diff --git a/lib/utils.pm b/lib/utils.pm
index 8f25349f..e1065aa8 100644
--- a/lib/utils.pm
+++ b/lib/utils.pm
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use Exporter;
 
 use lockapi;
 use testapi;
-our @EXPORT = qw/run_with_error_check type_safely type_very_safely desktop_vt boot_to_login_screen console_login console_switch_layout desktop_switch_layout console_loadkeys_us do_bootloader boot_decrypt check_release menu_launch_type repo_setup setup_workaround_repo cleanup_workaround_repo gnome_initial_setup anaconda_create_user check_desktop download_modularity_tests quit_firefox advisory_get_installed_packages advisory_check_nonmatching_packages start_with_launcher quit_with_shortcut lo_dismiss_tip disable_firefox_studies select_rescue_mode copy_devcdrom_as_isofile bypass_1691487 get_release_number check_left_bar check_top_bar check_prerelease check_version spell_version_number _assert_and_click is_branched rec_log click_unwanted_notifications repos_mirrorlist register_application get_registered_applications solidify_wallpaper_kde/;
+our @EXPORT = qw/run_with_error_check type_safely type_very_safely desktop_vt boot_to_login_screen console_login console_switch_layout desktop_switch_layout console_loadkeys_us do_bootloader boot_decrypt check_release menu_launch_type repo_setup setup_workaround_repo cleanup_workaround_repo gnome_initial_setup anaconda_create_user check_desktop download_modularity_tests quit_firefox advisory_get_installed_packages advisory_check_nonmatching_packages start_with_launcher quit_with_shortcut lo_dismiss_tip disable_firefox_studies select_rescue_mode copy_devcdrom_as_isofile bypass_1691487 get_release_number check_left_bar check_top_bar check_prerelease check_version spell_version_number _assert_and_click is_branched rec_log click_unwanted_notifications repos_mirrorlist register_application get_registered_applications solidify_wallpaper/;
 
 # We introduce this global variable to hold the list of applications that have
 # registered during the apps_startstop_test when they have sucessfully run.
@@ -1190,29 +1190,46 @@ sub register_application {
 # we will keep it that way. The following code has been taken from the
 # KDE startstop tests but it is good to have it here, because it will be
 # needed more often now, it seems.
-sub solidify_wallpaper_kde {
+sub solidify_wallpaper {
+    my $desktop = get_var("DESKTOP");
+    if ($desktop eq "KDE") {
     # Run the Desktop settings
-    hold_key 'alt';
-    send_key 'd';
-    send_key 's';
-    release_key 'alt';
-    # Select type of background
-    assert_and_click "deskset_select_type";
-    wait_still_screen 2;
-    # Select plain color type
-    assert_and_click "deskset_plain_color";
-    wait_still_screen 2;
-    # Open colors selection
-    assert_and_click "deskset_select_color";
-    wait_still_screen 2;
-    # Select black
-    assert_and_click "deskset_select_black";
-    wait_still_screen 2;
-    # Confirm
-    assert_and_click "kde_ok";
-    wait_still_screen 2;
-    # Close the application
-    assert_and_click "kde_ok";
+        hold_key 'alt';
+        send_key 'd';
+        send_key 's';
+        release_key 'alt';
+        # Select type of background
+        assert_and_click "deskset_select_type";
+        wait_still_screen 2;
+        # Select plain color type
+        assert_and_click "deskset_plain_color";
+        wait_still_screen 2;
+        # Open colors selection
+        assert_and_click "deskset_select_color";
+        wait_still_screen 2;
+        # Select black
+        assert_and_click "deskset_select_black";
+        wait_still_screen 2;
+        # Confirm
+        assert_and_click "kde_ok";
+        wait_still_screen 2;
+        # Close the application
+        assert_and_click "kde_ok";
+    }
+    elsif ($desktop eq "gnome") {
+        # Start the terminal to set up backgrounds.
+        menu_launch_type "gnome-terminal";
+        # When the application opens, run command in it to set the background to black
+        type_very_safely "gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-uri ''";
+        send_key 'ret';
+        wait_still_screen 2;
+        type_very_safely "gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background primary-color '#000000'";
+        send_key 'ret';
+        wait_still_screen 2;
+        quit_with_shortcut();
+        # check that is has changed color
+        assert_screen 'apps_settings_screen_black';
+    }
 }
 
 1;
diff --git a/needles/gnome/locked_screen_switch_user.json b/needles/gnome/locked_screen_switch_user.json
index 8541fea9..d369cce5 100644
--- a/needles/gnome/locked_screen_switch_user.json
+++ b/needles/gnome/locked_screen_switch_user.json
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
-{
-  "properties": [],
-  "tags": [
-    "locked_screen_switch_user"
-  ],
-  "area": [
-    {
-      "xpos": 963,
-      "ypos": 708,
-      "width": 22,
-      "height": 21,
-      "type": "match"
-    }
-  ]
+{
+  "area": [
+    {
+      "xpos": 962,
+      "ypos": 707,
+      "width": 27,
+      "type": "match",
+      "height": 19
+    }
+  ],
+  "properties": [],
+  "tags": [
+    "locked_screen_switch_user"
+  ]
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/needles/gnome/locked_screen_switch_user.png b/needles/gnome/locked_screen_switch_user.png
index 868d1784..78124eda 100644
Binary files a/needles/gnome/locked_screen_switch_user.png and b/needles/gnome/locked_screen_switch_user.png differ
diff --git a/needles/gnome/system_menu_button.json b/needles/gnome/system_menu_button.json
index 7ae2b8b1..b952d676 100644
--- a/needles/gnome/system_menu_button.json
+++ b/needles/gnome/system_menu_button.json
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
-{
-  "properties": [],
-  "tags": [
-    "system_menu_button"
-  ],
-  "area": [
-    {
-      "xpos": 969,
-      "ypos": 2,
-      "width": 45,
-      "height": 25,
-      "type": "match"
-    }
-  ]
+{
+  "area": [
+    {
+      "type": "match",
+      "width": 45,
+      "height": 25,
+      "xpos": 969,
+      "ypos": 2
+    }
+  ],
+  "properties": [],
+  "tags": [
+    "system_menu_button"
+  ]
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/needles/gnome/system_menu_button.png b/needles/gnome/system_menu_button.png
index 09cc17c7..1ba71d22 100644
Binary files a/needles/gnome/system_menu_button.png and b/needles/gnome/system_menu_button.png differ
diff --git a/tests/apps_gnome_preset.pm b/tests/apps_gnome_preset.pm
index 1199f927..8767781d 100644
--- a/tests/apps_gnome_preset.pm
+++ b/tests/apps_gnome_preset.pm
@@ -8,25 +8,8 @@ use utils;
 
 sub run {
     my $self = shift;
-    # open the application, let use the method that does not require any needles, 
-    # because this way, the terminal will always start even if some needles
-    # might fail because of changing background in various releases.
-    send_key 'alt-f1';
-    wait_still_screen 2;
-    type_very_safely 'terminal';
-    send_key 'ret';  
-    wait_still_screen 5;
-
-    # When the application opens, run command in it to set the background to black
-    type_very_safely "gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-uri ''";
-    send_key 'ret';
-    wait_still_screen 2;
-    type_very_safely "gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background primary-color '#000000'";
-    send_key 'ret';
-    wait_still_screen 2;
-    quit_with_shortcut();
-    # check that is has changed color
-    assert_screen 'apps_settings_screen_black';
+    #  Change the background to black.
+    solidify_wallpaper;
 }
 
 # If this test fails, the others will probably start failing too, 
diff --git a/tests/apps_startstop/kde/aasetting.pm b/tests/apps_startstop/kde/aasetting.pm
index 8d173fbf..52ecc476 100644
--- a/tests/apps_startstop/kde/aasetting.pm
+++ b/tests/apps_startstop/kde/aasetting.pm
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use utils;
 
 sub run {
     my $self = shift;
-    solidify_wallpaper_kde;
+    solidify_wallpaper;
     # get rid of unwanted notifications that interfere with tests
     click_unwanted_notifications;
 }
diff --git a/tests/desktop_login.pm b/tests/desktop_login.pm
index 606cf492..2a5ef3f0 100644
--- a/tests/desktop_login.pm
+++ b/tests/desktop_login.pm
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ sub run {
     our $desktop = get_var("DESKTOP");
     # Get rid of the KDE wallpaper and make background black.
     if ($desktop eq "kde") {
-        solidify_wallpaper_kde;
+        solidify_wallpaper;
         # also get rid of the wallpaper on SDDM screen. This is system
         # wide so we only need do it once
         menu_launch_type $term;
@@ -243,9 +243,9 @@ sub run {
 
     # Log in with the first user account.
     login_user(user=>"jack", password=>$jackpass);
-    if ($desktop eq "kde") {
-        solidify_wallpaper_kde;
-    }
+    # Because some of the desktop candiness is based on semi-transparent items that change colours
+    # with every background change, we want to get rid of the background and make it a solid color.
+    solidify_wallpaper;
     check_user_logged_in("jack");
     # Log out the user.
     logout_user();
@@ -258,8 +258,9 @@ sub run {
     else {
         # If not, we are in KDE and we will log in normally.
         login_user(user=>"jim", password=>$jimpass);
-        solidify_wallpaper_kde;
     }
+    # The backgrounds must be solid for both newly created users to take effect in the login session.
+    solidify_wallpaper;
     check_user_logged_in("jim");
     # And this time reboot the system using the menu.
     reboot_system();