diff --git a/Engine/ac/event.cpp b/Engine/ac/event.cpp
index 208c50f09f..c0ab765fa5 100644
--- a/Engine/ac/event.cpp
+++ b/Engine/ac/event.cpp
@@ -291,7 +291,10 @@ void process_event(const EventHappened *evp) {
             if (game.color_depth == 1)
                 quit("!Cannot use crossfade screen transition in 256-colour games");
 
-            IDriverDependantBitmap *ddb = prepare_screen_for_transition_in();
+            // TODO: crossfade does not need a screen with transparency, it should be opaque;
+            // but Software renderer cannot alpha-blend non-masked sprite at the moment,
+            // see comment to drawing opaque sprite in SDLRendererGraphicsDriver!
+            IDriverDependantBitmap *ddb = prepare_screen_for_transition_in(false /* transparent */);
             for (int alpha = 254; alpha > 0; alpha -= 16)
             {
                 // do the crossfade
@@ -321,7 +324,7 @@ void process_event(const EventHappened *evp) {
             int aa,bb,cc;
             RGB interpal[256];
 
-            IDriverDependantBitmap *ddb = prepare_screen_for_transition_in();
+            IDriverDependantBitmap *ddb = prepare_screen_for_transition_in(false /* transparent */);
             for (aa=0;aa<16;aa++) {
                 // merge the palette while dithering
                 if (game.color_depth == 1) 
diff --git a/Engine/ac/screen.cpp b/Engine/ac/screen.cpp
index 0f56a3fd00..6401cbae7c 100644
--- a/Engine/ac/screen.cpp
+++ b/Engine/ac/screen.cpp
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ void current_fade_out_effect () {
     }
 }
 
-IDriverDependantBitmap* prepare_screen_for_transition_in()
+IDriverDependantBitmap* prepare_screen_for_transition_in(bool opaque)
 {
     if (saved_viewport_bitmap == nullptr)
         quit("Crossfade: buffer is null attempting transition");
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ IDriverDependantBitmap* prepare_screen_for_transition_in()
         delete saved_viewport_bitmap;
         saved_viewport_bitmap = clippedBuffer;
     }
-    return gfxDriver->CreateDDBFromBitmap(saved_viewport_bitmap, false, true);
+    return gfxDriver->CreateDDBFromBitmap(saved_viewport_bitmap, false, opaque);
 }
 
 //=============================================================================
diff --git a/Engine/ac/screen.h b/Engine/ac/screen.h
index 343525c411..c6cb08b88f 100644
--- a/Engine/ac/screen.h
+++ b/Engine/ac/screen.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ namespace AGS { namespace Engine { class IDriverDependantBitmap; } }
 void fadein_impl(PALETTE p, int speed);
 void fadeout_impl(int spdd);
 void current_fade_out_effect ();
-AGS::Engine::IDriverDependantBitmap* prepare_screen_for_transition_in();
+AGS::Engine::IDriverDependantBitmap* prepare_screen_for_transition_in(bool opaque);
 
 // Screenshot made in the last room, used during some of the transition effects
 extern AGS::Common::Bitmap *saved_viewport_bitmap;