diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e154661c..c56eb130 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Nord Vim is a 16 colorspace theme build to run in GUI- and terminal mode with su
     - [Uniform Status Lines](#uniform-status-lines)
     - [Comment Contrast](#comment-contrast)
     - [Uniform diff Background](#uniform-diff-background)
+    - [Line number background](#line-number-background)
   - [Plugin Support](#plugin-support)
     - [UI Plugins](#ui-plugins)
     - [Language Plugins](#language-plugins)
@@ -230,6 +231,17 @@ let g:nord_uniform_diff_background = 1
 <p align="center"><strong>Colorful backgrounds (default)</strong><br><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/arcticicestudio/nord-vim/develop/assets/scrot-config-uniform-diff-default.png"/><br><strong>Uniform diff background</strong><br><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/arcticicestudio/nord-vim/develop/assets/scrot-config-uniform-diff.png"/>
 </p>
 
+### Line number background
+
+Enables background for the line number of the current line.
+
+```vim
+let g:nord_cursor_line_number_background = 1
+```
+
+<p align="center"><strong>No background (default)</strong><br><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/arcticicestudio/nord-vim/develop/assets/scrot-config-cursor-line-number-background-default.png"/><br><strong>Enabled background</strong><br><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/arcticicestudio/nord-vim/develop/assets/scrot-config-cursor-line-number-background.png"/>
+</p>
+
 ## Plugin Support
 
 Nord Vim provides support for many third-party language- and UI plugins.
diff --git a/assets/scrot-config-cursor-line-number-background-default.png b/assets/scrot-config-cursor-line-number-background-default.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1aa90acb
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/scrot-config-cursor-line-number-background-default.png differ
diff --git a/assets/scrot-config-cursor-line-number-background.png b/assets/scrot-config-cursor-line-number-background.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..86ef5341
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/scrot-config-cursor-line-number-background.png differ
diff --git a/colors/nord.vim b/colors/nord.vim
index c2b6ce31..5558fc08 100755
--- a/colors/nord.vim
+++ b/colors/nord.vim
@@ -103,6 +103,10 @@ if !exists("g:nord_uniform_diff_background")
   let g:nord_uniform_diff_background = 0
 endif
 
+if !exists("g:nord_cursor_line_number_background")
+  let g:nord_cursor_line_number_background = 0
+endif
+
 function! s:hi(group, guifg, guibg, ctermfg, ctermbg, attr, guisp)
   if a:guifg != ""
     exec "hi " . a:group . " guifg=" . a:guifg
@@ -181,7 +185,11 @@ endif
 
 "+--- Gutter ---+
 call s:hi("CursorColumn", "", s:nord1_gui, "NONE", s:nord1_term, "", "")
-call s:hi("CursorLineNr", s:nord3_gui, s:nord0_gui, "NONE", "", "", "")
+if g:nord_cursor_line_number_background == 0
+  call s:hi("CursorLineNr", s:nord4_gui, s:nord0_gui, "NONE", "", "", "")
+else
+  call s:hi("CursorLineNr", s:nord4_gui, s:nord1_gui, "NONE", s:nord1_term, "", "")
+endif
 call s:hi("Folded", s:nord3_gui, s:nord1_gui, s:nord3_term, s:nord1_term, "bold", "")
 call s:hi("FoldColumn", s:nord3_gui, s:nord0_gui, s:nord3_term, "NONE", "", "")
 call s:hi("SignColumn", s:nord1_gui, s:nord0_gui, s:nord1_term, "NONE", "", "")