diff --git a/src/engine/geo_layout.c b/src/engine/geo_layout.c
index 09f7501a..d97966cb 100644
--- a/src/engine/geo_layout.c
+++ b/src/engine/geo_layout.c
@@ -692,10 +692,10 @@ void geo_layout_cmd_node_generated(void) {
 */
 void geo_layout_cmd_node_background(void) {
     struct GraphNodeBackground *graphNode;
-
+    s16 backgroundIdOrColor = cur_geo_cmd_s16(0x02);
     graphNode = init_graph_node_background(
         gGraphNodePool, NULL,
-        cur_geo_cmd_s16(0x02), // background ID, or RGBA5551 color if asm function is null
+        backgroundIdOrColor, // background ID, or RGBA5551 color if asm function is null
         (GraphNodeFunc) cur_geo_cmd_ptr(0x04), // asm function
         0);
 
@@ -783,7 +783,7 @@ void geo_layout_cmd_node_background_ext(void) {
         gGraphNodePool, NULL,
         BACKGROUND_CUSTOM, // background ID, or RGBA5551 color if asm function is null
         (GraphNodeFunc) cur_geo_cmd_ptr(0x08), // asm function
-        0);
+        1);
 
     register_scene_graph_node(&graphNode->fnNode.node);
 
diff --git a/src/engine/graph_node.c b/src/engine/graph_node.c
index 1cc9dce9..0da10f3c 100644
--- a/src/engine/graph_node.c
+++ b/src/engine/graph_node.c
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ struct GraphNodeGenerated *init_graph_node_generated(struct DynamicPool *pool,
 struct GraphNodeBackground *init_graph_node_background(struct DynamicPool *pool,
                                                        struct GraphNodeBackground *graphNode,
                                                        u16 background, GraphNodeFunc backgroundFunc,
-                                                       s32 zero) {
+                                                       u8 extended) {
     if (pool != NULL) {
         graphNode = dynamic_pool_alloc(pool, sizeof(struct GraphNodeBackground));
     }
@@ -490,14 +490,18 @@ struct GraphNodeBackground *init_graph_node_background(struct DynamicPool *pool,
     if (graphNode != NULL) {
         init_scene_graph_node_links(&graphNode->fnNode.node, GRAPH_NODE_TYPE_BACKGROUND);
 
-        if (backgroundFunc && background > BACKGROUND_CUSTOM) {
+        bool invalidBackground = (extended)
+            ? (backgroundFunc && background > BACKGROUND_CUSTOM)
+            : (backgroundFunc && background >= BACKGROUND_CUSTOM);
+
+        if (invalidBackground) {
             LOG_ERROR("invalid background id");
-            background = BACKGROUND_OCEAN_SKY;
+            background = BACKGROUND_HAUNTED;
         }
 
         graphNode->background = (background << 16) | background;
         graphNode->fnNode.func = backgroundFunc;
-        graphNode->unused = zero; // always 0, unused
+        graphNode->unused = 0; // always 0, unused
 
         if (backgroundFunc != NULL) {
             backgroundFunc(GEO_CONTEXT_CREATE, &graphNode->fnNode.node, pool);
diff --git a/src/engine/graph_node.h b/src/engine/graph_node.h
index becd9290..c4c5f5cf 100644
--- a/src/engine/graph_node.h
+++ b/src/engine/graph_node.h
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ struct GraphNodeObjectParent *init_graph_node_object_parent(struct DynamicPool *
 struct GraphNodeGenerated *init_graph_node_generated(struct DynamicPool *pool, struct GraphNodeGenerated *sp1c,
                                                      GraphNodeFunc gfxFunc, s32 parameter);
 struct GraphNodeBackground *init_graph_node_background(struct DynamicPool *pool, struct GraphNodeBackground *sp1c,
-                                                       u16 background, GraphNodeFunc backgroundFunc, s32 zero);
+                                                       u16 background, GraphNodeFunc backgroundFunc, u8 extended);
 struct GraphNodeHeldObject *init_graph_node_held_object(struct DynamicPool *pool, struct GraphNodeHeldObject *sp1c,
                                                         struct Object *objNode, Vec3s translation,
                                                         GraphNodeFunc nodeFunc, s32 playerIndex);