diff --git a/rtgui/imagearea.cc b/rtgui/imagearea.cc
index 32df9f8f6..a8bee4fb3 100644
--- a/rtgui/imagearea.cc
+++ b/rtgui/imagearea.cc
@@ -149,16 +149,43 @@ void ImageArea::setInfoText (Glib::ustring text)
     infotext = text;
 
     Glib::RefPtr<Pango::Context> context = get_pango_context () ;
-    Pango::FontDescription fontd = context->get_font_description ();
+    Pango::FontDescription fontd(get_default_style()->get_font());
+
+    // update font
     fontd.set_weight (Pango::WEIGHT_BOLD);
     fontd.set_size (9 * Pango::SCALE);
     context->set_font_description (fontd);
-    ilayout = create_pango_layout("");
+
+    // create text layout
+    Glib::RefPtr<Pango::Layout> ilayout = create_pango_layout("");
     ilayout->set_markup(text);
+
+    // get size of the text block
     int iw, ih;
     ilayout->get_pixel_size (iw, ih);
-    ipixbuf = Gdk::Pixbuf::create (Gdk::COLORSPACE_RGB, true, 8, iw + 8, ih + 8);
-    ipixbuf->fill (128);
+
+    // create BackBuffer
+    iBackBuffer.setDrawRectangle(Cairo::FORMAT_ARGB32, 0, 0, iw + 16, ih + 16, true);
+    iBackBuffer.setDestPosition(8, 8);
+
+    Cairo::RefPtr<Cairo::Context> cr = iBackBuffer.getContext();
+
+    // cleaning the back buffer (make it full transparent)
+    cr->set_source_rgba (0., 0., 0., 0.);
+    cr->set_operator (Cairo::OPERATOR_CLEAR);
+    cr->paint ();
+    cr->set_operator (Cairo::OPERATOR_OVER);
+
+    // paint transparent black background
+    cr->set_source_rgba (0., 0., 0., 0.5);
+    cr->paint ();
+
+    // paint text
+    cr->set_source_rgb (1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
+    cr->move_to (8, 8);
+    ilayout->add_to_cairo_context (cr);
+    cr->fill ();
+
 }
 
 void ImageArea::infoEnabled (bool e)
@@ -206,7 +233,6 @@ bool ImageArea::on_expose_event(GdkEventExpose* event)
         return true;
     }
 
-    Glib::RefPtr<Gdk::Window> window = get_window();
     Cairo::RefPtr<Cairo::Context> cr = get_window()->create_cairo_context();
 
     if (mainCropWindow) {
@@ -214,13 +240,7 @@ bool ImageArea::on_expose_event(GdkEventExpose* event)
     }
 
     if (options.showInfo && infotext != "") {
-        int fnw, fnh;
-        ilayout->get_pixel_size (fnw, fnh);
-        window->draw_pixbuf (get_style()->get_base_gc (Gtk::STATE_NORMAL), ipixbuf, 0, 0, 4, 4, fnw + 8, fnh + 8, Gdk::RGB_DITHER_NONE, 0, 0);
-        cr->set_source_rgb (1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
-        cr->move_to (8, 8);
-        ilayout->add_to_cairo_context (cr);
-        cr->fill ();
+        iBackBuffer.copySurface(cr);
     }
 
     for (std::list<CropWindow*>::reverse_iterator i = cropWins.rbegin(); i != cropWins.rend(); ++i) {
diff --git a/rtgui/imagearea.h b/rtgui/imagearea.h
index dcdc4f3ec..24a296913 100644
--- a/rtgui/imagearea.h
+++ b/rtgui/imagearea.h
@@ -41,9 +41,8 @@ class ImageArea : public Gtk::DrawingArea, public CropWindowListener, public Edi
 protected:
 
     Glib::ustring infotext;
-    Glib::RefPtr<Pango::Layout> ilayout;
     Glib::RefPtr<Pango::Layout> deglayout;
-    Glib::RefPtr<Gdk::Pixbuf>   ipixbuf;
+    BackBuffer iBackBuffer;
     bool showClippedH, showClippedS;
 
     ImageAreaPanel* parent;