diff --git a/docs/ENVIRONMENT.md b/docs/ENVIRONMENT.md
index 8068d0d33c..5903617296 100644
--- a/docs/ENVIRONMENT.md
+++ b/docs/ENVIRONMENT.md
@@ -705,3 +705,11 @@ Tools using the Varlink protocol (such as `varlinkctl`) or sd-bus (such as
   placed in a trusted disk image directory (see above), or if suitable polkit
   authentication was acquired. See `systemd.image-policy(7)` for the valid
   syntax for image policy strings.
+
+`systemd-run`, `run0`, `systemd-nspawn`, `systemd-vmspawn`:
+
+* `$SYSTEMD_TINT_BACKGROUND` – Takes a boolean. When false the automatic
+  tinting of the background for containers, VMs, and interactive `systemd-run`
+  and `run0` invocations is turned off. Note that this environment variable has
+  no effect if the background color is explicitly selected via the relevant
+  `--background=` switch of the tool.
diff --git a/src/nspawn/nspawn.c b/src/nspawn/nspawn.c
index f3c045b99e..029a7f9d88 100644
--- a/src/nspawn/nspawn.c
+++ b/src/nspawn/nspawn.c
@@ -5556,7 +5556,7 @@ static int run_container(
                                                 arg_console_width,
                                                 arg_console_height);
 
-                        if (!arg_background) {
+                        if (!arg_background && shall_tint_background()) {
                                 _cleanup_free_ char *bg = NULL;
 
                                 r = terminal_tint_color(220 /* blue */, &bg);
diff --git a/src/run/run.c b/src/run/run.c
index 1f720c6442..dc4486490b 100644
--- a/src/run/run.c
+++ b/src/run/run.c
@@ -963,7 +963,7 @@ static int parse_argv_sudo_mode(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         if (strv_extend(&arg_property, "PAMName=systemd-run0") < 0)
                 return log_oom();
 
-        if (!arg_background && arg_stdio == ARG_STDIO_PTY) {
+        if (!arg_background && arg_stdio == ARG_STDIO_PTY && shall_tint_background()) {
                 double hue;
 
                 if (privileged_execution())
diff --git a/src/shared/pretty-print.c b/src/shared/pretty-print.c
index 85c599c5c6..c75f74a6c6 100644
--- a/src/shared/pretty-print.c
+++ b/src/shared/pretty-print.c
@@ -444,6 +444,21 @@ int terminal_tint_color(double hue, char **ret) {
         return 0;
 }
 
+bool shall_tint_background(void) {
+        static int cache = -1;
+
+        if (cache >= 0)
+                return cache;
+
+        cache = getenv_bool("SYSTEMD_TINT_BACKGROUND");
+        if (cache == -ENXIO)
+                return (cache = true);
+        if (cache < 0)
+                log_debug_errno(cache, "Failed to parse $SYSTEMD_TINT_BACKGROUND, leaving background tinting enabled: %m");
+
+        return cache != 0;
+}
+
 void draw_progress_bar(const char *prefix, double percentage) {
 
         fputc('\r', stderr);
diff --git a/src/shared/pretty-print.h b/src/shared/pretty-print.h
index 940d34775b..c166054919 100644
--- a/src/shared/pretty-print.h
+++ b/src/shared/pretty-print.h
@@ -50,5 +50,7 @@ static inline const char *green_check_mark_internal(char buffer[static GREEN_CHE
 
 int terminal_tint_color(double hue, char **ret);
 
+bool shall_tint_background(void);
+
 void draw_progress_bar(const char *prefix, double percentage);
 void clear_progress_bar(const char *prefix);
diff --git a/src/vmspawn/vmspawn.c b/src/vmspawn/vmspawn.c
index 9366ce111d..3279d147e0 100644
--- a/src/vmspawn/vmspawn.c
+++ b/src/vmspawn/vmspawn.c
@@ -1977,7 +1977,7 @@ static int run_virtual_machine(int kvm_device_fd, int vhost_device_fd) {
                 if (r < 0)
                         return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to create PTY forwarder: %m");
 
-                if (!arg_background) {
+                if (!arg_background && shall_tint_background()) {
                         _cleanup_free_ char *bg = NULL;
 
                         r = terminal_tint_color(130 /* green */, &bg);