diff --git a/Common/UI/Screen.cpp b/Common/UI/Screen.cpp
index bf626ce653bd..c53af13ba4a2 100644
--- a/Common/UI/Screen.cpp
+++ b/Common/UI/Screen.cpp
@@ -257,13 +257,6 @@ void ScreenManager::sendMessage(UIMessage message, const char *value) {
 	}
 }
 
-Screen *ScreenManager::topScreen() const {
-	if (!stack_.empty())
-		return stack_.back().screen;
-	else
-		return 0;
-}
-
 void ScreenManager::shutdown() {
 	std::lock_guard<std::recursive_mutex> guard(inputLock_);
 	for (auto layer : stack_)
diff --git a/Common/UI/Screen.h b/Common/UI/Screen.h
index e7232a84009e..e1f7bf8298cb 100644
--- a/Common/UI/Screen.h
+++ b/Common/UI/Screen.h
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ class Screen {
 	virtual void RecreateViews() {}
 
 	ScreenManager *screenManager() { return screenManager_; }
+	const ScreenManager *screenManager() const { return screenManager_; }
 	void setScreenManager(ScreenManager *sm) { screenManager_ = sm; }
 
 	virtual const char *tag() const = 0;
@@ -158,7 +159,12 @@ class ScreenManager {
 	// Generic facility for gross hacks :P
 	void sendMessage(UIMessage message, const char *value);
 
-	Screen *topScreen() const;
+	const Screen *topScreen() const {
+		return stack_.empty() ? nullptr : stack_.back().screen;
+	}
+	Screen *topScreen() {
+		return stack_.empty() ? nullptr : stack_.back().screen;
+	}
 
 	void getFocusPosition(float &x, float &y, float &z);
 
diff --git a/UI/EmuScreen.cpp b/UI/EmuScreen.cpp
index 74d34a2c0c04..c395d681dc8a 100644
--- a/UI/EmuScreen.cpp
+++ b/UI/EmuScreen.cpp
@@ -1420,11 +1420,11 @@ bool EmuScreen::canBeBackground(bool isTop) const {
 		return isTop || (g_Config.bTransparentBackground && g_Config.bRunBehindPauseMenu);
 	}
 
-	bool forceTransparent = false;  // this needs to be true somehow on the display layout screen.
-
-	if (!g_Config.bTransparentBackground && !forceTransparent)
+	if (!g_Config.bTransparentBackground && !isTop) {
+		if (g_Config.bRunBehindPauseMenu || screenManager()->topScreen()->wantBrightBackground())
+			return true;
 		return false;
-
+	}
 	return true;
 }