diff --git a/metadata/background.xml.in b/metadata/background.xml.in
index cdf9e6ce..be3f88e8 100644
--- a/metadata/background.xml.in
+++ b/metadata/background.xml.in
@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@
 		<_short>Randomize</_short>
 		<default>false</default>
 	</option>
-	<option name="blank" type="bool">
-		<_short>Blank screen on startup</_short>
-		<default>true</default>
-	</option>
 	<option name="fill_mode" type="string">
 		<_short>Fill mode</_short>
 		<default>stretch</default>
diff --git a/src/background/background.cpp b/src/background/background.cpp
index ae19f29f..161211ff 100644
--- a/src/background/background.cpp
+++ b/src/background/background.cpp
@@ -43,24 +43,9 @@ WayfireBackground::WayfireBackground(WayfireOutput *output)
 {
     this->output = output;
 
-    if (output->output && inhibit_start)
-    {
-        this->inhibited = true;
-        zwf_output_v2_inhibit_output(output->output);
-    }
-
     setup_window();
 }
 
-void WayfireBackground::uninhibit()
-{
-    if (inhibited && output->output)
-    {
-        zwf_output_v2_inhibit_output_done(output->output);
-        inhibited = false;
-    }
-}
-
 WayfireBackground::~WayfireBackground()
 {}
 
@@ -212,8 +197,6 @@ void WayfireBackgroundApp::change_background()
     for (auto & it : backgrounds)
     {
         it.second->gl_area->show_image(list[idx]);
-
-        it.second->uninhibit();
     }
 
     write_cache(list[idx]);
diff --git a/src/background/background.hpp b/src/background/background.hpp
index 2bf4af60..d0c35f4b 100644
--- a/src/background/background.hpp
+++ b/src/background/background.hpp
@@ -16,15 +16,12 @@ class WayfireBackground : public Gtk::Window
   private:
     void setup_window();
     WayfireOutput *output;
-    WfOption<bool> inhibit_start{"background/blank"};
-    bool inhibited = false;
 
   public:
     WayfireBackground(WayfireOutput *output);
 
     ~WayfireBackground();
     Glib::RefPtr<BackgroundGLArea> gl_area;
-    void uninhibit();
 };
 
 class WayfireBackgroundApp : public WayfireShellApp