diff --git a/manimlib/mobject/types/vectorized_mobject.py b/manimlib/mobject/types/vectorized_mobject.py
index 196cb9ca..f235cf2d 100644
--- a/manimlib/mobject/types/vectorized_mobject.py
+++ b/manimlib/mobject/types/vectorized_mobject.py
@@ -134,14 +134,15 @@ class VMobject(Mobject):
         return self
 
     def set_stroke(self, color=None, width=None, opacity=None,
-                   background=False, family=True):
+                   background=None, family=True):
         if family:
             for sm in self.submobjects:
                 sm.set_stroke(color, width, opacity, background, family)
         self.update_rgbas_array("stroke_rgbas", color, opacity)
         if width is not None:
             self.stroke_width = np.array(listify(width))
-        self.draw_stroke_behind_fill = background
+        if background is not None:
+            self.draw_stroke_behind_fill = background
         return self
 
     def set_style(self,