diff --git a/src/Gui/SoFCBackgroundGradient.cpp b/src/Gui/SoFCBackgroundGradient.cpp
index 4d44655166..4011d1bfad 100644
--- a/src/Gui/SoFCBackgroundGradient.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/SoFCBackgroundGradient.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ SoFCBackgroundGradient::SoFCBackgroundGradient()
     fCol.setValue(0.5f, 0.5f, 0.8f);
     tCol.setValue(0.7f, 0.7f, 0.9f);
     mCol.setValue(1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f);
-    radial = false;
+    gradient = Gradient::LINEAR;
 }
 
 /*!
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ void SoFCBackgroundGradient::GLRender (SoGLRenderAction * /*action*/)
     glDisable(GL_LIGHTING);
     glDisable(GL_TEXTURE_2D);
 
-    if (!radial) { // linear gradient
+    if (gradient == Gradient::LINEAR) {
         glBegin(GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP);
         if (mCol[0] < 0) {
             glColor3f(fCol[0],fCol[1],fCol[2]); glVertex2f(-1, 1);
@@ -152,23 +152,29 @@ void SoFCBackgroundGradient::GLRender (SoGLRenderAction * /*action*/)
     glMatrixMode(GL_MODELVIEW);
 }
 
+void SoFCBackgroundGradient::setGradient(SoFCBackgroundGradient::Gradient grad)
+{
+    gradient = grad;
+}
+
+SoFCBackgroundGradient::Gradient SoFCBackgroundGradient::getGradient() const
+{
+    return gradient;
+}
+
 void SoFCBackgroundGradient::setColorGradient(const SbColor& fromColor,
-                                              const SbColor& toColor,
-                                              bool isRadial)
+                                              const SbColor& toColor)
 {
     fCol = fromColor;
     tCol = toColor;
     mCol[0] = -1.0f;
-    radial = isRadial;
 }
 
 void SoFCBackgroundGradient::setColorGradient(const SbColor& fromColor,
                                               const SbColor& toColor,
-                                              const SbColor& midColor,
-                                              bool isRadial)
+                                              const SbColor& midColor)
 {
     fCol = fromColor;
     tCol = toColor;
     mCol = midColor;
-    radial = isRadial;
 }
diff --git a/src/Gui/SoFCBackgroundGradient.h b/src/Gui/SoFCBackgroundGradient.h
index 468e08ea8b..1398248a0b 100644
--- a/src/Gui/SoFCBackgroundGradient.h
+++ b/src/Gui/SoFCBackgroundGradient.h
@@ -40,21 +40,25 @@ class GuiExport SoFCBackgroundGradient : public SoNode {
     SO_NODE_HEADER(Gui::SoFCBackgroundGradient);
 
 public:
+    enum Gradient {
+        LINEAR = 0,
+        RADIAL = 1
+    };
     static void initClass();
     static void finish();
     SoFCBackgroundGradient();
 
     void GLRender (SoGLRenderAction *action);
+    void setGradient(Gradient grad);
+    Gradient getGradient() const;
+    void setColorGradient(const SbColor& fromColor,
+                          const SbColor& toColor);
     void setColorGradient(const SbColor& fromColor,
                           const SbColor& toColor,
-                          bool isRadial);
-    void setColorGradient(const SbColor& fromColor,
-                          const SbColor& toColor,
-                          const SbColor& midColor,
-                          bool isRadial);
+                          const SbColor& midColor);
 
 private:
-    bool radial;
+    Gradient gradient;
 
 protected:
     virtual ~SoFCBackgroundGradient();
diff --git a/src/Gui/View3DInventorViewer.cpp b/src/Gui/View3DInventorViewer.cpp
index 6bbf447709..82f915810e 100644
--- a/src/Gui/View3DInventorViewer.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/View3DInventorViewer.cpp
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ void View3DInventorViewer::init()
     setViewing(false);
 
     setBackgroundColor(QColor(25, 25, 25));
-    setGradientBackground(true);
+    setGradientBackground(Background::LinearGradient);
 
     // set some callback functions for user interaction
     addStartCallback(interactionStartCB);
@@ -1070,32 +1070,53 @@ void View3DInventorViewer::handleEventCB(void* ud, SoEventCallback* n)
     SoGLWidgetElement::set(action->getState(), qobject_cast<QtGLWidget*>(that->getGLWidget()));
 }
 
-void View3DInventorViewer::setGradientBackground(bool on)
+void View3DInventorViewer::setGradientBackground(View3DInventorViewer::Background grad)
 {
-    if (on && backgroundroot->findChild(pcBackGround) == -1)
-        backgroundroot->addChild(pcBackGround);
-    else if (!on && backgroundroot->findChild(pcBackGround) != -1)
-        backgroundroot->removeChild(pcBackGround);
+    switch (grad) {
+    case Background::NoGradient:
+        if (backgroundroot->findChild(pcBackGround) != -1) {
+            backgroundroot->removeChild(pcBackGround);
+        }
+        break;
+    case Background::LinearGradient:
+        pcBackGround->setGradient(SoFCBackgroundGradient::LINEAR);
+        if (backgroundroot->findChild(pcBackGround) == -1) {
+            backgroundroot->addChild(pcBackGround);
+        }
+        break;
+    case Background::RadialGradient:
+        pcBackGround->setGradient(SoFCBackgroundGradient::RADIAL);
+        if (backgroundroot->findChild(pcBackGround) == -1) {
+            backgroundroot->addChild(pcBackGround);
+        }
+        break;
+    }
 }
 
-bool View3DInventorViewer::hasGradientBackground() const
+View3DInventorViewer::Background View3DInventorViewer::getGradientBackground() const
 {
-    return (backgroundroot->findChild(pcBackGround) != -1);
+    if (backgroundroot->findChild(pcBackGround) == -1) {
+        return Background::NoGradient;
+    }
+
+    if (pcBackGround->getGradient() == SoFCBackgroundGradient::LINEAR) {
+        return Background::LinearGradient;
+    }
+
+    return Background::RadialGradient;
+}
+
+void View3DInventorViewer::setGradientBackgroundColor(const SbColor& fromColor,
+                                                      const SbColor& toColor)
+{
+    pcBackGround->setColorGradient(fromColor, toColor);
 }
 
 void View3DInventorViewer::setGradientBackgroundColor(const SbColor& fromColor,
                                                       const SbColor& toColor,
-                                                      bool isRadial)
+                                                      const SbColor& midColor)
 {
-    pcBackGround->setColorGradient(fromColor, toColor, isRadial);
-}
-
-void View3DInventorViewer::setGradientBackgroundColor(const SbColor& fromColor,
-                                                      const SbColor& toColor,
-                                                      const SbColor& midColor,
-                                                      bool isRadial)
-{
-    pcBackGround->setColorGradient(fromColor, toColor, midColor, isRadial);
+    pcBackGround->setColorGradient(fromColor, toColor, midColor);
 }
 
 void View3DInventorViewer::setEnabledFPSCounter(bool on)
@@ -1880,7 +1901,7 @@ void View3DInventorViewer::imageFromFramebuffer(int width, int height, int sampl
     QtGLFramebufferObject fbo(width, height, fboFormat);
 
     const QColor col = backgroundColor();
-    bool on = hasGradientBackground();
+    auto grad = getGradientBackground();
 
     int alpha = 255;
     QColor bgopaque = bgcolor;
@@ -1890,12 +1911,12 @@ void View3DInventorViewer::imageFromFramebuffer(int width, int height, int sampl
         if (alpha < 255)
             bgopaque.setRgb(255,255,255);
         setBackgroundColor(bgopaque);
-        setGradientBackground(false);
+        setGradientBackground(Background::NoGradient);
     }
 
     renderToFramebuffer(&fbo);
     setBackgroundColor(col);
-    setGradientBackground(on);
+    setGradientBackground(grad);
     img = fbo.toImage();
 
     // if background color isn't opaque manipulate the image
diff --git a/src/Gui/View3DInventorViewer.h b/src/Gui/View3DInventorViewer.h
index 1d1e03a75c..c7331bf279 100644
--- a/src/Gui/View3DInventorViewer.h
+++ b/src/Gui/View3DInventorViewer.h
@@ -133,6 +133,16 @@ public:
     };
     //@}
 
+    /** @name Background
+      */
+    //@{
+    enum Background {
+        NoGradient,
+        LinearGradient,
+        RadialGradient
+    };
+    //@}
+
     explicit View3DInventorViewer (QWidget *parent, const QtGLWidget* sharewidget = nullptr);
     View3DInventorViewer (const QtGLFormat& format, QWidget *parent, const QtGLWidget* sharewidget = nullptr);
     ~View3DInventorViewer() override;
@@ -370,15 +380,13 @@ public:
      */
     void viewSelection();
 
-    void setGradientBackground(bool b);
-    bool hasGradientBackground() const;
+    void setGradientBackground(Background);
+    Background getGradientBackground() const;
+    void setGradientBackgroundColor(const SbColor& fromColor,
+                                    const SbColor& toColor);
     void setGradientBackgroundColor(const SbColor& fromColor,
                                     const SbColor& toColor,
-                                    bool isRadial);
-    void setGradientBackgroundColor(const SbColor& fromColor,
-                                    const SbColor& toColor,
-                                    const SbColor& midColor,
-                                    bool isRadial);
+                                    const SbColor& midColor);
     void setNavigationType(Base::Type);
 
     void setAxisCross(bool b);
diff --git a/src/Gui/View3DSettings.cpp b/src/Gui/View3DSettings.cpp
index f33dda0b9c..61e5d57529 100644
--- a/src/Gui/View3DSettings.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/View3DSettings.cpp
@@ -293,9 +293,15 @@ void View3DSettings::OnChange(ParameterGrp::SubjectType &rCaller,ParameterGrp::M
         }
     }
     else if (strcmp(Reason,"Gradient") == 0 || strcmp(Reason,"RadialGradient") == 0) {
+        View3DInventorViewer::Background background = View3DInventorViewer::Background::NoGradient;
+        if (rGrp.GetBool("Gradient", true)) {
+            background = View3DInventorViewer::Background::LinearGradient;
+        }
+        else if (rGrp.GetBool("RadialGradient", false)) {
+            background = View3DInventorViewer::Background::RadialGradient;
+        }
         for (auto _viewer : _viewers) {
-            _viewer->setGradientBackground(rGrp.GetBool("Gradient", true) ||
-                                           rGrp.GetBool("RadialGradient", false));
+            _viewer->setGradientBackground(background);
         }
     }
     else if (strcmp(Reason,"ShowFPS") == 0) {
@@ -412,15 +418,15 @@ void View3DSettings::OnChange(ParameterGrp::SubjectType &rCaller,ParameterGrp::M
         r4 = ((col4 >> 24) & 0xff) / 255.0; g4 = ((col4 >> 16) & 0xff) / 255.0; b4 = ((col4 >> 8) & 0xff) / 255.0;
         for (auto _viewer : _viewers) {
             _viewer->setBackgroundColor(QColor::fromRgbF(r1, g1, b1));
-            if (!rGrp.GetBool("UseBackgroundColorMid",false))
+            if (!rGrp.GetBool("UseBackgroundColorMid",false)) {
+                _viewer->setGradientBackgroundColor(SbColor(r2, g2, b2),
+                                                    SbColor(r3, g3, b3));
+            }
+            else {
                 _viewer->setGradientBackgroundColor(SbColor(r2, g2, b2),
                                                     SbColor(r3, g3, b3),
-                                                    rGrp.GetBool("RadialGradient", false));
-            else
-                _viewer->setGradientBackgroundColor(SbColor(r2, g2, b2),
-                                                    SbColor(r3, g3, b3),
-                                                    SbColor(r4, g4, b4),
-                                                    rGrp.GetBool("RadialGradient", false));
+                                                    SbColor(r4, g4, b4));
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Gui/View3DViewerPy.cpp b/src/Gui/View3DViewerPy.cpp
index 7fe65d5463..d24a2ab063 100644
--- a/src/Gui/View3DViewerPy.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/View3DViewerPy.cpp
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ Py::Object View3DInventorViewerPy::setBackgroundColor(const Py::Tuple& args)
     }
     try {
         SbColor col(r,g,b);
-        _viewer->setGradientBackgroundColor(col, col, false);
+        _viewer->setGradientBackgroundColor(col, col);
         return Py::None();
     }
     catch (const Base::Exception& e) {