diff --git a/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/App/Cell.cpp b/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/App/Cell.cpp
index 62f2dfbab8..667a47c337 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/App/Cell.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/App/Cell.cpp
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Cell::Cell(const CellAddress &_address, PropertySheet *_owner)
     , alignment(ALIGNMENT_HIMPLIED | ALIGNMENT_LEFT | ALIGNMENT_VIMPLIED | ALIGNMENT_VCENTER)
     , style()
     , foregroundColor(0, 0, 0, 1)
-    , backgroundColor(1, 1, 1, 1)
+    , backgroundColor(1, 1, 1, 0)
     , displayUnit()
     , computedUnit()
     , rowSpan(1)
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ void Cell::setBackground(const App::Color &color)
         PropertySheet::Signaller signaller(*owner);
 
         backgroundColor = color;
-        setUsed(BACKGROUND_COLOR_SET, backgroundColor != App::Color(1, 1, 1, 1));
+        setUsed(BACKGROUND_COLOR_SET, backgroundColor != App::Color(1, 1, 1, 0));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/SheetModel.cpp b/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/SheetModel.cpp
index 70efaf3e56..e1ebfd369c 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/SheetModel.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/SheetModel.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 # include <QMessageBox>
 #endif
 
+#include <Gui/Application.h>
 #include "SheetModel.h"
 #include <Mod/Spreadsheet/App/SpreadsheetExpression.h>
 #include <Mod/Spreadsheet/App/Utils.h>
@@ -46,6 +47,9 @@ SheetModel::SheetModel(Sheet *_sheet, QObject *parent)
     , sheet(_sheet)
 {
     cellUpdatedConnection = sheet->cellUpdated.connect(bind(&SheetModel::cellUpdated, this, _1));
+
+    ParameterGrp::handle hGrp = App::GetApplication().GetParameterGroupByPath("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Spreadsheet");
+    aliasBgColor = QColor(Base::Tools::fromStdString(hGrp->GetASCII("AliasedCellBackgroundColor", "#feff9e")));
 }
 
 SheetModel::~SheetModel()
@@ -167,6 +171,13 @@ QVariant SheetModel::data(const QModelIndex &index, int role) const
         }
         return QVariant(v);
     }
+#else
+    if (role == Qt::ToolTipRole) {
+        std::string alias;
+        if (cell->getAlias(alias))
+            return QVariant(Base::Tools::fromStdString(alias));
+        return QVariant();
+    }
 #endif
 
     if (cell->hasException()) {
@@ -214,8 +225,14 @@ QVariant SheetModel::data(const QModelIndex &index, int role) const
     if (role == Qt::BackgroundRole) {
         if (cell->getBackground(color))
             return QVariant::fromValue(QColor(255.0 * color.r, 255.0 * color.g, 255.0 * color.b, 255.0 * color.a));
-        else
-            return QVariant();
+        else {
+            std::string alias;
+            if (cell->getAlias(alias)) {
+                return QVariant::fromValue(aliasBgColor);
+            }
+            else
+                return QVariant();
+        }
     }
 
     int qtAlignment = 0;
diff --git a/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/SheetModel.h b/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/SheetModel.h
index 577c5e6603..dbb8b92e54 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/SheetModel.h
+++ b/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/SheetModel.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ private:
 
     boost::BOOST_SIGNALS_NAMESPACE::scoped_connection cellUpdatedConnection;
     Spreadsheet::Sheet * sheet;
+    QColor aliasBgColor;
 };
 
 }