diff --git a/Readme.md b/Readme.md
index 6c6002a..10bd0bf 100644
--- a/Readme.md
+++ b/Readme.md
@@ -62,10 +62,12 @@ The following options are inherited from Solarized:
 
 - `g:solarized_visibility`: one of `"normal"` (default), `"low"`, `"high"`;
 - `g:solarized_diffmode`: one of `"normal"` (default), `"low"`, `"high"`;
+- `g:solarized_termtrans`: make terminal background transparent if set to `1`
+  (default: `0`).
 
 The following options were not available in the original Solarized:
 
-- `g:solarized_statusline`: one of `"normal"` (default) or `"low"`.
+- `g:solarized_statusline`: one of `"normal"` (default) or `"low"`;
 - `g:solarized_term_italics`: set to `1` if your terminal supports italics
   (default is `0`).
 
diff --git a/colors/solarized8_dark.vim b/colors/solarized8_dark.vim
index 49a5efe..12d2581 100644
--- a/colors/solarized8_dark.vim
+++ b/colors/solarized8_dark.vim
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ endif
 let colors_name = "solarized8_dark"
 set background=dark
 
-hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=12 guifg=#839496 ctermbg=8 guibg=#002b36
+if !has('gui_running') && get(g:, 'solarized_termtrans', 0)
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=12 guifg=#839496 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
+else
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=12 guifg=#839496 ctermbg=8 guibg=#002b36
+endif
 hi! Comment cterm=NONE gui=NONE,italic ctermfg=10 guifg=#586e75 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Constant cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=6 guifg=#2aa198 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Identifier cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=4 guifg=#268bd2 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
diff --git a/colors/solarized8_dark_flat.vim b/colors/solarized8_dark_flat.vim
index d22a610..8b3c30c 100644
--- a/colors/solarized8_dark_flat.vim
+++ b/colors/solarized8_dark_flat.vim
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ endif
 let colors_name = "solarized8_dark_flat"
 set background=dark
 
-hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=12 guifg=#839496 ctermbg=8 guibg=#002b36
+if !has('gui_running') && get(g:, 'solarized_termtrans', 0)
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=12 guifg=#839496 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
+else
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=12 guifg=#839496 ctermbg=8 guibg=#002b36
+endif
 hi! Comment cterm=NONE gui=NONE,italic ctermfg=10 guifg=#586e75 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Constant cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=6 guifg=#2aa198 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Identifier cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=4 guifg=#268bd2 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
diff --git a/colors/solarized8_dark_high.vim b/colors/solarized8_dark_high.vim
index 8c0323d..1ff08e3 100644
--- a/colors/solarized8_dark_high.vim
+++ b/colors/solarized8_dark_high.vim
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ endif
 let colors_name = "solarized8_dark_high"
 set background=dark
 
-hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=14 guifg=#93a1a1 ctermbg=8 guibg=#002b36
+if !has('gui_running') && get(g:, 'solarized_termtrans', 0)
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=14 guifg=#93a1a1 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
+else
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=14 guifg=#93a1a1 ctermbg=8 guibg=#002b36
+endif
 hi! Comment cterm=NONE gui=NONE,italic ctermfg=11 guifg=#657b83 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Constant cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=6 guifg=#2aa198 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Identifier cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=4 guifg=#268bd2 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
diff --git a/colors/solarized8_dark_low.vim b/colors/solarized8_dark_low.vim
index 54ed7cf..944ade2 100644
--- a/colors/solarized8_dark_low.vim
+++ b/colors/solarized8_dark_low.vim
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ endif
 let colors_name = "solarized8_dark_low"
 set background=dark
 
-hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=12 guifg=#839496 ctermbg=0 guibg=#073642
+if !has('gui_running') && get(g:, 'solarized_termtrans', 0)
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=12 guifg=#839496 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
+else
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=12 guifg=#839496 ctermbg=0 guibg=#073642
+endif
 hi! Comment cterm=NONE gui=NONE,italic ctermfg=10 guifg=#586e75 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Constant cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=6 guifg=#2aa198 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Identifier cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=4 guifg=#268bd2 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
diff --git a/colors/solarized8_light.vim b/colors/solarized8_light.vim
index cd72b74..10cab97 100644
--- a/colors/solarized8_light.vim
+++ b/colors/solarized8_light.vim
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ endif
 let colors_name = "solarized8_light"
 set background=light
 
-hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=11 guifg=#657b83 ctermbg=15 guibg=#fdf6e3
+if !has('gui_running') && get(g:, 'solarized_termtrans', 0)
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=11 guifg=#657b83 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
+else
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=11 guifg=#657b83 ctermbg=15 guibg=#fdf6e3
+endif
 hi! Comment cterm=NONE gui=NONE,italic ctermfg=14 guifg=#93a1a1 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Constant cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=6 guifg=#2aa198 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Identifier cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=4 guifg=#268bd2 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
diff --git a/colors/solarized8_light_flat.vim b/colors/solarized8_light_flat.vim
index d5a9b17..9f026bd 100644
--- a/colors/solarized8_light_flat.vim
+++ b/colors/solarized8_light_flat.vim
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ endif
 let colors_name = "solarized8_light_flat"
 set background=light
 
-hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=11 guifg=#657b83 ctermbg=15 guibg=#fdf6e3
+if !has('gui_running') && get(g:, 'solarized_termtrans', 0)
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=11 guifg=#657b83 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
+else
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=11 guifg=#657b83 ctermbg=15 guibg=#fdf6e3
+endif
 hi! Comment cterm=NONE gui=NONE,italic ctermfg=14 guifg=#93a1a1 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Constant cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=6 guifg=#2aa198 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Identifier cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=4 guifg=#268bd2 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
diff --git a/colors/solarized8_light_high.vim b/colors/solarized8_light_high.vim
index 7d8719c..5f8d904 100644
--- a/colors/solarized8_light_high.vim
+++ b/colors/solarized8_light_high.vim
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ endif
 let colors_name = "solarized8_light_high"
 set background=light
 
-hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=10 guifg=#586e75 ctermbg=15 guibg=#fdf6e3
+if !has('gui_running') && get(g:, 'solarized_termtrans', 0)
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=10 guifg=#586e75 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
+else
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=10 guifg=#586e75 ctermbg=15 guibg=#fdf6e3
+endif
 hi! Comment cterm=NONE gui=NONE,italic ctermfg=12 guifg=#839496 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Constant cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=6 guifg=#2aa198 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Identifier cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=4 guifg=#268bd2 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
diff --git a/colors/solarized8_light_low.vim b/colors/solarized8_light_low.vim
index 02eb55a..535bb0c 100644
--- a/colors/solarized8_light_low.vim
+++ b/colors/solarized8_light_low.vim
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ endif
 let colors_name = "solarized8_light_low"
 set background=light
 
-hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=11 guifg=#657b83 ctermbg=7 guibg=#eee8d5
+if !has('gui_running') && get(g:, 'solarized_termtrans', 0)
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=11 guifg=#657b83 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
+else
+  hi! Normal cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=11 guifg=#657b83 ctermbg=7 guibg=#eee8d5
+endif
 hi! Comment cterm=NONE gui=NONE,italic ctermfg=14 guifg=#93a1a1 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Constant cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=6 guifg=#2aa198 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
 hi! Identifier cterm=NONE gui=NONE ctermfg=4 guifg=#268bd2 ctermbg=NONE guibg=NONE
diff --git a/src/solarized8.vim b/src/solarized8.vim
index 70bab2e..56e4834 100644
--- a/src/solarized8.vim
+++ b/src/solarized8.vim
@@ -155,7 +155,11 @@ for s:solarized_background in ["dark", "light"]
 
     "}}}
 
-    call s:put("hi! Normal"         .s:fmt_none   .s:fg_base0  .s:bg_back)
+    call s:put("if !has('gui_running') && get(g:, 'solarized_termtrans', 0)")
+    call s:put("  hi! Normal"         .s:fmt_none   .s:fg_base0  .s:bg_none)
+    call s:put("else")
+    call s:put("  hi! Normal"         .s:fmt_none   .s:fg_base0  .s:bg_back)
+    call s:put("endif")
 
     " Basic highlighting"{{{
     " ---------------------------------------------------------------------