diff --git a/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/clip.py b/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/clip.py
index d5d9684bcf3..dc0d35062e6 100644
--- a/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/clip.py
+++ b/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/clip.py
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ class CLIP_OT_set_viewport_background(Operator):
                 break
 
         if not bgpic:
-            bgpic = space_v3d.background_images.add()
+            bgpic = space_v3d.background_images.new()
 
         bgpic.source = 'MOVIE'
         bgpic.clip = clip
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/include/ED_view3d.h b/source/blender/editors/include/ED_view3d.h
index 82a1e6f1f00..6536741af00 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/include/ED_view3d.h
+++ b/source/blender/editors/include/ED_view3d.h
@@ -290,6 +290,7 @@ void ED_view3d_camera_lock_init(struct View3D *v3d, struct RegionView3D *rv3d);
 /* copy the view to the camera, return TRUE if */
 int ED_view3d_camera_lock_sync(struct View3D *v3d, struct RegionView3D *rv3d);
 
-struct BGpic *ED_view3D_background_image_add(struct View3D *v3d);
+struct BGpic *ED_view3D_background_image_new(struct View3D *v3d);
+void ED_view3D_background_image_remove(struct View3D *v3d, struct BGpic *bgpic);
 
 #endif /* ED_VIEW3D_H */
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/view3d_edit.c b/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/view3d_edit.c
index 7eaa5d42dd0..771accd462b 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/view3d_edit.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_view3d/view3d_edit.c
@@ -2944,7 +2944,7 @@ static BGpic *background_image_add(bContext *C)
 {
 	View3D *v3d= CTX_wm_view3d(C);
 
-	return ED_view3D_background_image_add(v3d);
+	return ED_view3D_background_image_new(v3d);
 }
 
 static int background_image_add_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *UNUSED(op))
@@ -3014,16 +3014,13 @@ void VIEW3D_OT_background_image_add(wmOperatorType *ot)
 /* ***** remove image operator ******* */
 static int background_image_remove_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
 {
-	View3D *vd = CTX_wm_view3d(C);
+	View3D *v3d = CTX_wm_view3d(C);
 	int index = RNA_int_get(op->ptr, "index");
-	BGpic *bgpic_rem= BLI_findlink(&vd->bgpicbase, index);
+	BGpic *bgpic_rem= BLI_findlink(&v3d->bgpicbase, index);
 
 	if(bgpic_rem) {
-		BLI_remlink(&vd->bgpicbase, bgpic_rem);
-		if(bgpic_rem->ima) 	id_us_min(&bgpic_rem->ima->id);
-		if(bgpic_rem->clip) id_us_min(&bgpic_rem->clip->id);
-		MEM_freeN(bgpic_rem);
-		WM_event_add_notifier(C, NC_SPACE|ND_SPACE_VIEW3D, vd);
+		ED_view3D_background_image_remove(v3d, bgpic_rem);
+		WM_event_add_notifier(C, NC_SPACE|ND_SPACE_VIEW3D, v3d);
 		return OPERATOR_FINISHED;
 	}
 	else {
@@ -3529,7 +3526,7 @@ void ED_view3d_to_object(Object *ob, const float ofs[3], const float quat[4], co
 	object_apply_mat4(ob, mat, TRUE, TRUE);
 }
 
-BGpic *ED_view3D_background_image_add(View3D *v3d)
+BGpic *ED_view3D_background_image_new(View3D *v3d)
 {
 	BGpic *bgpic= MEM_callocN(sizeof(BGpic), "Background Image");
 
@@ -3543,3 +3540,16 @@ BGpic *ED_view3D_background_image_add(View3D *v3d)
 
 	return bgpic;
 }
+
+void ED_view3D_background_image_remove(struct View3D *v3d, struct BGpic *bgpic)
+{
+	BLI_remlink(&v3d->bgpicbase, bgpic);
+
+	if(bgpic->ima)
+		id_us_min(&bgpic->ima->id);
+
+	if(bgpic->clip)
+		id_us_min(&bgpic->clip->id);
+
+	MEM_freeN(bgpic);
+}
diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_space.c b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_space.c
index 8fb232332d5..393ffa69cbc 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_space.c
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_space.c
@@ -891,15 +891,22 @@ static void rna_BackgroundImage_opacity_set(PointerRNA *ptr, float value)
 	bgpic->blend = 1.0f - value;
 }
 
-static BGpic *rna_BackgroundImage_add(View3D *v3d)
+static BGpic *rna_BackgroundImage_new(View3D *v3d)
 {
-	BGpic *bgpic= ED_view3D_background_image_add(v3d);;
+	BGpic *bgpic= ED_view3D_background_image_new(v3d);
 
-	WM_main_add_notifier(NC_SPACE|ND_SPACE_VIEW3D, NULL);
+	WM_main_add_notifier(NC_SPACE|ND_SPACE_VIEW3D, v3d);
 
 	return bgpic;
 }
 
+static void rna_BackgroundImage_remove(View3D *v3d, BGpic *bgpic)
+{
+	ED_view3D_background_image_remove(v3d, bgpic);
+
+	WM_main_add_notifier(NC_SPACE|ND_SPACE_VIEW3D, v3d);
+}
+
 /* Space Node Editor */
 
 static int rna_SpaceNodeEditor_node_tree_poll(PointerRNA *ptr, PointerRNA value)
@@ -1307,11 +1314,15 @@ static void rna_def_backgroundImages(BlenderRNA *brna, PropertyRNA *cprop)
 	RNA_def_struct_sdna(srna, "View3D");
 	RNA_def_struct_ui_text(srna, "Background Images", "Collection of background images");
 
-	func= RNA_def_function(srna, "add", "rna_BackgroundImage_add");
+	func= RNA_def_function(srna, "new", "rna_BackgroundImage_new");
 	RNA_def_function_ui_description(func, "Add new background image");
-
 	parm= RNA_def_pointer(func, "image", "BackgroundImage", "", "Image displayed as viewport background");
 	RNA_def_function_return(func, parm);
+
+	func= RNA_def_function(srna, "remove", "rna_BackgroundImage_remove");
+	RNA_def_function_ui_description(func, "Remove background image");
+	parm= RNA_def_pointer(func, "image", "BackgroundImage", "", "Image displayed as viewport background");
+	RNA_def_property_flag(parm, PROP_REQUIRED|PROP_NEVER_NULL);
 }
 
 static void rna_def_space_view3d(BlenderRNA *brna)