diff --git a/vim.spec b/vim.spec
index ca01e5c..10b678c 100644
--- a/vim.spec
+++ b/vim.spec
@@ -1994,6 +1994,9 @@ rm -rf %{buildroot}
 %{_datadir}/icons/hicolor/*/apps/*
 
 %changelog
+* Thu Feb 26 2015 Karsten Hopp <karsten@redhat.com> 7.4.640-2
+- set background to dark in gnome-terminal, rhbz#1159920
+
 * Tue Feb 25 2015 Karsten Hopp <karsten@redhat.com> 7.4.640-1
 - patchlevel 640
 
diff --git a/vimrc b/vimrc
index cf66061..6421289 100644
--- a/vimrc
+++ b/vimrc
@@ -59,6 +59,13 @@ if &term=="xterm"
      set t_Sf=[3%dm
 endif
 
+# rhbz 1159920
+if $COLORTERM=="gnome-terminal"
+     set background=light
+else
+     set background=dark
+endif
+
 " Don't wake up system with blinking cursor:
 " http://www.linuxpowertop.org/known.php
 let &guicursor = &guicursor . ",a:blinkon0"