diff -ur tilda-0.09.3/src/load_tilda.c tilda-0.09.3-real-transparency/src/load_tilda.c
--- tilda-0.09.3/src/load_tilda.c	2006-02-01 05:16:58.000000000 +0900
+++ tilda-0.09.3-real-transparency/src/load_tilda.c	2007-01-04 22:54:36.000000000 +0900
@@ -137,10 +137,9 @@
     if (TRANS_LEVEL > 0)
     {
         vte_terminal_set_background_saturation (VTE_TERMINAL (tt->vte_term), TRANS_LEVEL);
-        vte_terminal_set_background_transparent (VTE_TERMINAL(tt->vte_term), TRUE);
-    }
-    else
-        vte_terminal_set_background_transparent (VTE_TERMINAL(tt->vte_term), FALSE);
+        vte_terminal_set_opacity (VTE_TERMINAL (tt->vte_term), (1.0 - TRANS_LEVEL) * 0xffff);
+        vte_terminal_set_background_transparent (VTE_TERMINAL(tt->vte_term), !tw->have_argb_visual);
+	}
 
     vte_terminal_set_background_tint_color (VTE_TERMINAL(tt->vte_term), &tint);
     vte_terminal_set_colors (VTE_TERMINAL(tt->vte_term), &fore, &back, NULL, 0);

diff -ur tilda-0.09.3/src/tilda_window.c tilda-0.09.3-real-transparency/src/tilda_window.c
--- tilda-0.09.3/src/tilda_window.c	2006-06-29 13:13:08.000000000 +0900
+++ tilda-0.09.3-real-transparency/src/tilda_window.c	2007-01-04 22:52:47.000000000 +0900
@@ -88,6 +88,28 @@
     CFG_END()
 };
 
+static void
+initialize_alpha_mode (tilda_window *tw)
+{
+    GdkScreen *screen;
+    GdkColormap *colormap;
+
+    screen = gtk_widget_get_screen (GTK_WIDGET (tw->window));
+    colormap = gdk_screen_get_rgba_colormap (screen);
+    if (colormap != NULL && gdk_screen_is_composited (screen))
+	{
+		/* Set RGBA colormap if possible so VTE can use real alpha
+		 * channels for transparency. */
+
+		gtk_widget_set_colormap(GTK_WIDGET (tw->window), colormap);
+		tw->have_argb_visual = TRUE;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		tw->have_argb_visual = FALSE;
+	}
+}
+
 /**
  * Get a pointer to the config file name for this instance.
  *
@@ -273,6 +295,7 @@
     /* Create a window to hold the scrolling shell, and hook its
      * delete event to the quit function.. */
     tw->window = gtk_window_new (GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
+    initialize_alpha_mode (tw);
     gtk_container_set_resize_mode (GTK_CONTAINER(tw->window), GTK_RESIZE_IMMEDIATE);
     g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT(tw->window), "delete_event", GTK_SIGNAL_FUNC(deleted_and_quit), tw->window);
 
diff -ur tilda-0.09.3/src/tilda_window.h tilda-0.09.3-real-transparency/src/tilda_window.h
--- tilda-0.09.3/src/tilda_window.h	2006-01-14 06:10:39.000000000 +0900
+++ tilda-0.09.3-real-transparency/src/tilda_window.h	2007-01-04 22:51:35.000000000 +0900
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
     gchar *lock_file;
     gchar *config_file;
     gint instance;
+    gboolean have_argb_visual;
 
     /* Stores all configuration */
     cfg_t *tc;