diff --git a/docker/vnc/Dockerfile b/docker/vnc/Dockerfile
index 527673bf..0272ff55 100644
--- a/docker/vnc/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/vnc/Dockerfile
@@ -58,6 +58,13 @@ COPY gitk.desktop /home/jovyan/Desktop/
 COPY .git_icon.png /home/jovyan/Desktop/
 RUN chmod +x /home/jovyan/Desktop/gitk.desktop
 
+#################################################################
+# Add wallpaper and force the default to point to the renku one
+
+RUN mkdir -p /usr/share/backgrounds/renku/
+COPY renku_background_dots.png /usr/share/backgrounds/renku/
+RUN ln -s -f /usr/share/backgrounds/renku/renku_background_dots.png /usr/share/backgrounds/xfce/xfce-stripes.png
+
 #################################################################
 # Install the jupyter extensions
 USER ${NB_USER}
@@ -69,4 +76,3 @@ RUN conda install jupyter-server-proxy numpy websockify -c conda-forge \
 COPY jupyter_notebook_config.py /home/jovyan/.jupyter/jupyter_notebook_config.py
 
 COPY post-init.sh /post-init.sh
-
diff --git a/docker/vnc/renku_background_dots.png b/docker/vnc/renku_background_dots.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..193d2287
Binary files /dev/null and b/docker/vnc/renku_background_dots.png differ