diff --git a/config_sample/areas.yaml b/config_sample/areas.yaml
index df5e1e550..50fb42c26 100644
--- a/config_sample/areas.yaml
+++ b/config_sample/areas.yaml
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@
 ## evidence_mod: FFA
 ## locking_allowed: false
 ## iniswap_allowed: true
+## background: gs4
+## bglock: false
+## custom_bg_allowed: true
 ## showname_changes_allowed: true
 ## shouts_allowed: true
 ## jukebox: false
diff --git a/server/area_manager.py b/server/area_manager.py
index 490e3ddaf..7962d5f30 100644
--- a/server/area_manager.py
+++ b/server/area_manager.py
@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ def __init__(self,
                      area_id,
                      server,
                      name,
-                     background,
-                     bg_lock,
+                     background='gs4',
+                     bg_lock=False,
+                     custom_bg=True,
                      evidence_mod='FFA',
                      locking_allowed=False,
                      iniswap_allowed=True,
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ def __init__(self,
             self.name = name
             self.background = background
             self.bg_lock = bg_lock
+            self.custom_bg = custom_bg
             self.server = server
             self.music_looper = None
             self.next_message_time = 0
@@ -410,8 +412,7 @@ def change_background(self, bg: str):
             Raises:
                 AreaError: if `bg` is not in background list
             """
-
-            if bg.lower() not in (name.lower()
+            if self.custom_bg == False or bg.lower() not in (name.lower()
                                   for name in self.server.backgrounds):
                 raise AreaError('Invalid background name.')
             self.background = bg
@@ -738,6 +739,12 @@ def load_areas(self):
                 item['locking_allowed'] = False
             if 'iniswap_allowed' not in item:
                 item['iniswap_allowed'] = True
+            if 'background' not in item:
+                item['background'] = 'gs4'
+            if 'bglock' not in item:
+                item['bglock'] = False
+            if 'custom_bg_allowed' not in item:
+                item['custom_bg_allowed'] = True
             if 'showname_changes_allowed' not in item:
                 item['showname_changes_allowed'] = True
             if 'shouts_allowed' not in item:
@@ -751,7 +758,7 @@ def load_areas(self):
                     item['area'])
             self.areas.append(
                 self.Area(self.cur_id, self.server, item['area'],
-                          item['background'], item['bglock'],
+                          item['background'], item['bglock'], item['custom_bg_allowed'],
                           item['evidence_mod'], item['locking_allowed'],
                           item['iniswap_allowed'],
                           item['showname_changes_allowed'],