diff --git a/fsl/fslview/views/orthopanel.py b/fsl/fslview/views/orthopanel.py
index e46c0dba54a0c7da71d0677b2121ec6341788bf3..032958433873ab2bb5716094ddb5233beb9adbb9 100644
--- a/fsl/fslview/views/orthopanel.py
+++ b/fsl/fslview/views/orthopanel.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class OrthoPanel(wx.Panel, props.HasProperties):
 
         wx.Panel.__init__(self, parent)
 
-        self.SetMinSize((600, 200))
+        self.SetBackgroundColour('black')
 
         self.xcanvas = slicecanvas.SliceCanvas(self, imageList, zax=0,
                                                glContext=glContext)