diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
index 60723220..17957899 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
@@ -899,11 +899,12 @@ void CConfigManager::postConfigReload(const Hyprlang::CParseResult& result) {
         g_pInputManager->setPointerConfigs();
         g_pInputManager->setTouchDeviceConfigs();
         g_pInputManager->setTabletConfigs();
-    }
 
-    if (!isFirstLaunch)
         g_pHyprOpenGL->m_bReloadScreenShader = true;
 
+        g_pHyprOpenGL->ensureBackgroundTexturePresence();
+    }
+
     // parseError will be displayed next frame
 
     if (result.error)
diff --git a/src/render/OpenGL.cpp b/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
index 3a4781e7..b68448ae 100644
--- a/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
+++ b/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
@@ -2699,10 +2699,6 @@ void CHyprOpenGLImpl::initMissingAssetTexture() {
 void CHyprOpenGLImpl::initAssets() {
     initMissingAssetTexture();
 
-    static auto PFORCEWALLPAPER = CConfigValue<Hyprlang::INT>("misc:force_default_wallpaper");
-
-    const auto  FORCEWALLPAPER = std::clamp(*PFORCEWALLPAPER, static_cast<int64_t>(-1L), static_cast<int64_t>(2L));
-
     m_pLockDeadTexture  = loadAsset("lockdead.png");
     m_pLockDead2Texture = loadAsset("lockdead2.png");
 
@@ -2712,9 +2708,20 @@ void CHyprOpenGLImpl::initAssets() {
                                                        "unknown"),
                                        CHyprColor{0.9F, 0.9F, 0.9F, 0.7F}, 20, true);
 
-    // create the default background texture
-    {
-        std::string texPath = std::format("{}", "wall");
+    ensureBackgroundTexturePresence();
+}
+
+void CHyprOpenGLImpl::ensureBackgroundTexturePresence() {
+    static auto PNOWALLPAPER    = CConfigValue<Hyprlang::INT>("misc:disable_hyprland_logo");
+    static auto PFORCEWALLPAPER = CConfigValue<Hyprlang::INT>("misc:force_default_wallpaper");
+
+    const auto  FORCEWALLPAPER = std::clamp(*PFORCEWALLPAPER, static_cast<int64_t>(-1L), static_cast<int64_t>(2L));
+
+    if (*PNOWALLPAPER)
+        m_pBackgroundTexture.reset();
+    else if (!m_pBackgroundTexture) {
+        // create the default background texture
+        std::string texPath = "wall";
 
         // get the adequate tex
         if (FORCEWALLPAPER == -1) {
diff --git a/src/render/OpenGL.hpp b/src/render/OpenGL.hpp
index 3f117a5a..2b600a03 100644
--- a/src/render/OpenGL.hpp
+++ b/src/render/OpenGL.hpp
@@ -223,6 +223,8 @@ class CHyprOpenGLImpl {
 
     void         setDamage(const CRegion& damage, std::optional<CRegion> finalDamage = {});
 
+    void         ensureBackgroundTexturePresence();
+
     uint32_t     getPreferredReadFormat(PHLMONITOR pMonitor);
     std::vector<SDRMFormat>                     getDRMFormats();
     EGLImageKHR                                 createEGLImage(const Aquamarine::SDMABUFAttrs& attrs);
@@ -293,7 +295,7 @@ class CHyprOpenGLImpl {
     CShader                 m_sFinalScreenShader;
     CTimer                  m_tGlobalTimer;
 
-    SP<CTexture>            m_pMissingAssetTexture, m_pBackgroundTexture, m_pLockDeadTexture, m_pLockDead2Texture, m_pLockTtyTextTexture;
+    SP<CTexture>            m_pMissingAssetTexture, m_pBackgroundTexture, m_pLockDeadTexture, m_pLockDead2Texture, m_pLockTtyTextTexture; // TODO: don't always load lock
 
     void                    logShaderError(const GLuint&, bool program = false);
     GLuint                  createProgram(const std::string&, const std::string&, bool dynamic = false);