diff --git a/.golangci.yml b/.golangci.yml
index 552e13cb7..19ee2f531 100644
--- a/.golangci.yml
+++ b/.golangci.yml
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ linters:
           - revive
         path: pkg/routes/api/shared/*
         text: 'var-naming: avoid meaningless package names'
+      - linters:
+          - contextcheck
+        path: pkg/routes/api/v2/backgrounds.go # the unsplash provider intentionally uses context.Background(); its interface is shared with v1 and can't take a context
       - linters:
           - revive
         text: 'var-naming: avoid package names that conflict with Go standard library package names'
diff --git a/pkg/modules/background/background.go b/pkg/modules/background/background.go
index 161485bfe..7e48d2d16 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/background/background.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/background/background.go
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ import (
 
 // Image represents an image which can be used as a project background
 type Image struct {
-	ID       string `json:"id"`
-	URL      string `json:"url"`
-	Thumb    string `json:"thumb,omitempty"`
-	BlurHash string `json:"blur_hash"`
+	ID       string `json:"id" doc:"The provider-specific id of the image; pass this back to set it as a background."`
+	URL      string `json:"url" doc:"The full-size URL of the image."`
+	Thumb    string `json:"thumb,omitempty" doc:"A thumbnail URL of the image, if the provider supplies one."`
+	BlurHash string `json:"blur_hash" doc:"A BlurHash placeholder for the image."`
 	// This can be used to supply extra information from an image provider to clients
-	Info interface{} `json:"info,omitempty"`
+	Info interface{} `json:"info,omitempty" doc:"Provider-specific extra information about the image (e.g. the Unsplash author for attribution)."`
 }
 
 const MaxBackgroundImageHeight = 3840
diff --git a/pkg/routes/api/v2/backgrounds.go b/pkg/routes/api/v2/backgrounds.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c56d1acce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/routes/api/v2/backgrounds.go
@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+// Vikunja is a to-do list application to facilitate your life.
+// Copyright 2018-present Vikunja and contributors. All rights reserved.
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+package apiv2
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"net/http"
+
+	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/config"
+	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/db"
+	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/models"
+	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/modules/background"
+	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/modules/background/unsplash"
+
+	"github.com/danielgtaylor/huma/v2"
+)
+
+type backgroundSearchBody struct {
+	Body Paginated[*background.Image]
+}
+
+// RegisterBackgroundRoutes wires the project-background actions onto the Huma
+// API. BackgroundsEnabled / BackgroundsUnsplashEnabled are static config, so the
+// registrar early-returns instead of gating per request.
+func RegisterBackgroundRoutes(api huma.API) {
+	if !config.BackgroundsEnabled.GetBool() {
+		return
+	}
+
+	tags := []string{"project"}
+
+	Register(api, huma.Operation{
+		OperationID: "projects-background-delete",
+		Summary:     "Remove a project background",
+		Description: "Removes a project's background, whichever provider set it. Succeeds even when the project has no background. Requires write access to the project. Returns the updated project.",
+		Method:      http.MethodDelete,
+		Path:        "/projects/{project}/background",
+		// Return the updated project with 200, not the wrapper's DELETE default 204.
+		DefaultStatus: http.StatusOK,
+		Tags:          tags,
+	}, backgroundRemove)
+
+	if config.BackgroundsUnsplashEnabled.GetBool() {
+		Register(api, huma.Operation{
+			OperationID: "backgrounds-unsplash-search",
+			Summary:     "Search Unsplash backgrounds",
+			Description: "Searches Unsplash for background images. With an empty query it returns the featured wallpaper collection. Results are paginated by Unsplash; total counts are not available.",
+			Method:      http.MethodGet,
+			Path:        "/backgrounds/unsplash/search",
+			Tags:        tags,
+		}, backgroundUnsplashSearch)
+
+		Register(api, huma.Operation{
+			OperationID: "projects-background-unsplash-set",
+			Summary:     "Set an Unsplash image as project background",
+			Description: "Sets a previously searched Unsplash image as the project's background, identified by the image id from the search results. Requires write access to the project.",
+			Method:      http.MethodPut,
+			Path:        "/projects/{project}/backgrounds/unsplash",
+			Tags:        tags,
+		}, backgroundUnsplashSet)
+	}
+}
+
+func init() { AddRouteRegistrar(RegisterBackgroundRoutes) }
+
+func backgroundUnsplashSearch(ctx context.Context, in *struct {
+	Q    string `query:"q" doc:"Search query; empty returns the featured wallpaper collection."`
+	Page int64  `query:"page" default:"1" minimum:"1" doc:"1-based page number."`
+}) (*backgroundSearchBody, error) {
+	if _, err := authFromCtx(ctx); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	page := in.Page
+	if page < 1 {
+		page = 1
+	}
+
+	s := db.NewSession()
+	defer s.Close()
+
+	p := &unsplash.Provider{}
+	result, err := p.Search(s, in.Q, page)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = s.Rollback()
+		return nil, translateDomainError(err)
+	}
+	if err := s.Commit(); err != nil {
+		return nil, translateDomainError(err)
+	}
+
+	// Unsplash paginates server-side and p.Search discards the total, so the
+	// envelope's total is just this page's length (v1 returned a bare array).
+	return &backgroundSearchBody{Body: NewPaginated(result, int64(len(result)), int(page), len(result))}, nil
+}
+
+func backgroundUnsplashSet(ctx context.Context, in *struct {
+	ProjectID int64 `path:"project"`
+	Body      background.Image
+}) (*singleBody[models.Project], error) {
+	a, err := authFromCtx(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	s := db.NewSession()
+	defer s.Close()
+
+	project := &models.Project{ID: in.ProjectID}
+	can, err := project.CanUpdate(s, a)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = s.Rollback()
+		return nil, translateDomainError(err)
+	}
+	if !can {
+		_ = s.Rollback()
+		return nil, huma.Error403Forbidden("forbidden")
+	}
+	project, err = models.GetProjectSimpleByID(s, in.ProjectID)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = s.Rollback()
+		return nil, translateDomainError(err)
+	}
+
+	p := &unsplash.Provider{}
+	if err := p.Set(s, &in.Body, project, a); err != nil {
+		_ = s.Rollback()
+		return nil, translateDomainError(err)
+	}
+	if err := project.ReadOne(s, a); err != nil {
+		_ = s.Rollback()
+		return nil, translateDomainError(err)
+	}
+	if err := s.Commit(); err != nil {
+		return nil, translateDomainError(err)
+	}
+
+	return &singleBody[models.Project]{Body: project}, nil
+}
+
+func backgroundRemove(ctx context.Context, in *struct {
+	ProjectID int64 `path:"project"`
+}) (*singleBody[models.Project], error) {
+	a, err := authFromCtx(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	s := db.NewSession()
+	defer s.Close()
+
+	project := &models.Project{ID: in.ProjectID}
+	can, err := project.CanUpdate(s, a)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = s.Rollback()
+		return nil, translateDomainError(err)
+	}
+	if !can {
+		_ = s.Rollback()
+		return nil, huma.Error403Forbidden("forbidden")
+	}
+
+	if err := project.DeleteBackgroundFileIfExists(s); err != nil {
+		_ = s.Rollback()
+		return nil, translateDomainError(err)
+	}
+	if err := models.ClearProjectBackground(s, project.ID); err != nil {
+		_ = s.Rollback()
+		return nil, translateDomainError(err)
+	}
+	if err := s.Commit(); err != nil {
+		return nil, translateDomainError(err)
+	}
+
+	return &singleBody[models.Project]{Body: project}, nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/webtests/huma_backgrounds_misc_test.go b/pkg/webtests/huma_backgrounds_misc_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8efdc3c2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/webtests/huma_backgrounds_misc_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+// Vikunja is a to-do list application to facilitate your life.
+// Copyright 2018-present Vikunja and contributors. All rights reserved.
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+package webtests
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"testing"
+
+	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/config"
+	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/db"
+	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/models"
+	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/routes"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+// TestHumaProjectBackgroundDelete covers removing a project background. It
+// mirrors the v1 background_test.go matrix: the owner clears the background
+// (and keeps the title), a read-only user is refused.
+func TestHumaProjectBackgroundDelete(t *testing.T) {
+	e, err := setupTestEnv()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	t.Run("Owner clears the background, title preserved", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// testuser6 owns project 35 (title "Test35 with background", background_file_id 1).
+		rec := humaRequest(t, e, http.MethodDelete, "/api/v2/projects/35/background", "", humaTokenFor(t, &testuser6), "")
+		require.Equal(t, http.StatusOK, rec.Code, "body: %s", rec.Body.String())
+
+		s := db.NewSession()
+		defer s.Close()
+		project := models.Project{ID: 35}
+		has, err := s.Get(&project)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.True(t, has)
+		assert.Equal(t, "Test35 with background", project.Title)
+		assert.Equal(t, int64(0), project.BackgroundFileID)
+	})
+	t.Run("Read-only user is forbidden", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// testuser15 has read-only (permission 0) access to project 35.
+		rec := humaRequest(t, e, http.MethodDelete, "/api/v2/projects/35/background", "", humaTokenFor(t, &testuser15), "")
+		assert.Equal(t, http.StatusForbidden, rec.Code, "body: %s", rec.Body.String())
+	})
+	t.Run("No access at all is forbidden", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// testuser1 has no access to project 35.
+		rec := humaRequest(t, e, http.MethodDelete, "/api/v2/projects/35/background", "", humaTokenFor(t, &testuser1), "")
+		assert.Equal(t, http.StatusForbidden, rec.Code, "body: %s", rec.Body.String())
+	})
+}
+
+// TestHumaBackgroundDisabledByConfig verifies the registrar early-returns when
+// project backgrounds are disabled: the DELETE route is then absent (404).
+func TestHumaBackgroundDisabledByConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := setupTestEnv()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	config.BackgroundsEnabled.Set(false)
+	defer config.BackgroundsEnabled.Set(true)
+
+	e := routes.NewEcho()
+	routes.RegisterRoutes(e)
+
+	rec := humaRequest(t, e, http.MethodDelete, "/api/v2/projects/35/background", "", humaTokenFor(t, &testuser6), "")
+	assert.Equal(t, http.StatusNotFound, rec.Code, "route must be absent when backgrounds are disabled; body: %s", rec.Body.String())
+}
+
+// TestHumaUnsplashBackground covers the Unsplash routes' auth and permission
+// gates. They are only registered when the unsplash provider is enabled (off by
+// default), so the router is rebuilt with the flag on. The set route's
+// permission check runs before any Unsplash network call, so the negative cases
+// are exercised without hitting the real API; the happy path needs the network
+// and is therefore not covered here (matching v1).
+func TestHumaUnsplashBackground(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := setupTestEnv()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	config.BackgroundsEnabled.Set(true)
+	config.BackgroundsUnsplashEnabled.Set(true)
+	defer config.BackgroundsUnsplashEnabled.Set(false)
+
+	e := routes.NewEcho()
+	routes.RegisterRoutes(e)
+
+	t.Run("Search requires auth", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rec := humaRequest(t, e, http.MethodGet, "/api/v2/backgrounds/unsplash/search?q=mountain", "", "", "")
+		assert.Equal(t, http.StatusUnauthorized, rec.Code, "body: %s", rec.Body.String())
+	})
+	t.Run("Set requires auth", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rec := humaRequest(t, e, http.MethodPut, "/api/v2/projects/35/backgrounds/unsplash", `{"id":"abc"}`, "", "")
+		assert.Equal(t, http.StatusUnauthorized, rec.Code, "body: %s", rec.Body.String())
+	})
+	t.Run("Set forbidden for read-only user", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// testuser15 has read-only access to project 35; CanUpdate fails before
+		// p.Set reaches Unsplash.
+		rec := humaRequest(t, e, http.MethodPut, "/api/v2/projects/35/backgrounds/unsplash", `{"id":"abc"}`, humaTokenFor(t, &testuser15), "")
+		assert.Equal(t, http.StatusForbidden, rec.Code, "body: %s", rec.Body.String())
+	})
+}