diff --git a/doc_src/terminal-compatibility.rst b/doc_src/terminal-compatibility.rst
index 239bb21f9..630d5d944 100644
--- a/doc_src/terminal-compatibility.rst
+++ b/doc_src/terminal-compatibility.rst
@@ -165,13 +165,17 @@ Optional Commands
      -
      - Select background color from 24-bit RGB colors.
      -
+   * - ``\e[49m``
+     -
+     - Reset background color to the terminal's default.
+     -
    * - ``\e[58:2:: Ps : Ps : Ps m`` (note: colons not semicolons)
      - Su
      - Select underline color from 24-bit RGB colors.
      - kitty
    * - ``\e[59m``
      - Su
-     - Reset underline color (follow foreground color).
+     - Reset underline color to the default (follow the foreground color).
      - kitty
    * - ``\e[ Ps S``
      - indn
diff --git a/src/builtins/set_color.rs b/src/builtins/set_color.rs
index 4cc0918b4..dfa0eaaa2 100644
--- a/src/builtins/set_color.rs
+++ b/src/builtins/set_color.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 use super::prelude::*;
 use crate::color::Color;
 use crate::common::str2wcstring;
-use crate::terminal::TerminalCommand::DefaultUnderlineColor;
+use crate::terminal::TerminalCommand::{DefaultBackgroundColor, DefaultUnderlineColor};
 use crate::terminal::{Output, Outputter, Paintable};
 use crate::text_face::{
     self, parse_text_face_and_options, PrintColorsArgs, SpecifiedTextFace, TextFace, TextStyling,
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ pub fn set_color(parser: &Parser, streams: &mut IoStreams, argv: &mut [&wstr]) -
 
     // Here's some automagic behavior: if either of foreground or background are "normal",
     // reset all colors/attributes. Same if foreground is "reset" (undocumented).
-    if is_reset || [fg, bg].iter().any(|c| c.is_some_and(|c| c.is_normal())) {
+    if is_reset || fg.is_some_and(|fg| fg.is_normal()) {
         outp.reset_text_face();
     }
 
@@ -140,7 +140,9 @@ pub fn set_color(parser: &Parser, streams: &mut IoStreams, argv: &mut [&wstr]) -
         }
     }
     if let Some(bg) = bg {
-        if !bg.is_normal() {
+        if bg.is_normal() {
+            outp.write_command(DefaultBackgroundColor);
+        } else {
             outp.write_color(Paintable::Background, bg);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/terminal.rs b/src/terminal.rs
index 054fc9551..744e3bb86 100644
--- a/src/terminal.rs
+++ b/src/terminal.rs
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ pub(crate) enum TerminalCommand<'a> {
     // Colors
     SelectPaletteColor(Paintable, u8),
     SelectRgbColor(Paintable, Color24),
+    DefaultBackgroundColor,
     DefaultUnderlineColor,
 
     // Cursor Movement
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ fn write(out: &mut impl Output, sequence: &'static [u8]) -> bool {
             ClearToEndOfScreen => ti(self, b"\x1b[J", |term| &term.clr_eos),
             SelectPaletteColor(paintable, idx) => palette_color(self, paintable, idx),
             SelectRgbColor(paintable, rgb) => rgb_color(self, paintable, rgb),
+            DefaultBackgroundColor => write(self, b"\x1b[49m"),
             DefaultUnderlineColor => write(self, b"\x1b[59m"),
             CursorUp => ti(self, b"\x1b[A", |term| &term.cursor_up),
             CursorDown => ti(self, b"\n", |term| &term.cursor_down),
@@ -511,9 +513,9 @@ pub(crate) fn set_text_face(&mut self, face: TextFace) {
         let mut last_bg_set = false;
 
         use TerminalCommand::{
-            DefaultUnderlineColor, EnterBoldMode, EnterCurlyUnderlineMode, EnterDimMode,
-            EnterItalicsMode, EnterReverseMode, EnterStandoutMode, EnterUnderlineMode,
-            ExitAttributeMode, ExitItalicsMode, ExitUnderlineMode,
+            DefaultBackgroundColor, DefaultUnderlineColor, EnterBoldMode, EnterCurlyUnderlineMode,
+            EnterDimMode, EnterItalicsMode, EnterReverseMode, EnterStandoutMode,
+            EnterUnderlineMode, ExitAttributeMode, ExitItalicsMode, ExitUnderlineMode,
         };
 
         // Removes all styles that are individually resettable.
@@ -572,14 +574,7 @@ pub(crate) fn set_text_face(&mut self, face: TextFace) {
 
         if !bg.is_none() && bg != self.last.bg {
             if bg.is_normal() {
-                self.write_command(ExitAttributeMode);
-                if !self.last.fg.is_normal() {
-                    self.write_color(Paintable::Foreground, self.last.fg);
-                }
-                if !self.last.underline_color.is_normal() && !self.last.underline_color.is_none() {
-                    self.write_color(Paintable::Underline, self.last.underline_color);
-                }
-                self.last.style = TextStyling::default();
+                self.write_command(DefaultBackgroundColor);
             } else {
                 assert!(!bg.is_special());
                 self.write_color(Paintable::Background, bg);
diff --git a/tests/checks/set_color.fish b/tests/checks/set_color.fish
index 25d14d768..7e7ad28ec 100644
--- a/tests/checks/set_color.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/set_color.fish
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ string escape (set_color --background=reset)
 # CHECKERR: set_color: Unknown color 'reset'
 
 string escape (set_color --bold red --background=normal)
-# CHECK: \e\[m\e\[1m\e\[31m
+# CHECK: \e\[1m\e\[31m\e\[49m
 string escape (set_color --bold red --background=blue)
 # CHECK: \e\[1m\e\[31m\e\[44m