diff --git a/app/views/layouts/application.html.haml b/app/views/layouts/application.html.haml
index 9d730b6a..29c8bb3b 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/application.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/layouts/application.html.haml
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
     = csrf_meta_tags
     = stylesheet_link_tag 'application', media: 'all', 'data-turbolinks-track': 'reload'
     = javascript_include_tag 'application', 'data-turbolinks-track': 'reload'
-  %body{class: @has_cover ? 'background-cover' : '', style: @has_cover ? "background-image: url(#{@site.try(:cover)})": ''}
+  - style = "background-image: url(#{@site.try(:cover) || image_url('background.jpg')})"
+  %body{class: @has_cover ? 'background-cover' : '', style: @has_cover ? style : ''}
     .container-fluid
       = yield
     %footer.footer