diff --git a/packages/core/ui/list-view/index.ios.ts b/packages/core/ui/list-view/index.ios.ts
index 974f96334..22d2e5a50 100644
--- a/packages/core/ui/list-view/index.ios.ts
+++ b/packages/core/ui/list-view/index.ios.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class ListViewCell extends UITableViewCell {
 	public static initWithEmptyBackground(): ListViewCell {
 		const cell = <ListViewCell>ListViewCell.new();
 		// Clear background by default - this will make cells transparent
-		cell.backgroundColor = null;
+		cell.backgroundColor = UIColor.clearColor;
 
 		return cell;
 	}
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class ListViewCell extends UITableViewCell {
 	initWithStyleReuseIdentifier(style: UITableViewCellStyle, reuseIdentifier: string): this {
 		const cell = <this>super.initWithStyleReuseIdentifier(style, reuseIdentifier);
 		// Clear background by default - this will make cells transparent
-		cell.backgroundColor = null;
+		cell.backgroundColor = UIColor.clearColor;
 
 		return cell;
 	}