diff -NurpP --minimal vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vte-private.h vte-0.32.0/src/vte-private.h
--- vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vte-private.h	2012-03-10 15:55:12.000000000 +0000
+++ vte-0.32.0/src/vte-private.h	2012-04-06 01:28:13.000000000 +0000
@@ -281,6 +281,9 @@ struct _VteTerminalPrivate {
 	gboolean scroll_on_keystroke;
 	long scrollback_lines;
 
+	/* Scaling options */
+	gboolean scale_background;
+
 	/* Cursor shape */
 	VteTerminalCursorShape cursor_shape;
         float cursor_aspect_ratio;
diff -NurpP --minimal vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vte.c vte-0.32.0/src/vte.c
--- vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vte.c	2012-03-10 15:55:12.000000000 +0000
+++ vte-0.32.0/src/vte.c	2012-04-06 01:28:13.000000000 +0000
@@ -188,7 +188,8 @@ enum {
         PROP_SCROLL_ON_OUTPUT,
         PROP_WINDOW_TITLE,
         PROP_WORD_CHARS,
-        PROP_VISIBLE_BELL
+        PROP_VISIBLE_BELL,
+        PROP_SCALE_BACKGROUND
 };
 
 /* these static variables are guarded by the GDK mutex */
@@ -11198,6 +11199,10 @@ vte_terminal_paint(GtkWidget *widget, Gd
 							0,
 							terminal->pvt->screen->scroll_delta *
 							terminal->char_height);
+		} else if (terminal->pvt->scale_background) {
+			_vte_draw_set_background_scale(terminal->pvt->draw,
+						       terminal->char_width * terminal->column_count,
+						       terminal->char_height * terminal->row_count);
 		} else {
 			_vte_draw_set_background_scroll(terminal->pvt->draw, 0, 0);
 		}
@@ -11604,6 +11609,9 @@ vte_terminal_get_property (GObject *obje
                 case PROP_SCROLL_BACKGROUND:
                         g_value_set_boolean (value, pvt->scroll_background);
                         break;
+                case PROP_SCALE_BACKGROUND:
+                        g_value_set_boolean (value, pvt->scale_background);
+                        break;
                 case PROP_SCROLLBACK_LINES:
                         g_value_set_uint (value, pvt->scrollback_lines);
                         break;
@@ -11710,6 +11718,9 @@ vte_terminal_set_property (GObject *obje
                 case PROP_PTY_OBJECT:
                         vte_terminal_set_pty_object (terminal, g_value_get_object (value));
                         break;
+                case PROP_SCALE_BACKGROUND:
+                        vte_terminal_set_scale_background (terminal, g_value_get_boolean (value));
+                        break;
                 case PROP_SCROLL_BACKGROUND:
                         vte_terminal_set_scroll_background (terminal, g_value_get_boolean (value));
                         break;
@@ -12727,6 +12738,19 @@ vte_terminal_class_init(VteTerminalClass
                                       G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
         /**
+         * VteTerminal:scale-background:
+         *
+         * Controls whether or not the terminal will scale the background image
+         * (if one is set) 
+         */
+        g_object_class_install_property
+                (gobject_class,
+                 PROP_SCALE_BACKGROUND,
+                 g_param_spec_boolean ("scale-background", NULL, NULL,
+                                       FALSE,
+                                       G_PARAM_READWRITE | STATIC_PARAMS));
+     
+        /**
          * VteTerminal:scroll-background:
          *
          * Controls whether or not the terminal will scroll the background image (if
@@ -13021,6 +13045,36 @@ vte_terminal_get_allow_bold(VteTerminal
 }
 
 /**
+ * vte_terminal_set_scale_background:
+ * @terminal: a #VteTerminal
+ * @scale: whether the terminal should scale the background
+ *
+ * Controls whether or not the terminal will scale the background image (if
+ * one is set) to the widget size.
+ *
+ * Since: 0.21
+ */
+void
+vte_terminal_set_scale_background(VteTerminal *terminal, gboolean scale)
+{
+	VteTerminalPrivate *pvt;
+
+	g_return_if_fail(VTE_IS_TERMINAL(terminal));
+
+	pvt = terminal->pvt;
+
+	scale = scale != FALSE;
+	if (scale == pvt->scale_background)
+		return;
+
+	pvt->scale_background = scale;
+
+	g_object_notify (G_OBJECT (terminal), "scale-background");
+
+	vte_terminal_queue_background_update(terminal);
+}
+
+/**
  * vte_terminal_set_scroll_background:
  * @terminal: a #VteTerminal
  * @scroll: whether the terminal should scroll the background image along with
diff -NurpP --minimal vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vte.c.orig vte-0.32.0/src/vte.c.orig
diff -NurpP --minimal vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vte.h vte-0.32.0/src/vte.h
--- vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vte.h	2012-03-10 15:55:12.000000000 +0000
+++ vte-0.32.0/src/vte.h	2012-04-06 01:28:13.000000000 +0000
@@ -306,6 +306,7 @@ void vte_terminal_set_audible_bell(VteTe
 gboolean vte_terminal_get_audible_bell(VteTerminal *terminal);
 void vte_terminal_set_visible_bell(VteTerminal *terminal, gboolean is_visible);
 gboolean vte_terminal_get_visible_bell(VteTerminal *terminal);
+void vte_terminal_set_scale_background(VteTerminal *terminal, gboolean scale);
 void vte_terminal_set_scroll_background(VteTerminal *terminal, gboolean scroll);
 void vte_terminal_set_scroll_on_output(VteTerminal *terminal, gboolean scroll);
 void vte_terminal_set_scroll_on_keystroke(VteTerminal *terminal,
diff -NurpP --minimal vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vteapp.c vte-0.32.0/src/vteapp.c
--- vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vteapp.c	2012-03-10 15:55:12.000000000 +0000
+++ vte-0.32.0/src/vteapp.c	2012-04-06 01:28:13.000000000 +0000
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	const char *background = NULL;
 	gboolean transparent = FALSE, audible = TRUE,
 		 debug = FALSE, dingus = FALSE, dbuffer = TRUE,
-		 console = FALSE, scroll = FALSE, keep = FALSE,
+		 console = FALSE, scroll = FALSE, scale = FALSE, keep = FALSE,
 		 icon_title = FALSE, shell = TRUE, highlight_set = FALSE,
 		 cursor_set = FALSE, reverse = FALSE, use_geometry_hints = TRUE,
 		 antialias = TRUE, use_scrolled_window = FALSE,
@@ -669,6 +669,11 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 			"Set cursor shape (block|underline|ibeam)", NULL
 		},
 		{
+			"scale-background", 'z', 0,
+			G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &scale,
+			"Enable a scaling background", NULL
+		},
+		{
 			"scroll-background", 's', 0,
 			G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &scroll,
 			"Enable a scrolling background", NULL
@@ -891,6 +896,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	vte_terminal_set_audible_bell(terminal, audible);
 	vte_terminal_set_visible_bell(terminal, !audible);
 	vte_terminal_set_cursor_blink_mode(terminal, cursor_blink_mode);
+	vte_terminal_set_scale_background(terminal, scale);
 	vte_terminal_set_scroll_background(terminal, scroll);
 	vte_terminal_set_scroll_on_output(terminal, FALSE);
 	vte_terminal_set_scroll_on_keystroke(terminal, TRUE);
diff -NurpP --minimal vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vtebg.c vte-0.32.0/src/vtebg.c
--- vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vtebg.c	2012-03-10 15:55:12.000000000 +0000
+++ vte-0.32.0/src/vtebg.c	2012-04-06 01:28:13.000000000 +0000
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ typedef struct {
 	PangoColor tint_color;
 	double saturation;
 	cairo_surface_t *surface;
+	int width;
+	int height;
 } VteBgCacheItem;
 
 static void vte_bg_cache_item_free(VteBgCacheItem *item);
@@ -322,6 +324,8 @@ static void item_surface_destroy_func(vo
                          "VteBgCacheItem %p surface destroyed\n", item);
 
 	item->surface = NULL;
+	item->width = 1;
+	item->height = 1;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -365,7 +369,9 @@ vte_bg_cache_search(VteBg *bg,
 		    const GdkPixbuf *source_pixbuf,
 		    const char *source_file,
 		    const PangoColor *tint,
-		    double saturation)
+		    double saturation,
+		    int *surface_width,
+		    int *surface_height)
 {
 	GList *i;
 
@@ -393,6 +399,11 @@ vte_bg_cache_search(VteBg *bg,
 				break;
 			}
 
+			if (surface_width)
+				*surface_width = item->width;
+			if (surface_height)
+				*surface_height = item->height;
+
 			return cairo_surface_reference(item->surface);
 		}
 	}
@@ -408,6 +419,8 @@ vte_bg_cache_search(VteBg *bg,
  * @tint: a #PangoColor to use as tint color
  * @saturation: the saturation as a value between 0.0 and 1.0
  * @other: a #cairo_surface_t
+ * @surface_width: pointer to store the surface width
+ * @surface_height: pointer to store the surface height
  *
  * Returns: a reference to a #cairo_surface_t, or %NULL on failure
  */
@@ -418,7 +431,9 @@ vte_bg_get_surface(VteBg *bg,
 		   const char *source_file,
 		   const PangoColor *tint,
 		   double saturation,
-		   cairo_surface_t *other)
+		   cairo_surface_t *other,
+		   int *surface_width,
+		   int *surface_height)
 {
         VteBgPrivate *pvt;
 	VteBgCacheItem *item;
@@ -441,7 +456,8 @@ vte_bg_get_surface(VteBg *bg,
 
 	cached = vte_bg_cache_search(bg, source_type,
 				     source_pixbuf, source_file,
-				     tint, saturation);
+				     tint, saturation,
+				     surface_width, surface_height);
 	if (cached != NULL) {
 		return cached;
 	}
@@ -495,6 +511,13 @@ vte_bg_get_surface(VteBg *bg,
         else
                 goto out;
 
+	if (surface_width)
+		*surface_width = width;
+	if (surface_height)
+		*surface_height = height;
+
+	item->width = width;
+	item->height = height;
 	item->surface =
 		cairo_surface_create_similar(other, CAIRO_CONTENT_COLOR_ALPHA,
 					     width, height);
diff -NurpP --minimal vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vtebg.c.orig vte-0.32.0/src/vtebg.c.orig
diff -NurpP --minimal vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vtebg.h vte-0.32.0/src/vtebg.h
--- vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vtebg.h	2012-03-10 15:55:12.000000000 +0000
+++ vte-0.32.0/src/vtebg.h	2012-04-06 01:28:13.000000000 +0000
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ vte_bg_get_surface(VteBg *bg,
 		   const char *source_file,
 		   const PangoColor *tint,
 		   double saturation,
-		   cairo_surface_t *other);
+		   cairo_surface_t *other,
+		   int *surface_width,
+		   int *surface_height);
 
 G_END_DECLS
 
diff -NurpP --minimal vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vtedraw.c vte-0.32.0/src/vtedraw.c
--- vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vtedraw.c	2012-03-10 15:55:12.000000000 +0000
+++ vte-0.32.0/src/vtedraw.c	2012-04-06 01:28:13.000000000 +0000
@@ -752,6 +752,7 @@ struct _vte_draw {
 	struct font_info *font;
 	struct font_info *font_bold;
 	cairo_pattern_t *bg_pattern;
+	gint bg_width, bg_height;
 
 	cairo_t *cr;
 };
@@ -839,6 +840,8 @@ _vte_draw_set_background_solid(struct _v
 						      green,
 						      blue,
 						      opacity);
+	draw->bg_width = 1;
+	draw->bg_height = 1;
 }
 
 void
@@ -850,6 +853,7 @@ _vte_draw_set_background_image (struct _
 			        double saturation)
 {
 	cairo_surface_t *surface;
+	int surface_width, surface_height;
 
 	/* Need a valid draw->cr for cairo_get_target () */
 	_vte_draw_start (draw);
@@ -857,7 +861,8 @@ _vte_draw_set_background_image (struct _
 	surface = vte_bg_get_surface (vte_bg_get_for_screen (gtk_widget_get_screen (draw->widget)),
 				     type, pixbuf, filename,
 				     color, saturation,
-				     cairo_get_target(draw->cr));
+				     cairo_get_target(draw->cr),
+				     &surface_width, &surface_height);
 
 	_vte_draw_end (draw);
 
@@ -868,6 +873,8 @@ _vte_draw_set_background_image (struct _
 		cairo_pattern_destroy (draw->bg_pattern);
 
 	draw->bg_pattern = cairo_pattern_create_for_surface (surface);
+	draw->bg_width = surface_width;
+	draw->bg_height = surface_height;
 	cairo_surface_destroy (surface);
 	cairo_pattern_set_extend (draw->bg_pattern, CAIRO_EXTEND_REPEAT);
 }
@@ -888,6 +895,24 @@ _vte_draw_set_background_scroll (struct
 	cairo_pattern_set_matrix (draw->bg_pattern, &matrix);
 }
 
+void
+_vte_draw_set_background_scale (struct _vte_draw *draw,
+				gint sx, gint sy)
+{
+	cairo_matrix_t matrix;
+
+	_vte_debug_print (VTE_DEBUG_DRAW,
+			"draw_set_scale (%d, %d)\n",
+			sx, sy);
+
+	g_return_if_fail (draw->bg_pattern != NULL);
+
+	cairo_matrix_init_scale (&matrix,
+			         (1.0 * draw->bg_width) / sx,
+				 (1.0 * draw->bg_height) / sy);
+	cairo_pattern_set_matrix (draw->bg_pattern, &matrix);
+}
+
 void
 _vte_draw_clip (struct _vte_draw *draw, GdkRegion *region)
 {
diff -NurpP --minimal vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vtedraw.h vte-0.32.0/src/vtedraw.h
--- vte-0.32.0.orig/src/vtedraw.h	2012-03-10 15:55:12.000000000 +0000
+++ vte-0.32.0/src/vtedraw.h	2012-04-06 01:28:13.000000000 +0000
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ void _vte_draw_set_background_image(stru
 				    double saturation);
 void _vte_draw_set_background_scroll(struct _vte_draw *draw,
 				     gint x, gint y);
+void _vte_draw_set_background_scale(struct _vte_draw *draw,
+				    gint sx, gint sy);
 
 void _vte_draw_clip(struct _vte_draw *draw, GdkRegion *region);
 void _vte_draw_clear(struct _vte_draw *draw,