diff --git a/src/servers/app/Layer.cpp b/src/servers/app/Layer.cpp
index ee1f70493c..521f239fc2 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/Layer.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/Layer.cpp
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@
 #include "ServerProtocol.h"
 #include "ServerWindow.h"
 #include "WinBorder.h"
-
 #include "Layer.h"
+#include "ServerBitmap.h"
 
 //#define DEBUG_LAYER
 #ifdef DEBUG_LAYER
@@ -108,7 +108,11 @@ Layer::Layer(BRect frame, const char* name, int32 token,
 	fDriver(driver),
 	fLayerData(new LayerData()),
 
-	fRootLayer(NULL)
+	fRootLayer(NULL),
+
+	fViewColor(255, 255, 255, 255),
+	fBackgroundBitmap(NULL),
+	fOverlayBitmap(NULL)
 {
 	if (!frame.IsValid()) {
 char helper[1024];
@@ -854,8 +858,8 @@ Layer::Draw(const BRect &rect)
 	rect.PrintToStream();
 #endif	
 
-	if (!fLayerData->ViewColor().IsTransparentMagic())
-		fDriver->FillRect(rect, fLayerData->ViewColor());
+	if (!ViewColor().IsTransparentMagic())
+		fDriver->FillRect(rect, ViewColor());
 }
 
 // EmptyGlobals
@@ -1506,6 +1510,32 @@ Layer::SendViewCoordUpdateMsg() const
 	}
 }
 
+// SetViewColor
+void
+Layer::SetViewColor(const RGBColor& color)
+{
+	fViewColor = color;
+}
+
+// SetBackgroundBitmap
+void
+Layer::SetBackgroundBitmap(const ServerBitmap* bitmap)
+{
+	// TODO: What about reference counting?
+	// "Release" old fBackgroundBitmap and "Aquire" new one?
+	fBackgroundBitmap = bitmap;
+}
+
+// SetOverlayBitmap
+void
+Layer::SetOverlayBitmap(const ServerBitmap* bitmap)
+{
+	// TODO: What about reference counting?
+	// "Release" old fOverlayBitmap and "Aquire" new one?
+	fOverlayBitmap = bitmap;
+}
+
+
 /*
 //! Sends a B_VIEW_MOVED message to the client BWindow
 void
diff --git a/src/servers/app/Layer.h b/src/servers/app/Layer.h
index 189b5ad41f..13d49286ad 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/Layer.h
+++ b/src/servers/app/Layer.h
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ class ServerApp;
 class RootLayer;
 class DisplayDriver;
 class LayerData;
+class ServerBitmap;
 
 class Layer {
  public:
@@ -190,6 +191,21 @@ class Layer {
 			BRegion*			ClippingRegion() const
 									{ return fClipReg; }
 
+								// automatic background blanking by app_server
+			void				SetViewColor(const RGBColor& color);
+	inline	const RGBColor&		ViewColor() const
+									{ return fViewColor; }
+
+			void				SetBackgroundBitmap(const ServerBitmap* bitmap);
+	inline	const ServerBitmap*	BackgroundBitmap() const
+									{ return fBackgroundBitmap; }
+
+								// overlay support
+								// TODO: This can't be all, what about color key?
+			void				SetOverlayBitmap(const ServerBitmap* bitmap);
+	inline	const ServerBitmap*	OverlayBitmap() const
+									{ return fOverlayBitmap; }
+
  protected:
 	friend class RootLayer;
 	friend class WinBorder;
@@ -252,6 +268,11 @@ class Layer {
 //			void				SendViewMovedMsg();
 //			void				SendViewResizedMsg();
 
+			RGBColor			fViewColor;
+
+	const	ServerBitmap*		fBackgroundBitmap;
+	const	ServerBitmap*		fOverlayBitmap;
+
 };
 
 #endif // _LAYER_H_
diff --git a/src/servers/app/LayerData.cpp b/src/servers/app/LayerData.cpp
index 63bcf085ff..1bf9a8ac1b 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/LayerData.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/LayerData.cpp
@@ -312,9 +312,6 @@ DrawData::SetMiterLimit(float limit)
 // constructpr
 LayerData::LayerData()
 	: DrawData(),
-	  fViewColor(255, 255, 255, 255),
-	  fBackgroundBitmap(NULL),
-	  fOverlayBitmap(NULL),
 	  prevState(NULL)
 {
 }
@@ -338,43 +335,11 @@ LayerData::operator=(const LayerData& from)
 {
 	DrawData::operator=(from);
 
-	fViewColor			= from.fViewColor;
-
-	// TODO: Are we making any sense here?
-	// How is operator= being used?
-	fBackgroundBitmap	= from.fBackgroundBitmap;
-	fOverlayBitmap		= from.fOverlayBitmap;
-
 	prevState			= from.prevState;
 	
 	return *this;
 }
 
-// SetViewColor
-void
-LayerData::SetViewColor(const RGBColor& color)
-{
-	fViewColor = color;
-}
-
-// SetBackgroundBitmap
-void
-LayerData::SetBackgroundBitmap(const ServerBitmap* bitmap)
-{
-	// TODO: What about reference counting?
-	// "Release" old fBackgroundBitmap and "Aquire" new one?
-	fBackgroundBitmap = bitmap;
-}
-
-// SetOverlayBitmap
-void
-LayerData::SetOverlayBitmap(const ServerBitmap* bitmap)
-{
-	// TODO: What about reference counting?
-	// "Release" old fOverlayBitmap and "Aquire" new one?
-	fOverlayBitmap = bitmap;
-}
-
 // PrintToStream
 void
 LayerData::PrintToStream() const
@@ -387,7 +352,6 @@ LayerData::PrintToStream() const
 
 	printf("\t HighColor: "); fHighColor.PrintToStream();
 	printf("\t LowColor: "); fLowColor.PrintToStream();
-	printf("\t ViewColor "); fViewColor.PrintToStream();
 	printf("\t Pattern: %llu\n", fPattern.GetInt64());
 
 	printf("\t DrawMode: %lu\n", (uint32)fDrawingMode);
@@ -473,14 +437,12 @@ LayerData::ReadFromLink(LinkMsgReader& link)
 {
 	rgb_color highColor;
 	rgb_color lowColor;
-	rgb_color viewColor;
 	pattern patt;
 
 	link.Read<BPoint>(&fPenLocation);
 	link.Read<float>(&fPenSize);
 	link.Read(&highColor, sizeof(rgb_color));
 	link.Read(&lowColor, sizeof(rgb_color));
-	link.Read(&viewColor, sizeof(rgb_color));
 	link.Read(&patt, sizeof(pattern));
 	link.Read<int8>((int8*)&fDrawingMode);
 	link.Read<BPoint>(&fOrigin);
@@ -497,7 +459,6 @@ LayerData::ReadFromLink(LinkMsgReader& link)
 
 	fHighColor = highColor;
 	fLowColor = lowColor;
-	fViewColor = viewColor;
 	fPattern = patt;
 
 	// read clipping
@@ -521,7 +482,6 @@ LayerData::WriteToLink(LinkMsgSender& link) const
 {
 	rgb_color hc = fHighColor.GetColor32();
 	rgb_color lc = fLowColor.GetColor32();
-	rgb_color vc = fViewColor.GetColor32();
 	
 	// Attach font state
 	link.Attach<uint32>(fFont.GetFamilyAndStyle());
@@ -538,7 +498,6 @@ LayerData::WriteToLink(LinkMsgSender& link) const
 	link.Attach<float>(fPenSize);
 	link.Attach(&hc, sizeof(rgb_color));
 	link.Attach(&lc, sizeof(rgb_color));
-	link.Attach(&vc, sizeof(rgb_color));
 	link.Attach<uint64>(fPattern.GetInt64());
 	link.Attach<BPoint>(fOrigin);
 	link.Attach<uint8>((uint8)fDrawingMode);
diff --git a/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.cpp b/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.cpp
index 388b002692..79add7e58c 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.cpp
@@ -326,6 +326,7 @@ ServerWindow::CreateLayerTree(Layer *localRoot, LinkMsgReader &link)
 	bool hidden;
 	int32 childCount;
 	char *name = NULL;
+	rgb_color viewColor;
 
 	link.Read<int32>(&token);
 	link.ReadString(&name);
@@ -335,6 +336,7 @@ ServerWindow::CreateLayerTree(Layer *localRoot, LinkMsgReader &link)
 	link.Read<uint32>(&eventOptions);
 	link.Read<uint32>(&flags);
 	link.Read<bool>(&hidden);
+	link.Read<rgb_color>(&viewColor );
 	link.Read<int32>(&childCount);
 
 	STRACE(("ServerWindow(%s)::CreateLayerTree()-> layer %s, token %ld\n", fName,name,token));
@@ -345,6 +347,7 @@ ServerWindow::CreateLayerTree(Layer *localRoot, LinkMsgReader &link)
 	free(name);
 
 	// there is no way of setting this, other than manually :-)
+	newLayer->fViewColor = viewColor;
 	newLayer->fHidden = hidden;
 	newLayer->fEventMask = eventMask;
 	newLayer->fEventOptions = eventOptions;
@@ -788,7 +791,7 @@ ServerWindow::DispatchMessage(int32 code, LinkMsgReader &link)
 			
 			link.Read(&c, sizeof(rgb_color));
 			
-			fCurrentLayer->fLayerData->SetViewColor(RGBColor(c));
+			fCurrentLayer->SetViewColor(RGBColor(c));
 
 			// TODO: this should not trigger redraw, no?!?
 			myRootLayer->GoRedraw(fCurrentLayer, fCurrentLayer->fVisible);
@@ -802,7 +805,7 @@ ServerWindow::DispatchMessage(int32 code, LinkMsgReader &link)
 			
 			highColor = fCurrentLayer->fLayerData->HighColor().GetColor32();
 			lowColor = fCurrentLayer->fLayerData->LowColor().GetColor32();
-			viewColor = fCurrentLayer->fLayerData->ViewColor().GetColor32();
+			viewColor = fCurrentLayer->ViewColor().GetColor32();
 			
 			fMsgSender->StartMessage(SERVER_TRUE);
 			fMsgSender->Attach(&highColor, sizeof(rgb_color));