diff --git a/Readme.org b/Readme.org
index 67ecbdc..a7e6ad7 100644
--- a/Readme.org
+++ b/Readme.org
@@ -141,6 +141,13 @@ Then blocks will be sent automatically when a traceback is detected in the respo
   (ob-python-extras-load-alerts))
 #+end_src
 
+** Matplotlib image transparency
+Matplotlib is configured to save and display images without transparency by
+default. The default can be changed with ~(setq
+ob-python-extras/transparent-images t)~. This default, in turn, can be
+overridden at the org-src-block level with =:transparent nil= or =:transparent
+t=.
+
 * Examples:
 [[file:tests/babel-formatting.org][See this org file for examples of the different functionality and configurations.]]
 
diff --git a/ob-python-extras.el b/ob-python-extras.el
index 150e6ac..d69cbc2 100644
--- a/ob-python-extras.el
+++ b/ob-python-extras.el
@@ -204,10 +204,12 @@ finally:
 ;;;; Better output handling
 ;;;;; mix printing images and text
 
-(defun ob-python-extras/wrap-org-babel-execute-python-mock-plt (orig body &rest args)
+(defun ob-python-extras/wrap-org-babel-execute-python-mock-plt (orig body params &rest args)
   (let* ((exec-file (make-temp-file "execution-code"))
-         (pymockbabel-script-location (ob-python-extras/find-python-scripts-dir)))
-
+         (pymockbabel-script-location (ob-python-extras/find-python-scripts-dir))
+         (src-info (org-babel-get-src-block-info))
+         (headers (nth 2 src-info))
+         (transparent-header (assoc :transparent headers)))
     (with-temp-file exec-file (insert body))
     (let* ((body (format "\
 exec_file = \"%s\"
@@ -216,7 +218,7 @@ import os
 import sys
 sys.path.append(pymockbabel_script_location)
 import pymockbabel
-outputs_and_file_paths, output_types, list_writer = pymockbabel.setup(\"%s\")
+outputs_and_file_paths, output_types, list_writer = pymockbabel.setup(\"%s\"%s)
 with open(exec_file, 'r') as file:
     exec(compile(file.read(), '<org babel source block>', 'exec'))
 pymockbabel.display(outputs_and_file_paths, output_types, list_writer)
@@ -226,8 +228,11 @@ except:
     pass "
                          exec-file
                          pymockbabel-script-location
-                         (file-name-sans-extension (file-name-nondirectory buffer-file-name)))))
-      (apply orig body args))))
+                         (file-name-sans-extension (file-name-nondirectory buffer-file-name))
+                         (concat ", transparent="
+                                 (if transparent-header (if (equal (cdr transparent-header) "nil") "False" "True")
+                                   (if (and (boundp 'ob-python-extras/transparent-images) ob-python-extras/transparent-images) "True" "False"))))))
+      (apply orig body params args))))
 
 
 
diff --git a/python/pymockbabel.py b/python/pymockbabel.py
index 495deb5..522f32f 100755
--- a/python/pymockbabel.py
+++ b/python/pymockbabel.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def stop_capturing(list_writer):
     sys.stderr = list_writer._stderr
 
 
-def mock_show(outputs_and_file_paths, output_types, org_babel_file_name):
+def mock_show(outputs_and_file_paths, output_types, org_babel_file_name, transparent):
     directory = os.path.join("plots", org_babel_file_name)
     os.makedirs(directory, exist_ok=True)
 
@@ -59,14 +59,14 @@ def mock_show(outputs_and_file_paths, output_types, org_babel_file_name):
         directory, f"plot_{timestamp}_{random.randint(0, 10000000)}.png"
     )
 
-    plt.savefig(file_path)
+    plt.savefig(file_path, transparent=transparent)
     outputs_and_file_paths.append(file_path)
     output_types.append("Image")
     plt.close()
     gc.collect()
 
 
-def setup(org_babel_file_name):
+def setup(org_babel_file_name, transparent):
     outputs_and_file_paths = []
     output_types = []
     if MATPLOTLIB_AVAILABLE:
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ def setup(org_babel_file_name):
                 outputs_and_file_paths=outputs_and_file_paths,
                 output_types=output_types,
                 org_babel_file_name=org_babel_file_name,
+                transparent=transparent
             ),
         ).start()
     list_writer = start_capturing(outputs_and_file_paths, output_types)