diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/TextOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/overlays/TextOverlay.cpp
index 797d0be1a2..5fc98810be 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/TextOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/TextOverlay.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ void TextOverlay::render() {
     }
 
     const float MAX_COLOR = 255;
-    glColor4f(0 / MAX_COLOR, 0 / MAX_COLOR, 0 / MAX_COLOR, _alpha);
+    glColor4f(_backgroundColor.red / MAX_COLOR, _backgroundColor.green / MAX_COLOR, _backgroundColor.blue / MAX_COLOR, _alpha);
 
     glBegin(GL_QUADS);
         glVertex2f(_bounds.left(), _bounds.top());
@@ -82,6 +82,18 @@ void TextOverlay::setProperties(const QScriptValue& properties) {
         setText(text.toVariant().toString());
     }
 
+    QScriptValue backgroundColor = properties.property("backgroundColor");
+    if (backgroundColor.isValid()) {
+        QScriptValue red = backgroundColor.property("red");
+        QScriptValue green = backgroundColor.property("green");
+        QScriptValue blue = backgroundColor.property("blue");
+        if (red.isValid() && green.isValid() && blue.isValid()) {
+            _backgroundColor.red = red.toVariant().toInt();
+            _backgroundColor.green = green.toVariant().toInt();
+            _backgroundColor.blue = blue.toVariant().toInt();
+        }
+    }
+
     if (properties.property("leftMargin").isValid()) {
         setLeftMargin(properties.property("leftMargin").toVariant().toInt());
     }
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/overlays/TextOverlay.h b/interface/src/ui/overlays/TextOverlay.h
index 78a037762e..6de415dcc7 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/overlays/TextOverlay.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/overlays/TextOverlay.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ public:
 private:
 
     QString _text;
+    xColor _backgroundColor;
     int _leftMargin;
     int _topMargin;
     int _fontSize;