diff --git a/canvas/src/lib.rs b/canvas/src/lib.rs
index 4652c06e..9da3d29e 100644
--- a/canvas/src/lib.rs
+++ b/canvas/src/lib.rs
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ impl CanvasRenderingContext2D {
         let mut outline = path.into_outline();
         outline.transform(&self.current_state.transform);
 
-        let paint = Paint::black();
+        let paint = Paint::transparent_black();
         let paint = self.current_state.resolve_paint(&paint);
         let paint_id = self.scene.push_paint(&paint);
 
diff --git a/content/src/effects.rs b/content/src/effects.rs
index c20ee417..3db7e9c9 100644
--- a/content/src/effects.rs
+++ b/content/src/effects.rs
@@ -84,3 +84,14 @@ impl Default for BlendMode {
         BlendMode::SourceOver
     }
 }
+
+impl BlendMode {
+    /// Whether the backdrop is irrelevant when applying this blend mode (i.e. destination blend
+    /// factor is zero).
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn occludes_backdrop(self) -> bool {
+        match self {
+            BlendMode::SourceOver | BlendMode::Clear => true,
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/renderer/src/builder.rs b/renderer/src/builder.rs
index cbd076e9..0de444d3 100644
--- a/renderer/src/builder.rs
+++ b/renderer/src/builder.rs
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ impl<'a> SceneBuilder<'a> {
                                    path_index as u16,
                                    TilingPathInfo::Draw {
             paint_metadata: &paint_metadata[paint_id.0 as usize],
+            blend_mode: path_object.blend_mode(),
             built_clip_path,
         });
 
diff --git a/renderer/src/gpu/renderer.rs b/renderer/src/gpu/renderer.rs
index 1c30ea11..6026f29e 100644
--- a/renderer/src/gpu/renderer.rs
+++ b/renderer/src/gpu/renderer.rs
@@ -80,6 +80,11 @@ where
     paint_texture: Option<D::Texture>,
     layer_framebuffer_stack: Vec<LayerFramebufferInfo<D>>,
 
+    // This is a dummy texture consisting solely of a single `rgba(0, 0, 0, 255)` texel. It serves
+    // as the paint texture when drawing alpha tiles with the Clear blend mode. If this weren't
+    // used, then the transparent black paint would zero out the alpha mask.
+    clear_paint_texture: D::Texture,
+
     // Filter shaders
     filter_basic_program: FilterBasicProgram<D>,
     filter_basic_vertex_array: FilterBasicVertexArray<D>,
@@ -211,6 +216,11 @@ where
             device.create_texture(TextureFormat::R8, mask_framebuffer_size);
         let mask_framebuffer = device.create_framebuffer(mask_framebuffer_texture);
 
+        let clear_paint_texture =
+            device.create_texture_from_data(TextureFormat::RGBA8,
+                                            Vector2I::splat(1),
+                                            TextureDataRef::U8(&[0, 0, 0, 255]));
+
         let window_size = dest_framebuffer.window_size(&device);
         let debug_ui_presenter = DebugUIPresenter::new(&device, resources, window_size);
 
@@ -238,6 +248,7 @@ where
             mask_framebuffer,
             paint_texture: None,
             layer_framebuffer_stack: vec![],
+            clear_paint_texture,
 
             filter_basic_program,
             filter_basic_vertex_array,
@@ -610,7 +621,15 @@ where
                                           MASK_FRAMEBUFFER_HEIGHT as f32))),
         ];
 
-        let paint_texture = self.paint_texture.as_ref().unwrap();
+        let paint_texture = match blend_mode {
+            BlendMode::Clear => {
+                // Use a special dummy paint texture containing `rgba(0, 0, 0, 255)` so that the
+                // transparent black paint color doesn't zero out the mask.
+                &self.clear_paint_texture
+            }
+            _ => self.paint_texture.as_ref().unwrap(),
+        };
+
         textures.push(paint_texture);
         uniforms.push((&self.alpha_tile_program.paint_texture_uniform,
                         UniformData::TextureUnit(1)));
diff --git a/renderer/src/tiles.rs b/renderer/src/tiles.rs
index 083bc0ea..6a16ad92 100644
--- a/renderer/src/tiles.rs
+++ b/renderer/src/tiles.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 use crate::builder::{BuiltPath, ObjectBuilder, SceneBuilder, SolidTile};
 use crate::gpu_data::TileObjectPrimitive;
 use crate::paint::PaintMetadata;
+use pathfinder_content::effects::BlendMode;
 use pathfinder_content::fill::FillRule;
 use pathfinder_content::outline::{Contour, Outline, PointIndex};
 use pathfinder_content::segment::Segment;
@@ -42,7 +43,11 @@ pub(crate) struct Tiler<'a> {
 #[derive(Clone, Copy)]
 pub(crate) enum TilingPathInfo<'a> {
     Clip,
-    Draw { paint_metadata: &'a PaintMetadata, built_clip_path: Option<&'a BuiltPath> },
+    Draw {
+        paint_metadata: &'a PaintMetadata,
+        blend_mode: BlendMode,
+        built_clip_path: Option<&'a BuiltPath>,
+    },
 }
 
 impl<'a> Tiler<'a> {
@@ -122,10 +127,10 @@ impl<'a> Tiler<'a> {
     }
 
     fn pack_and_cull_draw_path(&mut self) {
-        let (paint_metadata, built_clip_path) = match self.path_info {
+        let (paint_metadata, blend_mode, built_clip_path) = match self.path_info {
             TilingPathInfo::Clip => unreachable!(),
-            TilingPathInfo::Draw { paint_metadata, built_clip_path } => {
-                (paint_metadata, built_clip_path)
+            TilingPathInfo::Draw { paint_metadata, blend_mode, built_clip_path } => {
+                (paint_metadata, blend_mode, built_clip_path)
             }
         };
 
@@ -174,8 +179,9 @@ impl<'a> Tiler<'a> {
                     (FillRule::EvenOdd, _) => {}
                 }
 
-                // Next, if this is a solid tile, record that fact and stop here.
-                if paint_metadata.is_opaque {
+                // Next, if this is a solid tile that completely occludes the background, record
+                // that fact and stop here.
+                if paint_metadata.is_opaque && blend_mode.occludes_backdrop() {
                     self.object_builder.built_path.solid_tiles.push(SolidTile::new(tile_coords));
                     continue;
                 }