diff --git a/contrib/bash_compl/_rgbgfx.bash b/contrib/bash_compl/_rgbgfx.bash
index eb7bff44..9d49dd7e 100755
--- a/contrib/bash_compl/_rgbgfx.bash
+++ b/contrib/bash_compl/_rgbgfx.bash
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ _rgbgfx_completions() {
 		[Z]="columns:normal"
 		[a]="attr-map:glob-*.attrmap"
 		[A]="auto-attr-map:normal"
+		[B]="background-color:unk"
 		[b]="base-tiles:unk"
 		[c]="colors:unk"
 		[d]="depth:unk"
diff --git a/contrib/zsh_compl/_rgbgfx b/contrib/zsh_compl/_rgbgfx
index 49d9596a..91f474c6 100644
--- a/contrib/zsh_compl/_rgbgfx
+++ b/contrib/zsh_compl/_rgbgfx
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ local args=(
 	'(-Z --columns)'{-Z,--columns}'[Read the image in column-major order]'
 
 	'(-a --attr-map -A --auto-attr-map)'{-a,--attr-map}'+[Generate a map of tile attributes (mirroring)]:attrmap file:_files'
+	'(-B --background-color)'{-B,--background-color}'+[Ignore tiles containing only specified color]:color:'
 	'(-b --base-tiles)'{-b,--base-tiles}'+[Base tile IDs for tile map output]:base tile IDs:'
 	'(-c --colors)'{-c,--colors}'+[Specify color palettes]:palette spec:'
 	'(-d --depth)'{-d,--depth}'+[Set bit depth]:bit depth:_depths'
diff --git a/include/gfx/main.hpp b/include/gfx/main.hpp
index 28435b49..f951cca6 100644
--- a/include/gfx/main.hpp
+++ b/include/gfx/main.hpp
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "helpers.hpp"
+
 #include "gfx/rgba.hpp"
 
 struct Options {
@@ -21,6 +23,7 @@ struct Options {
 	uint8_t verbosity = 0;        // -v
 
 	std::string attrmap{};                    // -a, -A
+	std::optional<Rgba> bgColor{};            // -B
 	std::array<uint8_t, 2> baseTileIDs{0, 0}; // -b
 	enum {
 		NO_SPEC,
@@ -116,4 +119,27 @@ static constexpr auto flipTable = ([]() constexpr {
 	return table;
 })();
 
+// Parsing helpers.
+
+static constexpr uint8_t nibble(char c) {
+	if (c >= 'a') {
+		assume(c <= 'f');
+		return c - 'a' + 10;
+	} else if (c >= 'A') {
+		assume(c <= 'F');
+		return c - 'A' + 10;
+	} else {
+		assume(c >= '0' && c <= '9');
+		return c - '0';
+	}
+}
+
+static constexpr uint8_t toHex(char c1, char c2) {
+	return nibble(c1) * 16 + nibble(c2);
+}
+
+static constexpr uint8_t singleToHex(char c) {
+	return toHex(c, c);
+}
+
 #endif // RGBDS_GFX_MAIN_HPP
diff --git a/man/rgbgfx.1 b/man/rgbgfx.1
index d9a83a45..369bd937 100644
--- a/man/rgbgfx.1
+++ b/man/rgbgfx.1
@@ -103,6 +103,19 @@ and has the same size.
 Same as
 .Fl a Ar base_path Ns .attrmap
 .Pq see Sx Automatic output paths .
+.It Fl B Ar color , Fl \-background-color Ar color
+Set a background color to be omitted from output.
+Colors are accepted in
+.Ql #rgb
+or
+.Ql #rrggbb
+format, or as
+.Ql transparent .
+Input tiles which are entirely the specified background color are ignored and will not be output in tile data file.
+The tilemap, atrribute map, or palette map files
+.Em will
+use placeholder values where background tiles were.
+If a background color is specified, it cannot be used within tiles which are not ignored.
 .It Fl b Ar base_ids , Fl \-base-tiles Ar base_ids
 Set the base IDs for tile map output.
 .Ar base_ids
@@ -126,7 +139,7 @@ begins with a hash character
 .Ql # ,
 it is treated as an inline palette specification.
 It should contain a comma-separated list of hexadecimal colors, each beginning with a hash.
-Colors are accepted either as
+Colors are accepted in
 .Ql #rgb
 or
 .Ql #rrggbb
diff --git a/src/gfx/main.cpp b/src/gfx/main.cpp
index bd0bbc18..06a1187b 100644
--- a/src/gfx/main.cpp
+++ b/src/gfx/main.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ void Options::verbosePrint(uint8_t level, char const *fmt, ...) const {
 }
 
 // Short options
-static char const *optstring = "-Aa:b:Cc:d:hi:L:mN:n:Oo:Pp:Qq:r:s:Tt:U:uVvXx:YZ";
+static char const *optstring = "-Aa:B:b:Cc:d:hi:L:mN:n:Oo:Pp:Qq:r:s:Tt:U:uVvXx:YZ";
 
 // Equivalent long options
 // Please keep in the same order as short opts.
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ static char const *optstring = "-Aa:b:Cc:d:hi:L:mN:n:Oo:Pp:Qq:r:s:Tt:U:uVvXx:YZ"
 static option const longopts[] = {
     {"auto-attr-map",    no_argument,       nullptr, 'A'},
     {"attr-map",         required_argument, nullptr, 'a'},
+    {"background-color", required_argument, nullptr, 'B'},
     {"base-tiles",       required_argument, nullptr, 'b'},
     {"color-curve",      no_argument,       nullptr, 'C'},
     {"colors",           required_argument, nullptr, 'c'},
@@ -353,6 +354,7 @@ static char *parseArgv(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 	for (int ch; (ch = musl_getopt_long_only(argc, argv, optstring, longopts, nullptr)) != -1;) {
 		char *arg = musl_optarg; // Make a copy for scanning
 		uint16_t number;
+		size_t size;
 		switch (ch) {
 		case 'A':
 			localOptions.autoAttrmap = true;
@@ -364,6 +366,43 @@ static char *parseArgv(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 			}
 			options.attrmap = musl_optarg;
 			break;
+		case 'B':
+			if (strcasecmp(musl_optarg, "transparent") == 0) {
+				options.bgColor = Rgba(0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00);
+				break;
+			}
+			if (musl_optarg[0] != '#') {
+				error("Background color specification must be `#rgb`, `#rrggbb`, or `transparent`");
+				break;
+			}
+			size = strspn(&musl_optarg[1], "0123456789ABCDEFabcdef");
+			switch (size) {
+			case 3:
+				options.bgColor = Rgba(
+				    singleToHex(musl_optarg[1]),
+				    singleToHex(musl_optarg[2]),
+				    singleToHex(musl_optarg[3]),
+				    0xFF
+				);
+				break;
+			case 6:
+				options.bgColor = Rgba(
+				    toHex(musl_optarg[1], musl_optarg[2]),
+				    toHex(musl_optarg[3], musl_optarg[4]),
+				    toHex(musl_optarg[5], musl_optarg[6]),
+				    0xFF
+				);
+				break;
+			default:
+				error("Unknown background color specification \"%s\"", musl_optarg);
+			}
+			if (musl_optarg[size + 1] != '\0') {
+				error(
+				    "Unexpected text \"%s\" after background color specification",
+				    &musl_optarg[size + 1]
+				);
+			}
+			break;
 		case 'b':
 			number = parseNumber(arg, "Bank 0 base tile ID", 0);
 			if (number >= 256) {
diff --git a/src/gfx/pal_spec.cpp b/src/gfx/pal_spec.cpp
index d87d672c..ac444f58 100644
--- a/src/gfx/pal_spec.cpp
+++ b/src/gfx/pal_spec.cpp
@@ -23,27 +23,6 @@
 
 using namespace std::string_view_literals;
 
-constexpr uint8_t nibble(char c) {
-	if (c >= 'a') {
-		assume(c <= 'f');
-		return c - 'a' + 10;
-	} else if (c >= 'A') {
-		assume(c <= 'F');
-		return c - 'A' + 10;
-	} else {
-		assume(c >= '0' && c <= '9');
-		return c - '0';
-	}
-}
-
-constexpr uint8_t toHex(char c1, char c2) {
-	return nibble(c1) * 16 + nibble(c2);
-}
-
-constexpr uint8_t singleToHex(char c) {
-	return toHex(c, c);
-}
-
 template<typename Str> // Should be std::string or std::string_view
 static void skipWhitespace(Str const &str, size_t &pos) {
 	pos = std::min(str.find_first_not_of(" \t"sv, pos), str.length());
diff --git a/src/gfx/process.cpp b/src/gfx/process.cpp
index f27fb3e2..8506ab9f 100644
--- a/src/gfx/process.cpp
+++ b/src/gfx/process.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@
 #include "gfx/pal_sorting.hpp"
 #include "gfx/proto_palette.hpp"
 
+static bool isBgColorTransparent() {
+	return options.bgColor.has_value() && options.bgColor->isTransparent();
+}
+
 class ImagePalette {
 	std::array<std::optional<Rgba>, NB_COLOR_SLOTS> _colors;
 
@@ -38,7 +42,7 @@ public:
 	Rgba const *registerColor(Rgba const &rgba) {
 		std::optional<Rgba> &slot = _colors[rgba.cgbColor()];
 
-		if (rgba.cgbColor() == Rgba::transparent) {
+		if (rgba.cgbColor() == Rgba::transparent && !isBgColorTransparent()) {
 			options.hasTransparentPixels = true;
 		}
 
@@ -519,10 +523,12 @@ struct AttrmapEntry {
 	bool yFlip;
 	bool xFlip;
 
-	static constexpr decltype(protoPaletteID) transparent = SIZE_MAX;
+	static constexpr size_t transparent = static_cast<size_t>(-1);
+	static constexpr size_t background = static_cast<size_t>(-2);
 
+	bool isBackgroundTile() const { return protoPaletteID == background; }
 	size_t getPalID(DefaultInitVec<size_t> const &mappings) const {
-		return protoPaletteID == transparent ? 0 : mappings[protoPaletteID];
+		return mappings[isBackgroundTile() || protoPaletteID == transparent ? 0 : protoPaletteID];
 	}
 };
 
@@ -852,13 +858,16 @@ static void outputUnoptimizedTileData(
 	remainingTiles -= options.trim;
 
 	for (auto [tile, attr] : zip(png.visitAsTiles(), attrmap)) {
-		// If the tile is fully transparent, default to palette 0
-		Palette const &palette = palettes[attr.getPalID(mappings)];
-		for (uint32_t y = 0; y < 8; ++y) {
-			uint16_t bitplanes = TileData::rowBitplanes(tile, palette, y);
-			output->sputc(bitplanes & 0xFF);
-			if (options.bitDepth == 2) {
-				output->sputc(bitplanes >> 8);
+		// Do not emit fully-background tiles.
+		if (!attr.isBackgroundTile()) {
+			// If the tile is fully transparent, this defaults to palette 0.
+			Palette const &palette = palettes[attr.getPalID(mappings)];
+			for (uint32_t y = 0; y < 8; ++y) {
+				uint16_t bitplanes = TileData::rowBitplanes(tile, palette, y);
+				output->sputc(bitplanes & 0xFF);
+				if (options.bitDepth == 2) {
+					output->sputc(bitplanes >> 8);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -898,16 +907,21 @@ static void outputUnoptimizedMaps(
 		}
 
 		if (tilemapOutput.has_value()) {
-			(*tilemapOutput)->sputc(tileID + options.baseTileIDs[bank]);
+			(*tilemapOutput)
+			    ->sputc((attr.isBackgroundTile() ? 0 : tileID) + options.baseTileIDs[bank]);
 		}
+		uint8_t palID = attr.getPalID(mappings);
 		if (attrmapOutput.has_value()) {
-			uint8_t palID = attr.getPalID(mappings) & 7;
-			(*attrmapOutput)->sputc(palID | bank << 3); // The other flags are all 0
+			(*attrmapOutput)->sputc((palID & 7) | bank << 3); // The other flags are all 0
 		}
 		if (palmapOutput.has_value()) {
-			(*palmapOutput)->sputc(attr.getPalID(mappings));
+			(*palmapOutput)->sputc(palID);
+		}
+
+		// Background tiles are skipped in the tile data, so they should be skipped in the maps too.
+		if (!attr.isBackgroundTile()) {
+			++tileID;
 		}
-		++tileID;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1000,22 +1014,30 @@ static UniqueTiles dedupTiles(
 
 	bool inputWithoutOutput = !options.inputTileset.empty() && options.output.empty();
 	for (auto [tile, attr] : zip(png.visitAsTiles(), attrmap)) {
-		auto [tileID, matchType] = tiles.addTile({tile, palettes[mappings[attr.protoPaletteID]]});
+		if (attr.isBackgroundTile()) {
+			attr.xFlip = false;
+			attr.yFlip = false;
+			attr.bank = 0;
+			attr.tileID = 0;
+		} else {
+			auto [tileID, matchType] =
+			    tiles.addTile({tile, palettes[mappings[attr.protoPaletteID]]});
 
-		if (inputWithoutOutput && matchType == TileData::NOPE) {
-			error(
-			    "Tile at (%" PRIu32 ", %" PRIu32
-			    ") is not within the input tileset, and `-o` was not given!",
-			    tile.x,
-			    tile.y
-			);
+			if (inputWithoutOutput && matchType == TileData::NOPE) {
+				error(
+				    "Tile at (%" PRIu32 ", %" PRIu32
+				    ") is not within the input tileset, and `-o` was not given!",
+				    tile.x,
+				    tile.y
+				);
+			}
+
+			attr.xFlip = matchType == TileData::HFLIP || matchType == TileData::VHFLIP;
+			attr.yFlip = matchType == TileData::VFLIP || matchType == TileData::VHFLIP;
+			attr.bank = tileID >= options.maxNbTiles[0];
+			attr.tileID = (attr.bank ? tileID - options.maxNbTiles[0] : tileID)
+			              + options.baseTileIDs[attr.bank];
 		}
-
-		attr.xFlip = matchType == TileData::HFLIP || matchType == TileData::VHFLIP;
-		attr.yFlip = matchType == TileData::VFLIP || matchType == TileData::VHFLIP;
-		attr.bank = tileID >= options.maxNbTiles[0];
-		attr.tileID =
-		    (attr.bank ? tileID - options.maxNbTiles[0] : tileID) + options.baseTileIDs[attr.bank];
 	}
 
 	// Copy elision should prevent the contained `unordered_set` from being re-constructed
@@ -1139,7 +1161,8 @@ void process() {
 		std::unordered_set<uint16_t> tileColors;
 		for (uint32_t y = 0; y < 8; ++y) {
 			for (uint32_t x = 0; x < 8; ++x) {
-				if (Rgba color = tile.pixel(x, y); !color.isTransparent()) {
+				if (Rgba color = tile.pixel(x, y);
+				    !color.isTransparent() || !options.hasTransparentPixels) {
 					tileColors.insert(color.cgbColor());
 				}
 			}
@@ -1157,6 +1180,7 @@ void process() {
 
 		if (tileColors.empty()) {
 			// "Empty" proto-palettes screw with the packing process, so discard those
+			assume(!isBgColorTransparent());
 			attrs.protoPaletteID = AttrmapEntry::transparent;
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -1166,6 +1190,21 @@ void process() {
 			protoPalette.add(cgbColor);
 		}
 
+		if (options.bgColor.has_value()
+		    && std::find(RANGE(tileColors), options.bgColor->cgbColor()) != tileColors.end()) {
+			if (tileColors.size() == 1) {
+				// The tile contains just the background color, skip it.
+				attrs.protoPaletteID = AttrmapEntry::background;
+				continue;
+			}
+			fatal(
+			    "Tile (%" PRIu32 ", %" PRIu32 ") contains the background color (#%08x)!",
+			    tile.x,
+			    tile.y,
+			    options.bgColor->toCSS()
+			);
+		}
+
 		// Insert the proto-palette, making sure to avoid overlaps
 		for (size_t n = 0; n < protoPalettes.size(); ++n) {
 			switch (protoPalette.compare(protoPalettes[n])) {
@@ -1197,7 +1236,7 @@ void process() {
 		}
 
 		attrs.protoPaletteID = protoPalettes.size();
-		if (protoPalettes.size() == AttrmapEntry::transparent) { // Check for overflow
+		if (protoPalettes.size() == AttrmapEntry::background) { // Check for overflow
 			fatal(
 			    "Reached %zu proto-palettes... sorry, this image is too much for me to handle :(",
 			    AttrmapEntry::transparent
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_fuse.err b/test/gfx/bg_fuse.err
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ecbbd45c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/gfx/bg_fuse.err
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+warning: Fusing colors #a9b9c9ff and #aabbccff into Game Boy color $66f5 [first seen at x: 1, y: 1]
+FATAL: Tile (0, 0) contains the background color (#aabbccff)!
+Conversion aborted after 1 error
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_fuse.flags b/test/gfx/bg_fuse.flags
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aba6c76b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/gfx/bg_fuse.flags
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+-B #aBc
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_fuse.png b/test/gfx/bg_fuse.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2fee135f
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/bg_fuse.png differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_in_tile.err b/test/gfx/bg_in_tile.err
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91fa5779
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/gfx/bg_in_tile.err
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+FATAL: Tile (16, 0) contains the background color (#ffd800ff)!
+Conversion aborted after 1 error
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_in_tile.flags b/test/gfx/bg_in_tile.flags
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..569f005c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/gfx/bg_in_tile.flags
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+-B #ffd800
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_in_tile.png b/test/gfx/bg_in_tile.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3d7fc083
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/bg_in_tile.png differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_oval.flags b/test/gfx/bg_oval.flags
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3203f325
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/gfx/bg_oval.flags
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+-B #FF00ff
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.2bpp b/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.2bpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c7701bb1
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.2bpp differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.attrmap b/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.attrmap
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bc8840b2
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.attrmap differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.pal b/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.pal
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0ef9254a
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.pal differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.tilemap b/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.tilemap
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..344d9e9a
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/bg_oval.out.tilemap differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/bg_oval.png b/test/gfx/bg_oval.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..465d093e
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/bg_oval.png differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.flags b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.flags
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b93b160
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.flags
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+-B #fff
+-i input_tileset_with_bg.in.2bpp
+-c gbc:input_tileset_with_bg.in.pal
+-u
diff --git a/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.in.2bpp b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.in.2bpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7116e54f
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.in.2bpp differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.in.pal b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.in.pal
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6d8bd5bc
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.in.pal differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.out.2bpp b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.out.2bpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7116e54f
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.out.2bpp differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.out.attrmap b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.out.attrmap
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..01d633b2
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.out.attrmap differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.out.tilemap b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.out.tilemap
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..36aaf3c0
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.out.tilemap differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.png b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c44b7861
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/input_tileset_with_bg.png differ
diff --git a/test/gfx/trans_bg_in_tile.err b/test/gfx/trans_bg_in_tile.err
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ce6bf37e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/gfx/trans_bg_in_tile.err
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+FATAL: Tile (16, 0) contains the background color (#00000000)!
+Conversion aborted after 1 error
diff --git a/test/gfx/trans_bg_in_tile.flags b/test/gfx/trans_bg_in_tile.flags
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..45911e3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/gfx/trans_bg_in_tile.flags
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+-B transparent
diff --git a/test/gfx/trans_bg_in_tile.png b/test/gfx/trans_bg_in_tile.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d56baad0
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/gfx/trans_bg_in_tile.png differ