diff --git a/src/lib/direct.c b/src/lib/direct.c
index 43d633e37..b55aaf721 100644
--- a/src/lib/direct.c
+++ b/src/lib/direct.c
@@ -487,7 +487,8 @@ int ncdirect_raster_frame(ncdirect* n, ncdirectv* ncdv, ncalign_e align){
 
 static ncdirectv*
 ncdirect_render_visual(ncdirect* n, ncvisual* ncv, ncblitter_e blitfxn,
-                       ncscale_e scale, int ymax, int xmax){
+                       ncscale_e scale, int ymax, int xmax,
+                       uint32_t transcolor){
   int dimy = ymax > 0 ? ymax : ncdirect_dim_y(n);
   int dimx = xmax > 0 ? xmax : ncdirect_dim_x(n);
 //fprintf(stderr, "OUR DATA: %p rows/cols: %d/%d\n", ncv->data, ncv->rows, ncv->cols);
@@ -539,6 +540,7 @@ ncdirect_render_visual(ncdirect* n, ncvisual* ncv, ncblitter_e blitfxn,
     return NULL;
   }
   blitterargs bargs = {};
+  bargs.transcolor = transcolor;
   if(bset->geom == NCBLIT_PIXEL){
     bargs.u.pixel.celldimx = n->tcache.cellpixx;
     bargs.u.pixel.celldimy = n->tcache.cellpixy;
@@ -564,7 +566,7 @@ ncdirectv* ncdirect_render_frame(ncdirect* n, const char* file,
   if(ncv == NULL){
     return NULL;
   }
-  ncdirectv* v = ncdirect_render_visual(n, ncv, blitfxn, scale, ymax, xmax);
+  ncdirectv* v = ncdirect_render_visual(n, ncv, blitfxn, scale, ymax, xmax, 0);
   ncvisual_destroy(ncv);
   return v;
 }
@@ -1137,7 +1139,9 @@ int ncdirect_stream(ncdirect* n, const char* filename, ncstreamcb streamer,
     if(x > 0){
       ncdirect_cursor_left(n, x);
     }
-    ncdirectv* v = ncdirect_render_visual(n, ncv, vopts->blitter, vopts->scaling, 0, 0);
+    ncdirectv* v = ncdirect_render_visual(n, ncv, vopts->blitter, vopts->scaling,
+                                          0, 0, (vopts->flags & NCVISUAL_OPTION_ADDALPHA) ?
+                                                 vopts->transcolor | 0x1000000ul : 0);
     if(v == NULL){
       ncvisual_destroy(ncv);
       return -1;
diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index 1364ed12d..f352fd731 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -592,25 +592,25 @@ typedef struct notcurses {
 } notcurses;
 
 typedef struct {
-  int begy;             // upper left start within visual
+  int begy;            // upper left start within visual
   int begx;
-  int placey;           // placement within ncplane
+  int placey;          // placement within ncplane
   int placex;
-  uint32_t transcolor;  // if non-zero, treat the lower 24 bits as a transparent color
+  uint32_t transcolor; // if non-zero, treat the lower 24 bits as a transparent color
   union { // cell vs pixel-specific arguments
     struct {
-      int blendcolors;    // use CELL_ALPHA_BLEND
-    } cell;               // for cells
+      int blendcolors; // use CELL_ALPHA_BLEND
+    } cell;            // for cells
     struct {
-      int celldimx;       // horizontal pixels per cell
-      int celldimy;       // vertical pixels per cell
-      int colorregs;      // number of color registers
-      sprixel* spx;       // sprixel object
+      int celldimx;    // horizontal pixels per cell
+      int celldimy;    // vertical pixels per cell
+      int colorregs;   // number of color registers
+      sprixel* spx;    // sprixel object
       // in at least mlterm, emitting a sixel makes the cursor visible.
       // if the cursor is hidden, and sprixel_cursor_hack is set, this
       // is set to the civis capability.
       const char* cursor_hack;
-    } pixel;              // for pixels
+    } pixel;           // for pixels
   } u;
 } blitterargs;
 
diff --git a/src/player/play.cpp b/src/player/play.cpp
index 464b53bdb..183057bb3 100644
--- a/src/player/play.cpp
+++ b/src/player/play.cpp
@@ -310,7 +310,8 @@ int perframe_direct(struct ncvisual* ncv, struct ncvisual_options* vopts,
 
 // argc/argv ought already be reduced to only the media arguments
 int direct_mode_player(int argc, char** argv, ncscale_e scalemode,
-                       ncblitter_e blitter, int lmargin){
+                       ncblitter_e blitter, int lmargin,
+                       unsigned transcolor){
   Direct dm{};
   if(!dm.canopen_images()){
     std::cerr << "Notcurses was compiled without multimedia support\n";
@@ -340,6 +341,10 @@ int direct_mode_player(int argc, char** argv, ncscale_e scalemode,
     vopts.scaling = scalemode;
     vopts.x = static_cast<int>(a);
     vopts.flags = NCVISUAL_OPTION_HORALIGNED;
+    if(transcolor){
+      vopts.flags |= NCVISUAL_OPTION_ADDALPHA;
+    }
+    vopts.transcolor = transcolor & 0xffffffull;
     if(dm.streamfile(argv[i], perframe_direct, &vopts, NULL)){
       failed = true;
     }
@@ -504,7 +509,8 @@ auto main(int argc, char** argv) -> int {
   // if -k was provided, we now use direct mode rather than simply not using the
   // alternate screen, so that output is inline with the shell.
   if(ncopts.flags & NCOPTION_NO_ALTERNATE_SCREEN){
-    r = direct_mode_player(argc - nonopt, argv + nonopt, scalemode, blitter, ncopts.margin_l);
+    r = direct_mode_player(argc - nonopt, argv + nonopt, scalemode, blitter,
+                           ncopts.margin_l, transcolor);
   }else{
     r = rendered_mode_player(argc - nonopt, argv + nonopt, scalemode, blitter, ncopts,
                              quiet, loop, timescale, displaytime, transcolor);