diff --git a/src/widgets/widgets/qmdiarea.cpp b/src/widgets/widgets/qmdiarea.cpp
index b2409e300c..13c9bf8deb 100644
--- a/src/widgets/widgets/qmdiarea.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/widgets/qmdiarea.cpp
@@ -2043,7 +2043,7 @@ void QMdiArea::setBackground(const QBrush &brush)
     if (d->background != brush) {
         d->background = brush;
         d->viewport->setAttribute(Qt::WA_OpaquePaintEvent, brush.isOpaque());
-        update();
+        d->viewport->update();
     }
 }