diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c51931a..b8be135 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -548,6 +548,8 @@ require("diffbandit").setup({
     },
     theme = {
       auto_refresh = true,
+      background = nil, -- reference bg for blending when Normal has none (e.g. "#1e1e2e")
+      transparent = nil, -- nil: detect from Normal; true/false forces see-through panes
       semantic_blend = 0.3,
       change_emphasis_strength = 0.16,
       min_background_delta = 0.08,
@@ -573,6 +575,16 @@ Theme colors are derived from the active colorscheme's diff highlight groups.
 Use `ui.theme.colors` for semantic color overrides, or `ui.theme.highlights` to
 override specific `DiffBandit*` highlight groups.
 
+Transparent colorschemes (a `Normal` group with no background) keep the panes
+and gutters see-through with no extra configuration: context rows, gutters,
+splits, panels and status strips paint no background, while the
+add/delete/change bands stay opaque. The bands are still blended against a
+background color. Without one, DiffBandit picks a neutral dark or light color
+based on `'background'`; set `ui.theme.background` (hex or a color name) to your
+terminal's background to tune the bands to it exactly. `ui.theme.transparent = true` forces
+see-through panes on an opaque theme, and `false` paints `ui.theme.background`
+(or the fallback) instead.
+
 ### Image connectors (Kitty graphics)
 
 With `ui.connector_renderer = "auto"` (the default), DiffBandit probes the
diff --git a/lua/diffbandit/config.lua b/lua/diffbandit/config.lua
index 9b62565..ced44bd 100644
--- a/lua/diffbandit/config.lua
+++ b/lua/diffbandit/config.lua
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ local defaults = {
     },
     theme = {
       auto_refresh = true,
+      background = nil, -- reference bg for blending when Normal has none (e.g. "#1e1e2e")
+      transparent = nil, -- nil: detect from Normal; true/false forces see-through panes
       semantic_blend = 0.3,
       change_emphasis_strength = 0.16,
       min_background_delta = 0.08,
diff --git a/lua/diffbandit/highlights.lua b/lua/diffbandit/highlights.lua
index 2c4abe4..923c7de 100644
--- a/lua/diffbandit/highlights.lua
+++ b/lua/diffbandit/highlights.lua
@@ -168,13 +168,46 @@ local function apply_theme_overrides(theme)
   end
 end
 
+-- Fallback reference backgrounds for a transparent Normal with no
+-- ui.theme.background: a typical dark/light terminal background, chosen by
+-- 'background' so light terminals don't blend against black.
+local FALLBACK_DARK_BG = 0x1E1E1E
+local FALLBACK_LIGHT_BG = 0xFFFFFF
+
+--- Resolve the two backgrounds the theme derivation needs.
+--- `ref_bg` is the colour everything is blended against (always a number):
+--- ui.theme.background, then Normal.bg, then a 'background'-based fallback.
+--- `paint_bg` is what "page" groups (context rows, gutters, splits) paint:
+--- "NONE" when the colorscheme is transparent so the terminal shows through,
+--- otherwise ref_bg. ui.theme.transparent forces either mode; nil detects it
+--- from Normal having no background (the usual transparent-theme setup).
+local function resolve_backgrounds(normal_base, theme)
+  local normal_bg = color_to_number(normal_base.bg)
+  local ref_bg = color_to_number(theme.background)
+  if not ref_bg and type(theme.background) == "string" then
+    -- Colour names ("Black", "DarkSlateGray"); -1 when unknown.
+    local named = vim.api.nvim_get_color_by_name(theme.background)
+    ref_bg = named >= 0 and named or nil
+  end
+  ref_bg = ref_bg or normal_bg
+  if not ref_bg then
+    ref_bg = vim.o.background == "light" and FALLBACK_LIGHT_BG or FALLBACK_DARK_BG
+  end
+  local transparent = theme.transparent
+  if transparent == nil then
+    transparent = normal_bg == nil
+  end
+  return ref_bg, transparent and "NONE" or ref_bg
+end
+
 local function apply_diff_variants(config)
   local normal_base = adopt_diff_colors("Normal")
   local ui = (config and config.ui) or {}
   local theme = ui.theme or {}
 
-  local normal_bg = color_to_number(normal_base.bg) or 0x000000
-  local normal_fg = color_to_number(normal_base.fg) or 0xFFFFFF
+  local normal_bg, paint_bg = resolve_backgrounds(normal_base, theme)
+  local normal_fg = color_to_number(normal_base.fg)
+    or (luminance(normal_bg) < 0.5 and 0xFFFFFF or 0x000000)
   local add_bg = semantic_background("add", "DiffAdd", normal_bg, theme)
   local delete_bg = semantic_background("delete", "DiffDelete", normal_bg, theme)
   local change_bg = semantic_background("change", "DiffChange", normal_bg, theme)
@@ -224,22 +257,28 @@ local function apply_diff_variants(config)
 
   -- Context highlight - no sp set to avoid conflicts with separator underlines
   apply_group("DiffBanditContext", {
-    bg = normal_bg,
+    bg = paint_bg,
     fg = "NONE",
   })
 
-  local soft_split_fg = blend_color(normal_base.bg or "#000000", get_foreground_color("LineNr", "#808080"), ui.split_blend or 0.3)
+  local soft_split_fg = blend_color(normal_bg, get_foreground_color("LineNr", "#808080"), ui.split_blend or 0.3)
   apply_group("DiffBanditSplit", {
     fg = soft_split_fg,
-    bg = normal_bg,
+    bg = paint_bg,
   })
 
+  -- Hidden separators draw the glyph in the background colour. Transparent:
+  -- the glyph takes the reference background (invisible when
+  -- ui.theme.background matches the terminal) over a see-through cell.
   apply_group("DiffBanditHiddenSplit", {
     fg = normal_bg,
-    bg = normal_bg,
+    bg = paint_bg,
   })
 
-  local status_bg = blend_color(normal_bg, get_foreground_color("LineNr", "#808080"), 0.08)
+  -- Status strips and panels (nav/commit panel, log view) get a faint tint on
+  -- opaque themes; transparent themes keep them see-through like the panes.
+  local status_bg = paint_bg == "NONE" and "NONE"
+    or blend_color(normal_bg, get_foreground_color("LineNr", "#808080"), 0.08)
   local status_muted = get_foreground_color("Comment", "#808080")
   local status_accent = get_foreground_color("Identifier", normal_fg)
   apply_group("DiffBanditStatus", {
@@ -291,17 +330,17 @@ local function apply_diff_variants(config)
 
   -- Filler/placeholder highlights
   apply_group("DiffBanditGap", {
-    bg = normal_bg,
+    bg = paint_bg,
     fg = get_foreground_color("Comment", "#808080"),
   })
 
   apply_group("DiffBanditPlaceholder", {
-    bg = normal_bg,
+    bg = paint_bg,
     fg = get_foreground_color("Comment", "#808080"),
   })
 
   apply_group("DiffBanditEmptyNotice", {
-    bg = normal_bg,
+    bg = paint_bg,
     fg = get_foreground_color("Comment", "#808080"),
     italic = true,
   })
@@ -314,25 +353,25 @@ local function apply_diff_variants(config)
   for kind, color in pairs({ Add = add_bg, Delete = delete_bg, Change = change_bg }) do
     apply_group("DiffBanditConnector" .. kind, { bg = color, fg = connector_fg })
     apply_group("DiffBanditConnector" .. kind .. "Line", { fg = color, bold = true })
-    apply_group("DiffBanditConnectorExpansion" .. kind, { fg = color, bg = normal_bg, bold = true })
+    apply_group("DiffBanditConnectorExpansion" .. kind, { fg = color, bg = paint_bg, bold = true })
     apply_group("DiffBanditOverview" .. kind, { bg = color, fg = color })
   end
 
   apply_group("DiffBanditConnectorExpansionAddUnderline", {
     fg = add_bg,
-    bg = normal_bg,
+    bg = paint_bg,
     underline = true,
     sp = add_bg,
     bold = true,
   })
 
   apply_group("DiffBanditConnectorContext", {
-    bg = normal_bg,
+    bg = paint_bg,
     fg = get_foreground_color("Comment", "#808080"),
   })
 
   apply_group("DiffBanditOverviewContext", {
-    bg = normal_bg,
+    bg = paint_bg,
     fg = normal_bg,
   })
   apply_group("DiffBanditOverviewCursor", {
@@ -354,7 +393,7 @@ local function apply_diff_variants(config)
   apply_group("DiffBanditLineNumberRight", { fg = line_number_fg })
   -- The editable right pane's sign column must share the pane background
   -- instead of the colorscheme's SignColumn bg.
-  apply_group("DiffBanditSignColumn", { bg = normal_bg })
+  apply_group("DiffBanditSignColumn", { bg = paint_bg })
   -- Band continuation into the sign column: line_hl_group does not cover the
   -- sign column, so band rows place a low-priority blank sign carrying the
   -- band background (real signs outrank it and still display).
diff --git a/lua/diffbandit/kitty/canvas.lua b/lua/diffbandit/kitty/canvas.lua
index 2c180b0..e2e1c3a 100644
--- a/lua/diffbandit/kitty/canvas.lua
+++ b/lua/diffbandit/kitty/canvas.lua
@@ -372,8 +372,10 @@ local edge_ns = vim.api.nvim_create_namespace("DiffBanditKittyEdges")
 local KIND_HL = { add = "DiffBanditConnectorAdd", delete = "DiffBanditConnectorDelete", change = "DiffBanditConnectorChange" }
 
 local function vert_char()
+  -- Global value: the current window may be a hidden-separator pane whose
+  -- local fillchars blanks `vert` (util/layout.hidden_separator_fillchars).
   local ok, fc = pcall(function()
-    return vim.opt.fillchars:get()
+    return vim.opt_global.fillchars:get()
   end)
   local ch = ok and fc and fc.vert or nil
   return (ch and ch ~= "") and ch or "│"
diff --git a/lua/diffbandit/session/layout.lua b/lua/diffbandit/session/layout.lua
index 615d699..1b00391 100644
--- a/lua/diffbandit/session/layout.lua
+++ b/lua/diffbandit/session/layout.lua
@@ -241,9 +241,10 @@ end
 -- back on desyncs the pane's screen rows from its unwrappable gutters,
 -- and 'scrolloff'/folds undo ]c alignment. Re-apply after every right-buffer swap.
 local function apply_right_source_window_options(session)
-  local right_source_winhl = session.overview_enabled and layout.winhl.hidden_source or layout.winhl.source
-  set_window_options(session.right_win, layout.win_opts.source(right_source_winhl, {
+  local hidden = session.overview_enabled
+  set_window_options(session.right_win, layout.win_opts.source(hidden and layout.winhl.hidden_source or layout.winhl.source, {
     signcolumn = session.right.editable and "auto" or "no",
+    fillchars = hidden and layout.hidden_separator_fillchars() or nil,
   }))
 end
 
@@ -253,6 +254,7 @@ local function apply_window_options(session)
   for _, win in ipairs({ session.left_overview_win, session.right_overview_win }) do
     if win then
       set_window_options(win, layout.win_opts.gutter(layout.winhl.overview))
+      set_window_options(win, { fillchars = layout.hidden_separator_fillchars() })
       set_window_width(win, session.overview_width)
     end
   end
@@ -353,7 +355,9 @@ function M.open(session)
   finalize_bufhidden(session)
 
   -- Set vertical split character to thin line
-  vim.opt.fillchars:append({ vert = "│" })
+  -- Global only: vim.opt would also reset the current window's local
+  -- fillchars (the hidden-separator windows set their own).
+  vim.opt_global.fillchars:append({ vert = "│" })
 
   set_initial_focus(session)
 end
diff --git a/lua/diffbandit/util/layout.lua b/lua/diffbandit/util/layout.lua
index 6248838..70271e4 100644
--- a/lua/diffbandit/util/layout.lua
+++ b/lua/diffbandit/util/layout.lua
@@ -47,6 +47,22 @@ M.winhl = {
 
 M.win_opts = {}
 
+--- Window-local 'fillchars' for windows whose separator is hidden
+--- (winhl.hidden_split): the user's global fillchars with a blank `vert`.
+--- DiffBanditHiddenSplit alone paints the glyph fg = bg, which only hides it
+--- when the background is opaque; a transparent theme would show the glyph in
+--- the reference colour over the terminal background.
+function M.hidden_separator_fillchars()
+  local chars = vim.opt_global.fillchars:get()
+  chars.vert = " "
+  local parts = {}
+  for key, value in pairs(chars) do
+    parts[#parts + 1] = key .. ":" .. value
+  end
+  table.sort(parts)
+  return table.concat(parts, ",")
+end
+
 -- Source/content pane: cursorline on, no gutter columns.
 function M.win_opts.source(winhl, overrides)
   local opts = {
diff --git a/tests/integration/verify.lua b/tests/integration/verify.lua
index 90961c4..1720a26 100644
--- a/tests/integration/verify.lua
+++ b/tests/integration/verify.lua
@@ -1051,11 +1051,11 @@ local function connector_core_bounds(stripped)
     from = pos + #"│"
   end
 
-  local has_overview_pane = (separators[1] or 999) <= 3
-  if has_overview_pane then
-    return separators[3], separators[#separators - 2]
-  end
-  return separators[2], separators[#separators - 2]
+  -- Overview strips hide their separators with a blank fillchar (no glyph
+  -- is invisible on a transparent background), so the visible glyphs are
+  -- the same with or without overviews: left source, left numbers (core
+  -- start), [rails], core end, right numbers.
+  return separators[2], separators[#separators - 1]
 end
 
 local function connector_core_pipe_count(stripped)
diff --git a/tests/specs/10_connector.lua b/tests/specs/10_connector.lua
index 506bfa9..7dc7122 100644
--- a/tests/specs/10_connector.lua
+++ b/tests/specs/10_connector.lua
@@ -1543,6 +1543,77 @@ do
   assert_eq(get_hl("DiffBanditConnectorAddLine").bg, 0x040506,
     "Per-group highlight override should include background")
 
+  -- Transparent colorschemes (Normal without bg): page groups paint no
+  -- background so the terminal shows through; bands stay opaque and blend
+  -- against ui.theme.background (or a 'background'-based fallback, never
+  -- black on light terminals).
+  local page_groups = {
+    "DiffBanditContext", "DiffBanditConnectorContext", "DiffBanditOverviewContext",
+    "DiffBanditSignColumn", "DiffBanditSplit", "DiffBanditHiddenSplit",
+    "DiffBanditGap", "DiffBanditPlaceholder", "DiffBanditEmptyNotice",
+    "DiffBanditConnectorExpansionAdd", "DiffBanditConnectorExpansionAddUnderline",
+    "DiffBanditStatus", "DiffBanditStatusLine", "DiffBanditStatusAccent", "DiffBanditStatusMuted",
+  }
+  local transparent_palette = {
+    Normal = { fg = 0xE0E2EA },
+    LineNr = { fg = 0x4F5258 },
+    Comment = { fg = 0x9B9EA4 },
+    DiffAdd = { fg = 0x40C060 },
+    DiffDelete = { fg = 0xE05050 },
+    DiffChange = { fg = 0x5090E0 },
+  }
+  local saved_background = vim.o.background
+  vim.o.background = "dark"
+  set_palette(transparent_palette)
+  highlights.apply(config_mod.defaults())
+  for _, group in ipairs(page_groups) do
+    assert_eq(get_hl(group).bg, nil, "Transparent Normal should leave " .. group .. " see-through")
+  end
+  assert_eq(get_hl("DiffBanditAdd").bg ~= nil, true, "Transparent Normal should keep opaque add bands")
+  assert_eq(luminance(get_hl("DiffBanditAdd").bg) < 0.5, true,
+    "Transparent dark fallback should derive dark add bands")
+  local fallback_add = get_hl("DiffBanditAdd").bg
+
+  highlights.apply(config_mod.apply({ ui = { theme = { background = "#303446" } } }))
+  assert_eq(get_hl("DiffBanditContext").bg, nil,
+    "ui.theme.background must not make a transparent theme opaque")
+  assert_ne(get_hl("DiffBanditAdd").bg, fallback_add,
+    "ui.theme.background should be the blend reference for transparent themes")
+  assert_eq(get_hl("DiffBanditHiddenSplit").fg, 0x303446,
+    "Hidden splits should draw in the configured reference background")
+
+  highlights.apply(config_mod.apply({ ui = { theme = { background = "DarkSlateGray" } } }))
+  assert_eq(get_hl("DiffBanditHiddenSplit").fg, vim.api.nvim_get_color_by_name("DarkSlateGray"),
+    "ui.theme.background should accept colour names")
+
+  local layout_util = require("diffbandit.util.layout")
+  local saved_fillchars = vim.go.fillchars
+  vim.go.fillchars = "eob: ,vert:│,fold:-"
+  assert_eq(layout_util.hidden_separator_fillchars(), "eob: ,fold:-,vert: ",
+    "Hidden-separator windows should blank vert and keep the user's other fillchars")
+  vim.go.fillchars = saved_fillchars
+
+  highlights.apply(config_mod.apply({ ui = { theme = { background = "#303446", transparent = false } } }))
+  assert_eq(get_hl("DiffBanditContext").bg, 0x303446,
+    "transparent = false should paint the reference background")
+
+  vim.o.background = "light"
+  set_palette(transparent_palette)
+  highlights.apply(config_mod.defaults())
+  assert_eq(luminance(get_hl("DiffBanditAdd").bg) > 0.5, true,
+    "Transparent light fallback should derive light add bands, not blend against black")
+  vim.o.background = saved_background
+
+  set_palette({
+    Normal = { fg = 0xE0E2EA, bg = 0x14161B },
+    DiffAdd = { bg = 0x005523 },
+  })
+  highlights.apply(config_mod.apply({ ui = { theme = { transparent = true } } }))
+  assert_eq(get_hl("DiffBanditContext").bg, nil, "transparent = true should force see-through panes")
+  assert_eq(get_hl("DiffBanditAdd").bg, 0x005523, "Forced transparency should keep theme bands")
+  highlights.apply(config_mod.defaults())
+  assert_eq(get_hl("DiffBanditContext").bg, 0x14161B, "Opaque themes should keep painting Normal bg")
+
   local diffbandit = require("diffbandit")
   set_palette({
     Normal = { fg = 0xEEEEEE, bg = 0x101010 },