKGROUND_URL
+from widgets import create_button
+from dom import unique_id
+
+
+BLANK = 'data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7'
+
+
+def change_background_image(img_id):
+    ui_operations.change_background_image(img_id)
+
+
+def clear_image(img_id):
+    document.getElementById(img_id).src = BLANK
+
+
+def background_widget(sd):
+    if sd.get('background_image'):
+        src = READER_BACKGROUND_URL
+    else:
+        src = BLANK
+    img_id = unique_id('bg-image')
+
+    return E.div(
+        style='display: flex; align-items: center',
+        E.div(E.img(src=src, id=img_id, class_='bg-image-preview', style='width: 75px; height: 75px; border: solid 1px')),
+        E.div('\xa0', style='margin: 0.5rem'),
+        create_button(_('Change image'), action=change_background_image.bind(None, img_id)),
+        E.div('\xa0', style='margin: 0.5rem'),
+        create_button(_('Clear image'), action=clear_image.bind(None, img_id)),
+    )
 
 
 def create_user_stylesheet_panel(container):
     sd = get_session_data()
     container.appendChild(
         E.div(
-            style='min-height: 80vh; display: flex; flex-flow: column; margin: 1ex 1rem; padding: 1ex 0',
+            style='min-height: 75vh; display: flex; flex-flow: column; margin: 1ex 1rem; padding: 1ex 0',
+            E.div(
+                style='border-bottom: solid 1px; margin-bottom: 1.5ex; padding-bottom: 1.5ex',
+                E.div(_('Choose a background image to display behind the book text'), style='margin-bottom: 1.5ex'),
+                background_widget(sd),
+            ),
             E.div(
                 style='flex-grow: 10; display: flex; flex-flow: column',
                 E.div(
-                    _('A CSS style sheet that can be used to control the look and feel of books. For examples, click'), ' ',
+                    _('A CSS style sheet that can be used to control the look and feel of the text. For examples, click'), ' ',
                     E.a(class_='blue-link', title=_("Examples of user style sheets"),
                         target=('_self' if runtime.is_standalone_viewer else '_blank'),
                         href='https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51500', _('here'))
@@ -38,6 +74,16 @@ def commit_user_stylesheet(onchange, container):
     ta = container.querySelector('[name=user-stylesheet]')
     val = ta.value or ''
     old = sd.get('user_stylesheet')
+    changed = False
     if old is not val:
         sd.set('user_stylesheet', val)
+        changed = True
+    bg_image = container.querySelector('img.bg-image-preview').src
+    if bg_image is BLANK:
+        bg_image = None
+    old = sd.get('background_image')
+    if old is not bg_image:
+        sd.set('background_image', bg_image)
+        changed = True
+    if changed:
         onchange()
diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
index b5bff4b98b..8503888f20 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ from read_book.timers import Timers
 from read_book.toc import get_current_toc_nodes, update_visible_toc_nodes
 from read_book.touch import set_left_margin_handler, set_right_margin_handler
 from session import get_device_uuid, get_interface_data
-from utils import html_escape, is_ios, parse_url_params, username_key, safe_set_inner_html
+from utils import (
+    html_escape, is_ios, parse_url_params, safe_set_inner_html, username_key
+)
+from viewer.constants import READER_BACKGROUND_URL
 
 add_extra_css(def():
     sel = '.book-side-margin'
@@ -435,7 +438,17 @@ class View:
                 s = m.style
                 s.color = ans.foreground
                 s.backgroundColor = ans.background
+            sd = get_session_data()
             self.iframe.style.backgroundColor = ans.background or 'white'
+            bg_image = sd.get('background_image')
+            if bg_image:
+                if runtime.is_standalone_viewer:
+                    self.iframe.style.backgroundImage = f'url({READER_BACKGROUND_URL})'
+                else:
+                    self.iframe.style.backgroundImage = f'url({bg_image})'
+            else:
+                self.iframe.style.backgroundImage = 'none'
+
             m.parentNode.style.backgroundColor = ans.background  # this is needed on iOS where the bottom margin has its own margin, so we dont want the body background color to bleed through
             self.content_popup_overlay.apply_color_scheme(ans.background, ans.foreground)
         return ans
diff --git a/src/pyj/session.pyj b/src/pyj/session.pyj
index 853b14f02c..bc4f39b2a5 100644
--- a/src/pyj/session.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/session.pyj
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ defaults = {
     'max_text_width': 0,
     'columns_per_screen': {'portrait':0, 'landscape':0},
     'user_stylesheet': '',
+    'background_image': None,
+    'background_image_style': 'stretch',
     'current_color_scheme': 'white',
     'user_color_schemes': {},
     'base_font_size': 16,
@@ -58,6 +60,8 @@ is_local_setting = {
     'max_text_width': True,
     'columns_per_screen': True,
     'user_stylesheet': True,
+    'background_image': True,
+    'background_image_style': True,
     'current_color_scheme': True,
     'base_font_size': True,
     'controls_help_shown_count': True,
diff --git a/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj b/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj
index b63e8a1908..f7fb8fc826 100644
--- a/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from read_book.shortcuts import add_standalone_viewer_shortcuts
 from read_book.view import View
 from session import session_defaults
 from utils import encode_query_with_path, parse_url_params
-from viewer.constants import FAKE_HOST, FAKE_PROTOCOL
+from viewer.constants import FAKE_HOST, FAKE_PROTOCOL, READER_BACKGROUND_URL
 
 runtime.is_standalone_viewer = True
 runtime.FAKE_HOST = FAKE_HOST
@@ -237,6 +237,14 @@ def get_current_cfi(request_id):
     view.get_current_cfi(request_id, ui_operations.report_cfi)
 
 
+@from_python
+def background_image_changed(img_id):
+    img = document.getElementById(img_id)
+    if img:
+        img.src = ''
+        img.src = READER_BACKGROUND_URL
+
+
 def onerror(msg, script_url, line_number, column_number, error_object):
     if not error_object:
         # cross domain error
@@ -295,6 +303,8 @@ if window is window.top:
         to_python.copy_selection(text or None)
     ui_operations.view_image = def(name):
         to_python.view_image(name)
+    ui_operations.change_background_image = def(img_id):
+        to_python.change_background_image(img_id)
 
     document.body.appendChild(E.div(id='view'))
     window.onerror = onerror
diff --git a/src/pyj/viewer/constants.pyj b/src/pyj/viewer/constants.pyj
index aaabf5aefe..5ee296b986 100644
--- a/src/pyj/viewer/constants.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/viewer/constants.pyj
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ from __python__ import bound_methods, hash_literals
 
 FAKE_PROTOCOL = '__FAKE_PROTOCOL__'
 FAKE_HOST = '__FAKE_HOST__'
+READER_BACKGROUND_URL = f'{FAKE_PROTOCOL}://{FAKE_HOST}/reader-background'