diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 05e3c11bef..fb32b7fb0f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ History
 - add new panel for background rendering of charts (PR [#233](https://github.com/jfree/jfreechart/pull/233))
 - fix tick label font for `LogAxis` with number format override ([#98](https://github.com/jfree/jfreechart/issues/98));
 - added `valueVisible` flag to `MeterPlot` ([#231](https://github.com/jfree/jfreechart/pull/231));
+- added `get/setWebFillAlpha()` methods to SpiderWebPlot ([#279](https://github.com/jfree/jfreechart/pull/279))
 - add argument checks for annotations ([#223](https://github.com/jfree/jfreechart/issues/223));
 - removed `JFreeChartResources.java` file ([#239](https://github.com/jfree/jfreechart/issues/239))
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jfree/chart/plot/SpiderWebPlot.java b/src/main/java/org/jfree/chart/plot/SpiderWebPlot.java
index 29a8840712..33a10ff00c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jfree/chart/plot/SpiderWebPlot.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jfree/chart/plot/SpiderWebPlot.java
@@ -363,11 +363,22 @@ public void setWebFilled(boolean flag) {
         fireChangeEvent();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the alpha value for filling a graph (in the range 0.0 to 1.0).
+     *
+     * @return The alpha value for filling a spider plot polygon.
+     *
+     * @see #setWebFillAlpha(float)
+     */
+    public float getWebFillAlpha() {
+        return webFillAlpha;
+    }
 
     /**
-     * Method to set the alpha value for the fill of a plot polygon.
+     * Sets the alpha value for the fill of a plot polygon and sends a {@link PlotChangeEvent} to all
+     * registered listeners.
      *
-     * @param alpha the new alpha value. If it is outsite [0,1] it will be corrected to fit the range.
+     * @param alpha the new alpha value. If it is outside [0,1] it will be corrected to fit the range.
      * @see #getWebFillAlpha()
      */
     public void setWebFillAlpha(float alpha) {
@@ -380,17 +391,6 @@ public void setWebFillAlpha(float alpha) {
         fireChangeEvent();
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Method to return the alpha value for filling a graph.
-     *
-     * @return The alpha value for filling a spider plot polygon.
-     *
-     * @see #setWebFillAlpha(float)
-     */
-    public float getWebFillAlpha() {
-        return webFillAlpha;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Returns the data extract order (by row or by column).
      *
@@ -1497,6 +1497,9 @@ public boolean equals(Object obj) {
         if (this.webFilled != that.webFilled) {
             return false;
         }
+        if (this.webFillAlpha != that.webFillAlpha) {
+            return false;
+        }
         if (this.axisLabelGap != that.axisLabelGap) {
             return false;
         }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/jfree/chart/plot/SpiderWebPlotTest.java b/src/test/java/org/jfree/chart/plot/SpiderWebPlotTest.java
index c097b5deaf..381dd339df 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/jfree/chart/plot/SpiderWebPlotTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/jfree/chart/plot/SpiderWebPlotTest.java
@@ -189,6 +189,11 @@ public void testEquals() {
         p2.setWebFilled(false);
         assertEquals(p1, p2);
 
+        p1.setWebFillAlpha(0.5f);
+        assertNotEquals(p1, p2);
+        p2.setWebFillAlpha(0.5f);
+        assertEquals(p1, p2);
+
         // axisLabelGap
         p1.setAxisLabelGap(0.11);
         assertNotEquals(p1, p2);