diff --git a/src/routes/profile.js b/src/routes/profile.js
index ee0b538f9..759ae5353 100644
--- a/src/routes/profile.js
+++ b/src/routes/profile.js
@@ -112,11 +112,12 @@ async function getAvatar(req, res, next) {
 async function setBackgroundImage(req, res, next) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof req.user, 'object');
 
-    console.log(req.files.backgroundImage)
-    if (!req.files || !req.files.backgroundImage) return next(new HttpError(400, `backgroundImage must be a file`));
+    let backgroundImage = null;
 
-    const backgroundImage = safe.fs.readFileSync(req.files.backgroundImage.path);
-    if (!backgroundImage) return next(BoxError.toHttpError(new BoxError(BoxError.FS_ERROR, safe.error.message)));
+    if (req.files && req.files.backgroundImage) {
+        backgroundImage = safe.fs.readFileSync(req.files.backgroundImage.path);
+        if (!backgroundImage) return next(BoxError.toHttpError(new BoxError(BoxError.FS_ERROR, safe.error.message)));
+    }
 
     const [error] = await safe(users.setBackgroundImage(req.user.id, backgroundImage));
     if (error) return next(BoxError.toHttpError(error));
diff --git a/src/users.js b/src/users.js
index 02a77f0fa..2c8ccda77 100644
--- a/src/users.js
+++ b/src/users.js
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ async function getBackgroundImage(id) {
 
 async function setBackgroundImage(id, backgroundImage) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof id, 'string');
-    assert(Buffer.isBuffer(backgroundImage));
+    assert(Buffer.isBuffer(backgroundImage) || backgroundImage === null);
 
     const result = await database.query('UPDATE users SET backgroundImage=? WHERE id = ?', [ backgroundImage, id ]);
     if (result.length === 0) throw new BoxError(BoxError.NOT_FOUND, 'User not found');