diff --git a/d2renderers/d2svg/d2svg.go b/d2renderers/d2svg/d2svg.go
index cc0073184..f2b364e0a 100644
--- a/d2renderers/d2svg/d2svg.go
+++ b/d2renderers/d2svg/d2svg.go
@@ -62,9 +62,10 @@ var sketchStyleCSS string
 var mdCSS string
 
 type RenderOpts struct {
-	Pad     int
-	Sketch  bool
-	ThemeID int64
+	Pad      int
+	Sketch   bool
+	SketchBg bool
+	ThemeID  int64
 }
 
 func setViewbox(writer io.Writer, diagram *d2target.Diagram, pad int, bgColor string) (width int, height int) {
@@ -1106,8 +1107,10 @@ var fitToScreenScript string
 func Render(diagram *d2target.Diagram, opts *RenderOpts) ([]byte, error) {
 	var sketchRunner *d2sketch.Runner
 	pad := DEFAULT_PADDING
+	sketchBg := true
 	if opts != nil {
 		pad = opts.Pad
+		sketchBg = opts.SketchBg
 		if opts.Sketch {
 			var err error
 			sketchRunner, err = d2sketch.InitSketchVM()
@@ -1128,11 +1131,7 @@ func Render(diagram *d2target.Diagram, opts *RenderOpts) ([]byte, error) {
 	if sketchRunner != nil {
 		styleCSS2 = "\n" + sketchStyleCSS
 	}
-	buf.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf(`<style type="text/css">
-<![CDATA[
-%s%s
-]]>
-</style>`, styleCSS, styleCSS2))
+	buf.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf(`<style type="text/css"><![CDATA[%s%s]]></style>`, styleCSS, styleCSS2))
 
 	// this script won't run in --watch mode because script tags are ignored when added via el.innerHTML = element
 	// https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Element/innerHTML
@@ -1148,8 +1147,8 @@ func Render(diagram *d2target.Diagram, opts *RenderOpts) ([]byte, error) {
 	if hasMarkdown {
 		fmt.Fprintf(buf, `<style type="text/css">%s</style>`, mdCSS)
 	}
-	if sketchRunner != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintf(buf, d2sketch.DefineFillPattern())
+	if sketchRunner != nil && sketchBg {
+		fmt.Fprint(buf, d2sketch.DefineFillPattern())
 	}
 
 	// only define shadow filter if a shape uses it
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index eacb717ff..659260cec 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, ms *xmain.State) (err error) {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	sketchBgFlag, err := ms.Opts.Bool("D2_SKT_BG", "sketch_bg", "", true, "make the background look like it was sketched too")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	ps, err := d2plugin.ListPlugins(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -209,7 +214,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, ms *xmain.State) (err error) {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Minute*2)
 	defer cancel()
 
-	_, written, err := compile(ctx, ms, plugin, *sketchFlag, *padFlag, *themeFlag, inputPath, outputPath, *bundleFlag, pw.Page)
+	_, written, err := compile(ctx, ms, plugin, *sketchFlag, *sketchBgFlag, *padFlag, *themeFlag, inputPath, outputPath, *bundleFlag, pw.Page)
 	if err != nil {
 		if written {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to fully compile (partial render written): %w", err)
@@ -220,7 +225,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, ms *xmain.State) (err error) {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func compile(ctx context.Context, ms *xmain.State, plugin d2plugin.Plugin, sketch bool, pad, themeID int64, inputPath, outputPath string, bundle bool, page playwright.Page) (_ []byte, written bool, _ error) {
+func compile(ctx context.Context, ms *xmain.State, plugin d2plugin.Plugin, sketch bool, sketchBg bool, pad, themeID int64, inputPath, outputPath string, bundle bool, page playwright.Page) (_ []byte, written bool, _ error) {
 	input, err := ms.ReadPath(inputPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, false, err
@@ -246,9 +251,10 @@ func compile(ctx context.Context, ms *xmain.State, plugin d2plugin.Plugin, sketc
 	}
 
 	svg, err := d2svg.Render(diagram, &d2svg.RenderOpts{
-		Pad:    int(pad),
-		Sketch: sketch,
-		ThemeID: themeID,
+		Pad:      int(pad),
+		Sketch:   sketch,
+		SketchBg: sketchBg,
+		ThemeID:  themeID,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, false, err
diff --git a/watch.go b/watch.go
index 9263ccfba..530ad7d70 100644
--- a/watch.go
+++ b/watch.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ type watcherOpts struct {
 	themeID      int64
 	pad          int64
 	sketch       bool
+	sketchBg     bool
 	host         string
 	port         string
 	inputPath    string
@@ -356,7 +357,7 @@ func (w *watcher) compileLoop(ctx context.Context) error {
 			w.pw = newPW
 		}
 
-		svg, _, err := compile(ctx, w.ms, w.layoutPlugin, w.sketch, w.pad, w.themeID, w.inputPath, w.outputPath, w.bundle, w.pw.Page)
+		svg, _, err := compile(ctx, w.ms, w.layoutPlugin, w.sketch, w.sketchBg, w.pad, w.themeID, w.inputPath, w.outputPath, w.bundle, w.pw.Page)
 		errs := ""
 		if err != nil {
 			if len(svg) > 0 {