diff --git a/build/plotcss.js b/build/plotcss.js
index f07b126de8c..f6e9e453cdd 100644
--- a/build/plotcss.js
+++ b/build/plotcss.js
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ var rules = {
     "X .cursor-ne-resize": "cursor:ne-resize;",
     "X .cursor-grab": "cursor:-webkit-grab;cursor:grab;",
     "X .modebar": "position:absolute;top:2px;right:2px;z-index:1001;",
+    "X .ease-bg": "-webkit-transition:background-color 0.3s ease 0s;-moz-transition:background-color 0.3s ease 0s;-ms-transition:background-color 0.3s ease 0s;-o-transition:background-color 0.3s ease 0s;transition:background-color 0.3s ease 0s;",
     "X .modebar--hover>:not(.watermark)": "opacity:0;-webkit-transition:opacity 0.3s ease 0s;-moz-transition:opacity 0.3s ease 0s;-ms-transition:opacity 0.3s ease 0s;-o-transition:opacity 0.3s ease 0s;transition:opacity 0.3s ease 0s;",
     "X:hover .modebar--hover .modebar-group": "opacity:1;",
     "X .modebar-group": "float:left;display:inline-block;box-sizing:border-box;margin-left:8px;position:relative;vertical-align:middle;white-space:nowrap;",
diff --git a/src/components/modebar/modebar.js b/src/components/modebar/modebar.js
index 39154ca24e9..b351a2946aa 100644
--- a/src/components/modebar/modebar.js
+++ b/src/components/modebar/modebar.js
@@ -52,21 +52,22 @@ proto.update = function(graphInfo, buttons) {
     this.element.setAttribute('id', modeBarId);
     this._uid = modeBarId;
 
-    if(context.displayModeBar === 'hover') {
-        this.element.className = 'modebar modebar--hover';
-    }
-    else this.element.className = 'modebar';
+    this.element.className = 'modebar';
+    if(context.displayModeBar === 'hover') this.element.className += ' modebar--hover ease-bg';
 
     if(fullLayout.modebar.orientation === 'v') {
         this.element.className += ' vertical';
         buttons = buttons.reverse();
     }
 
+    var style = fullLayout.modebar;
+    var bgSelector = context.displayModeBar === 'hover' ? '.js-plotly-plot .plotly:hover ' : '';
+
     Lib.deleteRelatedStyleRule(modeBarId);
-    Lib.addRelatedStyleRule(modeBarId, '#' + modeBarId, 'background-color: ' + fullLayout.modebar.bgcolor);
-    Lib.addRelatedStyleRule(modeBarId, '#' + modeBarId + ' .modebar-btn .icon path', 'fill: ' + fullLayout.modebar.color);
-    Lib.addRelatedStyleRule(modeBarId, '#' + modeBarId + ' .modebar-btn:hover .icon path', 'fill: ' + fullLayout.modebar.activecolor);
-    Lib.addRelatedStyleRule(modeBarId, '#' + modeBarId + ' .modebar-btn.active .icon path', 'fill: ' + fullLayout.modebar.activecolor);
+    Lib.addRelatedStyleRule(modeBarId, bgSelector + '#' + modeBarId, 'background-color: ' + style.bgcolor);
+    Lib.addRelatedStyleRule(modeBarId, '#' + modeBarId + ' .modebar-btn .icon path', 'fill: ' + style.color);
+    Lib.addRelatedStyleRule(modeBarId, '#' + modeBarId + ' .modebar-btn:hover .icon path', 'fill: ' + style.activecolor);
+    Lib.addRelatedStyleRule(modeBarId, '#' + modeBarId + ' .modebar-btn.active .icon path', 'fill: ' + style.activecolor);
 
     // if buttons or logo have changed, redraw modebar interior
     var needsNewButtons = !this.hasButtons(buttons);
@@ -135,7 +136,6 @@ proto.updateButtons = function(buttons) {
 proto.createGroup = function() {
     var group = document.createElement('div');
     group.className = 'modebar-group';
-
     return group;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/css/_modebar.scss b/src/css/_modebar.scss
index d2aaf1fa51c..f648113e6ed 100644
--- a/src/css/_modebar.scss
+++ b/src/css/_modebar.scss
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
     z-index: 1001;
 }
 
+.ease-bg {
+    @include vendor('transition', background-color 0.3s ease 0s);
+}
+
 .modebar--hover > :not(.watermark) {
     opacity: 0;
     @include vendor('transition', opacity 0.3s ease 0s);
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/modebar_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/modebar_test.js
index 33f25db999f..6a16e2c3236 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/modebar_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/modebar_test.js
@@ -1290,6 +1290,16 @@ describe('ModeBar', function() {
             expect(style.fill).toBe(color);
         }
 
+        function getStyleRule() {
+            var uid = gd._fullLayout._uid;
+            var ownerNode = document.getElementById('plotly.js-style-modebar-' + uid);
+            var styleSheets = document.styleSheets;
+            for(var i = 0; i < styleSheets.length; i++) {
+                var ss = styleSheets[i];
+                if(ss.ownerNode === ownerNode) return ss;
+            }
+        }
+
         it('create an associated style element and destroy it on purge', function(done) {
             var styleSelector, style;
             Plotly.plot(gd, [], {})
@@ -1313,7 +1323,7 @@ describe('ModeBar', function() {
                 button = selectButton(gd._fullLayout._modeBar, targetBtn);
                 checkButtonColor(button, colors[0]);
             })
-            .then(function() {Plotly.relayout(gd, 'modebar.color', colors[1]);})
+            .then(function() { return Plotly.relayout(gd, 'modebar.color', colors[1]); })
             .then(function() {
                 checkButtonColor(button, colors[1]);
             })
@@ -1336,16 +1346,35 @@ describe('ModeBar', function() {
             .then(done);
         });
 
-        it('changes background color', function(done) {
+        it('changes background color (displayModeBar: hover)', function(done) {
             Plotly.plot(gd, [], {modebar: { bgcolor: colors[0]}})
+            .then(function() {
+                style = window.getComputedStyle(gd._fullLayout._modeBar.element);
+                expect(style.backgroundColor).toBe('rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)');
+                expect(getStyleRule().rules[3].style.backgroundColor).toBe(colors[0]);
+            })
+            .then(function() { return Plotly.relayout(gd, 'modebar.bgcolor', colors[1]); })
+            .then(function() {
+                style = window.getComputedStyle(gd._fullLayout._modeBar.element);
+                expect(style.backgroundColor).toBe('rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)');
+                expect(getStyleRule().rules[3].style.backgroundColor).toBe(colors[1]);
+            })
+            .catch(failTest)
+            .then(done);
+        });
+
+        it('changes background color (displayModeBar: true)', function(done) {
+            Plotly.plot(gd, [], {modebar: {bgcolor: colors[0]}}, {displayModeBar: true})
             .then(function() {
                 style = window.getComputedStyle(gd._fullLayout._modeBar.element);
                 expect(style.backgroundColor).toBe(colors[0]);
+                expect(getStyleRule().rules[3].style.backgroundColor).toBe(colors[0]);
             })
-            .then(function() {Plotly.relayout(gd, 'modebar.bgcolor', colors[1]);})
+            .then(function() { return Plotly.relayout(gd, 'modebar.bgcolor', colors[1]); })
             .then(function() {
                 style = window.getComputedStyle(gd._fullLayout._modeBar.element);
                 expect(style.backgroundColor).toBe(colors[1]);
+                expect(getStyleRule().rules[3].style.backgroundColor).toBe(colors[1]);
             })
             .catch(failTest)
             .then(done);
@@ -1360,7 +1389,7 @@ describe('ModeBar', function() {
                 size = modeBarEl.getBoundingClientRect();
                 expect(size.width < size.height).toBeTruthy();
             })
-            .then(function() {Plotly.relayout(gd, 'modebar.orientation', 'h');})
+            .then(function() { return Plotly.relayout(gd, 'modebar.orientation', 'h'); })
             .catch(failTest)
             .then(function() {
                 size = modeBarEl.getBoundingClientRect();