diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/forrestguice/suntimeswidget/themes/WidgetThemeConfigActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/com/forrestguice/suntimeswidget/themes/WidgetThemeConfigActivity.java
index d33f0cbb7..d4f339c81 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/forrestguice/suntimeswidget/themes/WidgetThemeConfigActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/forrestguice/suntimeswidget/themes/WidgetThemeConfigActivity.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 import android.graphics.Color;
 import android.graphics.Typeface;
+import android.graphics.drawable.ColorDrawable;
 import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
 import android.os.Build;
 import android.os.Bundle;
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@
 import android.view.MenuInflater;
 import android.view.MenuItem;
 import android.view.View;
+import android.view.WindowManager;
 import android.widget.AdapterView;
 import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;
 import android.widget.CheckBox;
@@ -248,6 +250,7 @@ public void onCreate(Bundle icicle)
     {
         AppSettings.setTheme(this, AppSettings.loadThemePref(this));
         super.onCreate(icicle);
+        getWindow().addFlags(WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SHOW_WALLPAPER);
         initLocale();
         setResult(RESULT_CANCELED);
         setContentView(R.layout.layout_themeconfig);
@@ -1849,14 +1852,25 @@ protected static boolean validateThemeDisplayText(Context context, EditText edit
 
     protected void initWallpaper()
     {
-        WallpaperManager wallpaperManager = WallpaperManager.getInstance(this);
-        if (wallpaperManager != null)
+        ImageView background = (ImageView)findViewById(R.id.preview_background);
+
+        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT > 18)
         {
-            ImageView background = (ImageView)findViewById(R.id.preview_background);
-            Drawable wallpaper = wallpaperManager.getDrawable();
-            if (background != null && wallpaper != null)
-            {
-                background.setImageDrawable(wallpaper);
+            background.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+            getWindow().setBackgroundDrawable(new ColorDrawable(0));
+
+        } else {
+            try {
+                WallpaperManager wallpaperManager = WallpaperManager.getInstance(this);
+                if (wallpaperManager != null)
+                {
+                    Drawable wallpaper = wallpaperManager.getDrawable();
+                    if (background != null && wallpaper != null) {
+                        background.setImageDrawable(wallpaper);
+                    }
+                }
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                Log.e("initWallpaper", "failed to init wallpaper; " + e);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/forrestguice/suntimeswidget/themes/WidgetThemeListActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/com/forrestguice/suntimeswidget/themes/WidgetThemeListActivity.java
index 3de7a0cea..3a55ddd48 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/forrestguice/suntimeswidget/themes/WidgetThemeListActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/forrestguice/suntimeswidget/themes/WidgetThemeListActivity.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
 import android.content.SharedPreferences;
 import android.content.res.TypedArray;
+import android.graphics.drawable.ColorDrawable;
 import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
 import android.net.Uri;
 import android.os.Build;
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@
 import android.view.MenuItem;
 import android.view.View;
 
+import android.view.WindowManager;
 import android.widget.AdapterView;
 
 import android.widget.GridView;
@@ -127,6 +129,11 @@ public void onCreate(Bundle icicle)
     {
         AppSettings.setTheme(this, AppSettings.loadThemePref(this));
         super.onCreate(icicle);
+        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT > 18)
+        {
+            getWindow().addFlags(WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SHOW_WALLPAPER);
+            getWindow().setBackgroundDrawable(new ColorDrawable(0));
+        }
         initLocale();
         setResult(RESULT_CANCELED);
         setContentView(R.layout.layout_activity_themelist);
@@ -193,6 +200,14 @@ public void onClick(View v)
                 }
             });
         }
+
+        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT > 18)
+        {
+            ImageView background = (ImageView)findViewById(R.id.themegrid_background);
+            if (background != null) {
+                background.setAlpha(1f);
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     protected void initActionBar( Context context )
@@ -845,9 +860,10 @@ public void onRestoreInstanceState(@NonNull Bundle savedState)
     public void onResume()
     {
         super.onResume();
-        if (useWallpaper)
-        {
+        if (useWallpaper) {
             initWallpaper(false);
+        } else {
+            hideWallpaper();
         }
         if (isExporting && exportTask != null)
         {
@@ -874,12 +890,28 @@ public void onResume()
      * Set activity background to match home screen wallpaper.
      */
     protected void initWallpaper(boolean animate)
+    {
+        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT > 18)
+        {
+            ImageView shade = (ImageView)findViewById(R.id.themegrid_background);
+            shade.animate().alpha(0f).setDuration(WALLPAPER_DELAY);
+
+        } else {
+            try {
+                initWallpaperLegacy(animate);
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                Log.e("initWallpaper", "failed to init wallpaper; " + e);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    @Deprecated
+    protected void initWallpaperLegacy(boolean animate)
     {
         WallpaperManager wallpaperManager = WallpaperManager.getInstance(this);
         if (wallpaperManager != null)
         {
             ImageView background = (ImageView)findViewById(R.id.themegrid_background);
-            Drawable wallpaper = wallpaperManager.getDrawable();
+            Drawable wallpaper = wallpaperManager.getDrawable();    // requires MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
             if (background != null && wallpaper != null)
             {
                 background.setImageDrawable(wallpaper);
@@ -903,8 +935,11 @@ protected void hideWallpaper()
         ImageView background = (ImageView)findViewById(R.id.themegrid_background);
         if (background != null)
         {
-            if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 12)
-            {
+            if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT > 18) {
+                ImageView shade = background;
+                shade.animate().alpha(1f).setDuration(WALLPAPER_DELAY);
+
+            } else if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 12) {
                 background.animate().alpha(0f).setDuration(WALLPAPER_DELAY);
 
             } else if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 11) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/layout_themeconfig.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/layout_themeconfig.xml
index 3f5145a1d..2baf2b70f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/layout_themeconfig.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/layout_themeconfig.xml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent">
 
     <ImageView
-        android:id="@+id/preview_background"
+        android:id="@+id/preview_background" android:visibility="gone"
         android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent"
         android:src="?android:attr/windowBackground" android:scaleType="centerCrop"
         tools:ignore="ContentDescription" />