diff --git a/app/src/main/java/app/pachli/MainActivity.kt b/app/src/main/java/app/pachli/MainActivity.kt
index f05793c0e..b4595aafe 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/app/pachli/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/app/pachli/MainActivity.kt
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ import com.mikepenz.iconics.IconicsSize
 import com.mikepenz.iconics.typeface.library.googlematerial.GoogleMaterial
 import com.mikepenz.materialdrawer.holder.BadgeStyle
 import com.mikepenz.materialdrawer.holder.ColorHolder
+import com.mikepenz.materialdrawer.holder.ImageHolder
 import com.mikepenz.materialdrawer.holder.StringHolder
 import com.mikepenz.materialdrawer.iconics.iconicsIcon
 import com.mikepenz.materialdrawer.model.AbstractDrawerItem
@@ -1057,9 +1058,7 @@ class MainActivity : BottomSheetActivity(), ActionButtonActivity, MenuProvider {
     }
 
     private fun onFetchUserInfoSuccess(me: Account) {
-        glide.asBitmap()
-            .load(me.header)
-            .into(header.accountHeaderBackground)
+        header.headerBackground = ImageHolder(me.header)
 
         loadDrawerAvatar(me.avatar, false)
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/material_drawer_header.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/material_drawer_header.xml
index 019a0d330..d86e714c9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/material_drawer_header.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/material_drawer_header.xml
@@ -18,6 +18,17 @@
         app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
         app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />
 
+    <!-- Partially transparent scrim so the text is visible whatever the background is -->
+    <ImageView
+        android:layout_width="0dp"
+        android:layout_height="0dp"
+        android:contentDescription="@null"
+        android:foreground="@color/account_header_scrim"
+        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
+        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
+        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
+        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/material_drawer_text_guideline" />
+
     <androidx.constraintlayout.widget.Guideline
         android:id="@+id/material_drawer_statusbar_guideline"
         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
diff --git a/core/designsystem/src/main/res/values-night/theme_colors.xml b/core/designsystem/src/main/res/values-night/theme_colors.xml
index 1cb754864..65c0bcd66 100644
--- a/core/designsystem/src/main/res/values-night/theme_colors.xml
+++ b/core/designsystem/src/main/res/values-night/theme_colors.xml
@@ -7,4 +7,6 @@
     <!-- colors used to show inserted/deleted text -->
     <color name="view_edits_background_insert">#00731B</color>
     <color name="view_edits_background_delete">#DF0000</color>
+
+    <color name="account_header_scrim">#8f000000</color>
 </resources>
diff --git a/core/designsystem/src/main/res/values/colors.xml b/core/designsystem/src/main/res/values/colors.xml
index 5fb7a2cec..8354264d8 100644
--- a/core/designsystem/src/main/res/values/colors.xml
+++ b/core/designsystem/src/main/res/values/colors.xml
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@
     <color name="transparent_tusky_blue">#8c2b90d9</color>
     <color name="transparent_black">#8f000000</color>
     <color name="transparent_statusbar_background">#44000000</color>
+    <color name="account_header_scrim">#8fffffff</color>
 
     <!-- colors used in the app icon -->
     <color name="icon_background">#09497b</color>