diff --git a/docs/url_params.md b/docs/url_params.md
index 7b80690a4..789e3f3ce 100644
--- a/docs/url_params.md
+++ b/docs/url_params.md
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ These parameters are relevant to both [widget](./embedded_standalone.md) and [st
 | `showControls`                                 | `true` or `false`                                                                                                                                                  | No, defaults to `true`                                                                            | No, defaults to `true`       | Displays controls like mute, screen-share, invite, and hangup buttons during a call.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
 | `skipLobby` (deprecated: use `intent` instead) | `true` or `false`                                                                                                                                                  | No. If `intent` is explicitly `start_call` then defaults to `true`. Otherwise defaults to `false` | No, defaults to `false`      | Skips the lobby to join a call directly, can be combined with preload in widget. When `true` the audio and video inputs will be muted by default. (This means there currently is no way to start without muted video if one wants to skip the lobby. Also not in widget mode.)                                                                                                                      |
 | `theme`                                        | One of: `light`, `dark`, `light-high-contrast`, `dark-high-contrast`                                                                                               | No, defaults to `dark`                                                                            | No, defaults to `dark`       | UI theme to use.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
+| `background`                                   | One of: `solid`, `gradient`                                                                                                                                        | No, defaults to `gradient`                                                                        | No, defaults to `gradient`   | Visual style of the page background.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
 | `viaServers`                                   | Comma separated list of [Matrix Server Names](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/appendices/#server-name)                                                               | Not applicable                                                                                    | No                           | Homeserver for joining a room, non-empty value required for rooms not on the user’s default homeserver.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
 | `sendNotificationType`                         | `ring` or `notification`                                                                                                                                           | No                                                                                                | No                           | Will send a "ring" or "notification" `m.rtc.notification` event if the user is the first one in the call.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
 | `autoLeave`                                    | `true` or `false`                                                                                                                                                  | No, defaults to `false`                                                                           | No, defaults to `false`      | Whether the app should automatically leave the call when there is no one left in the call.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index b87f587ca..8f6ef21a1 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import { useTheme } from "./useTheme";
 import { ProcessorProvider } from "./livekit/TrackProcessorContext";
 import { type AppViewModel } from "./state/AppViewModel";
 import { MediaDevicesContext } from "./MediaDevicesContext";
-import { getUrlParams, HeaderStyle } from "./UrlParams";
+import { getUrlParams, HeaderStyle, useUrlParams } from "./UrlParams";
 import { AppBar } from "./AppBar";
 
 const SentryRoute = Sentry.withSentryReactRouterV7Routing(Route);
@@ -41,19 +41,17 @@ interface SimpleProviderProps {
 
 const BackgroundProvider: FC<SimpleProviderProps> = ({ children }) => {
   const { pathname } = useLocation();
+  const { background } = useUrlParams();
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    let backgroundImage = "";
-    if (!["/login", "/register"].includes(pathname) && !widget) {
-      backgroundImage = "var(--background-gradient)";
-    }
+    document
+      .getElementsByTagName("body")[0]
+      .setAttribute("data-background", background);
+  }, [pathname, background]);
 
-    document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0].style.backgroundImage =
-      backgroundImage;
-  }, [pathname]);
-
-  return <>{children}</>;
+  return children;
 };
+
 const ThemeProvider: FC<SimpleProviderProps> = ({ children }) => {
   useTheme();
   return children;
diff --git a/src/UrlParams.ts b/src/UrlParams.ts
index 773aa4121..805cab710 100644
--- a/src/UrlParams.ts
+++ b/src/UrlParams.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ export enum HeaderStyle {
   AppBar = "app_bar",
 }
 
+export enum BackgroundStyle {
+  Solid = "solid",
+  Gradient = "gradient",
+}
+
 /**
  * The UrlProperties are used to pass required data to the widget.
  * Those are different in different rooms, users, devices. They do not configure the behavior of the
@@ -145,6 +150,10 @@ export interface UrlProperties {
    * can be "light", "dark", "light-high-contrast" or "dark-high-contrast".
    */
   theme: string | null;
+  /**
+   * The visual style of the page background.
+   */
+  background: BackgroundStyle;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -452,6 +461,9 @@ export const computeUrlParams = (search = "", hash = ""): UrlParams => {
     fonts: parser.getAllParams("font"),
     fontScale: Number.isNaN(fontScale) ? null : fontScale,
     theme: parser.getParam("theme"),
+    background:
+      parser.getEnumParam("background", BackgroundStyle) ??
+      BackgroundStyle.Gradient,
     viaServers: !isWidget ? parser.getParam("viaServers") : null,
     homeserver: !isWidget ? parser.getParam("homeserver") : null,
     posthogApiHost: parser.getParam("posthogApiHost"),
diff --git a/src/index.css b/src/index.css
index 039b2a421..5468612d7 100644
--- a/src/index.css
+++ b/src/index.css
@@ -74,9 +74,7 @@ layer(compound);
 
 body {
   background-color: var(--cpd-color-bg-canvas-default);
-  background-size: calc(max(1440px, 100vw)) calc(max(800px, 100vh));
   background-repeat: no-repeat;
-  background-position: center;
   color: var(--cpd-color-text-primary);
   color-scheme: dark;
   margin: 0;
@@ -85,6 +83,12 @@ body {
   -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;
 }
 
+body[data-background="gradient"] {
+  background-image: var(--background-gradient);
+  background-size: calc(max(1440px, 100vw)) calc(max(800px, 100vh));
+  background-position: center;
+}
+
 /* This prohibits the view to scroll for pages smaller than 122px in width
 we use this for mobile pip webviews */
 .no-scroll-body {