diff --git a/businesscard-qrcode.cls b/businesscard-qrcode.cls
index 496e16a..5509de3 100644
--- a/businesscard-qrcode.cls
+++ b/businesscard-qrcode.cls
@@ -383,13 +383,15 @@ END:VCARD\BCQ@nl}
 	\ifcsdef{Xbackground}{%
 		\IfFileExists{\Xbackground}{%
 			% It's an image file: add to background using eso-pic (no layout impact)
-			\AddToShipoutPictureBG*{%
-				\AtPageCenter{%
+			% Fix XeLaTeX opacity issue: ensure TikZ/PGF is loaded before opacity is used
+			\AddToHook{shipout/background}[businesscard]{%
+				\put (\LenToUnit{.5\paperwidth},\LenToUnit{-.5\paperheight}) {%
 					\tikz[overlay]{\node[opacity=\fpeval{\BCQ@bgopacity}, inner sep=0pt] at (0,0) {%
 						\includegraphics[height=\fpeval{\BCQ@bgscale}\paperheight]{\Xbackground}%
 					};}%
 				}%
 			}%
+			\DeclareHookRule{shipout/background}{pgfrcs}{>}{businesscard}%
 		}{%
 			% Not a file: treat as color
 			\pagecolor{\Xbackground}%
diff --git a/examples/background-image-example.pdf b/examples/background-image-example.pdf
index 9ae4993..269a47b 100644
Binary files a/examples/background-image-example.pdf and b/examples/background-image-example.pdf differ
diff --git a/examples/background-image-example.tex b/examples/background-image-example.tex
index a9de260..a303aa2 100644
--- a/examples/background-image-example.tex
+++ b/examples/background-image-example.tex
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 % !TeX program = xelatex
-\documentclass[bgscale=1.2,bgopacity=0.3,qrbgopacity=0.2
-]{businesscard-qrcode}
+\documentclass[bgscale=1.2,bgopacity=0.6,qrbgopacity=0.8,photoscale=4]{businesscard-qrcode}
 
 \type{home}
 \givennames{Petra}
diff --git a/examples/photo-large-example.pdf b/examples/photo-large-example.pdf
index dd9114e..f534541 100644
Binary files a/examples/photo-large-example.pdf and b/examples/photo-large-example.pdf differ
diff --git a/examples/photo-large-example.tex b/examples/photo-large-example.tex
index c5ef0cb..1d9fdd4 100644
--- a/examples/photo-large-example.tex
+++ b/examples/photo-large-example.tex
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 % !TeX program = xelatex
 % Note: Requires photo.png in same directory
-\documentclass[photoscale=4]{businesscard-qrcode}
+\documentclass[bgscale=1.2,bgopacity=0.6,qrbgopacity=0.8,photoscale=4]{businesscard-qrcode}
 
 \type{home}
 \givennames{Max}
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 \phone{+41 52 123 45 67}
 \email{max@example.ch}
 \photo{photo.png}
+\background{background.png}
 
 \begin{document}
 	\drawcard