diff --git a/framework/src/org/apache/cordova/CordovaActivity.java b/framework/src/org/apache/cordova/CordovaActivity.java
index 654f3b97..78af6251 100755
--- a/framework/src/org/apache/cordova/CordovaActivity.java
+++ b/framework/src/org/apache/cordova/CordovaActivity.java
@@ -181,12 +181,13 @@ public class CordovaActivity extends Activity {
             LOG.d(TAG, "removing appView from existing parent");
             ViewGroup parentGroup = (ViewGroup) parent;
             parentGroup.removeView(appView.getView());
+        if (preferences.contains("BackgroundColor")) {
+            int backgroundColor = preferences.getInteger("BackgroundColor", Color.BLACK);
+            // Background of activity:
+            appView.getView().setBackgroundColor(backgroundColor);
         }
         root.addView(appView.getView());
         setContentView(root);
-
-        int backgroundColor = preferences.getInteger("BackgroundColor", Color.BLACK);
-        root.setBackgroundColor(backgroundColor);
         appView.getView().requestFocusFromTouch();
     }
 
diff --git a/framework/src/org/apache/cordova/CordovaPreferences.java b/framework/src/org/apache/cordova/CordovaPreferences.java
index ed0b9b89..2d13c861 100644
--- a/framework/src/org/apache/cordova/CordovaPreferences.java
+++ b/framework/src/org/apache/cordova/CordovaPreferences.java
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ public class CordovaPreferences {
         return defaultValue;
     }
 
+    // Added in 4.0.0
+    public boolean contains(String name) {
+        return getString(name, null) != null;
+    }
+
     public int getInteger(String name, int defaultValue) {
         name = name.toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH);
         String value = prefs.get(name);