diff --git a/src/netanim/examples/resources_demo.cc b/src/netanim/examples/resources_demo.cc
index 5e1031ef7..3d90d8298 100644
--- a/src/netanim/examples/resources_demo.cc
+++ b/src/netanim/examples/resources_demo.cc
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
   // Provide the absolute path to the resource
   resourceId1 = pAnim->AddResource ("./ns-3-logo1.png");
   resourceId2 = pAnim->AddResource ("./ns-3-logo2.png");
-  pAnim->SetBackgroundImage ("./ns-3-background.png", 0, 0, 1, 1);
+  pAnim->SetBackgroundImage ("./ns-3-background.png", 0, 0, 0.2, 0.2, 0.1);
   Simulator::Schedule (Seconds (0.1), modify);
   
   // Set up the acutal simulation
diff --git a/src/netanim/model/animation-interface.cc b/src/netanim/model/animation-interface.cc
index eb9236aec..c145318b6 100644
--- a/src/netanim/model/animation-interface.cc
+++ b/src/netanim/model/animation-interface.cc
@@ -1798,10 +1798,14 @@ void AnimationInterface::SetBoundary (double minX, double minY, double maxX, dou
   userBoundary->yMin = minY;
 }
 
-void AnimationInterface::SetBackgroundImage (std::string fileName, double x, double y, double scaleX, double scaleY)
+void AnimationInterface::SetBackgroundImage (std::string fileName, double x, double y, double scaleX, double scaleY, double opacity)
 {
+  if ((opacity < 0) || (opacity > 1))
+    {
+      NS_FATAL_ERROR ("Opacity must be between 0.0 and 1.0");
+    }
   std::ostringstream oss;
-  oss << GetXMLOpenCloseUpdateBackground (fileName, x, y, scaleX, scaleY);
+  oss << GetXMLOpenCloseUpdateBackground (fileName, x, y, scaleX, scaleY, opacity);
   WriteN (oss.str (), m_f);
 }
 
@@ -2264,7 +2268,7 @@ std::string AnimationInterface::GetXMLOpenCloseUpdateNodeDescription (uint32_t n
   return oss.str ();
 }
 
-std::string AnimationInterface::GetXMLOpenCloseUpdateBackground (std::string fileName, double x, double y, double scaleX, double scaleY)
+std::string AnimationInterface::GetXMLOpenCloseUpdateBackground (std::string fileName, double x, double y, double scaleX, double scaleY, double opacity)
 {
   std::ostringstream oss;
   oss << "<bg f=\"" << fileName << "\""
@@ -2272,6 +2276,7 @@ std::string AnimationInterface::GetXMLOpenCloseUpdateBackground (std::string fil
       << " y=\"" << y << "\""
       << " sx=\"" << scaleX << "\""
       << " sy=\"" << scaleY << "\""
+      << " o=\"" << opacity << "\""
       << "/>" << std::endl;
   return oss.str ();
 }
diff --git a/src/netanim/model/animation-interface.h b/src/netanim/model/animation-interface.h
index eb7776cd4..8e0938dec 100644
--- a/src/netanim/model/animation-interface.h
+++ b/src/netanim/model/animation-interface.h
@@ -352,8 +352,10 @@ public:
    * \param y Y co-ordinate of the image
    * \param scaleX X scale of the image
    * \param scaleY Y scale of the image
+   * \param opacity Opacity of the background: A value between 0.0 and 1.0. 0.0 is transparent,
+   *        1.0 is opaque
    */
-  void SetBackgroundImage (std::string fileName, double x, double y, double scaleX=1, double scaleY=1); 
+  void SetBackgroundImage (std::string fileName, double x, double y, double scaleX, double scaleY, double opacity); 
 
   /**
    * \brief Helper function to set the description for a link
@@ -712,7 +714,7 @@ private:
   std::string GetXMLOpenClose_NonP2pLinkProperties (uint32_t id, std::string ipv4Address, std::string channelType);
   std::string GetXMLOpenClose_routing (uint32_t id, std::string routingInfo);
   std::string GetXMLOpenClose_rp (uint32_t nodeId, std::string destination, Ipv4RoutePathElements rpElements);
-  std::string GetXMLOpenCloseUpdateBackground (std::string fileName, double x, double y, double scaleX, double scaleY);
+  std::string GetXMLOpenCloseUpdateBackground (std::string fileName, double x, double y, double scaleX, double scaleY, double opacity);
 
   void AppendXMLNodeDescription (std::ostream& ostream, uint32_t id) const;
   void AppendXMLNodeColor (std::ostream& ostream, const Rgb& color) const;