diff --git a/addons/backgrounds/README.md b/addons/backgrounds/README.md
index 93dbda859c2a..fe7f2dcf46e4 100644
--- a/addons/backgrounds/README.md
+++ b/addons/backgrounds/README.md
@@ -81,3 +81,5 @@ storiesOf('Button', module).add('with text', () => <button>Click me</button>, {
   backgrounds: { disable: true },
 });
 ```
+
+You can choose your background in a running storybook instance with the `background` query param and either set the background value or the name as the parameter value. E.g. `?background=twitter` or `?background=#00aced`.
diff --git a/addons/backgrounds/src/BackgroundPanel.js b/addons/backgrounds/src/BackgroundPanel.js
index ea1e9bcd53a7..cf56703b5e25 100644
--- a/addons/backgrounds/src/BackgroundPanel.js
+++ b/addons/backgrounds/src/BackgroundPanel.js
@@ -99,8 +99,11 @@ export default class BackgroundPanel extends Component {
 
       // debugger;
 
-      if (current && backgrounds.find(bg => bg.value === current)) {
-        this.updateIframe(current);
+      const foundBackground =
+        current && backgrounds.find(bg => bg.name === decodeURI(current) || bg.value === current);
+
+      if (foundBackground) {
+        this.updateIframe(foundBackground.value);
       } else if (defaultOrFirst) {
         this.updateIframe(defaultOrFirst.value);
         api.setQueryParams({ background: defaultOrFirst.value });