diff --git a/stepmania/src/Background.cpp b/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
index ea4ec4867f..a9a1343dea 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ const float FADE_SECONDS = 1.0f;
 
 
 const CString STATIC_BACKGROUND = "static background";
-const int MAX_RANDOM_BACKGROUNDS = 4;
 
 CString RandomBackground(int num) { return ssprintf("__random%i", num); }
 
@@ -234,7 +233,7 @@ void Background::LoadFromSong( Song* pSong )
 	// Load random backgrounds
 	bool bLoadedAnyRandomBackgrounds = false;
 	{
-		for( int i=0; i<MAX_RANDOM_BACKGROUNDS; i++ )
+		for( int i=0; i<PREFSMAN->m_iNumBackgrounds; i++ )
 		{
 			CString sBGName = RandomBackground(i);
 			BGAnimation *pTempBGA = CreateRandomBGA();
@@ -267,7 +266,7 @@ void Background::LoadFromSong( Song* pSong )
 					m_BGAnimations[sBGName] = pTempBGA;
 				else // the background was not found.  Use a random one instead
 					if( bLoadedAnyRandomBackgrounds )
-						sBGName = RandomBackground( rand()%MAX_RANDOM_BACKGROUNDS );
+						sBGName = RandomBackground( rand()%PREFSMAN->m_iNumBackgrounds );
 					else
 						sBGName = STATIC_BACKGROUND;
 			}
@@ -293,7 +292,7 @@ void Background::LoadFromSong( Song* pSong )
 				bool bFade = PREFSMAN->m_BackgroundMode==PrefsManager::BGMODE_RANDOMMOVIES || 
 					PREFSMAN->m_BackgroundMode==PrefsManager::BGMODE_MOVIEVIS;
 				m_aBGChanges.push_back( BackgroundChange(f,sBGName,1.f,bFade) );
-				ctr = (ctr+1)%MAX_RANDOM_BACKGROUNDS;
+				ctr = (ctr+1)%PREFSMAN->m_iNumBackgrounds;
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -310,7 +309,7 @@ void Background::LoadFromSong( Song* pSong )
 
 			if( bLoadedAnyRandomBackgrounds )
 			{
-				CString sBGName = RandomBackground( rand()%MAX_RANDOM_BACKGROUNDS );
+				CString sBGName = RandomBackground( rand()%PREFSMAN->m_iNumBackgrounds );
 				m_aBGChanges.push_back( BackgroundChange(bpmseg.m_fStartBeat,sBGName) );
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
index be991c2bfb..27ad34bb18 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ PrefsManager::PrefsManager()
 	m_bShowStats = false;
 #endif
 	m_BackgroundMode = BGMODE_ANIMATIONS;
+	m_iNumBackgrounds = 8;
 	m_bShowDanger = true;
 	m_fBGBrightness = 0.8f;
 	m_bMenuTimer = true;
@@ -147,6 +148,7 @@ void PrefsManager::ReadGlobalPrefsFromDisk( bool bSwitchToLastPlayedGame )
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "UseDedicatedMenuButtons",	m_bOnlyDedicatedMenuButtons );
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "ShowStats",					m_bShowStats );
 	ini.GetValueI( "Options", "BackgroundMode",				(int&)m_BackgroundMode );
+	ini.GetValueI( "Options", "NumBackgrounds",				m_iNumBackgrounds);
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "ShowDanger",					m_bShowDanger );
 	ini.GetValueF( "Options", "BGBrightness",				m_fBGBrightness );
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "MenuTimer",					m_bMenuTimer );
@@ -238,6 +240,7 @@ void PrefsManager::SaveGlobalPrefsToDisk()
 	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "UseDedicatedMenuButtons",	m_bOnlyDedicatedMenuButtons );
 	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "ShowStats",					m_bShowStats );
 	ini.SetValueI( "Options", "BackgroundMode",				m_BackgroundMode);
+	ini.SetValueI( "Options", "NumBackgrounds",				m_iNumBackgrounds);
 	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "ShowDanger",					m_bShowDanger );
 	ini.SetValueF( "Options", "BGBrightness",				m_fBGBrightness );
 	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "MenuTimer",					m_bMenuTimer );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
index 4985cddbdd..0ae188f6a0 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ public:
 	int				m_iRefreshRate;
 	bool			m_bShowStats;
 	enum { BGMODE_OFF, BGMODE_ANIMATIONS, BGMODE_MOVIEVIS, BGMODE_RANDOMMOVIES } m_BackgroundMode;
+	int				m_iNumBackgrounds;
 	float			m_fBGBrightness;
 	int 			m_iMovieDecodeMS;
 	bool			m_bUseBGIfNoBanner;