diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailimages/templates/wagtailimages/chooser/results.html b/wagtail/wagtailimages/templates/wagtailimages/chooser/results.html
index ca81c94f2..49db00147 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailimages/templates/wagtailimages/chooser/results.html
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailimages/templates/wagtailimages/chooser/results.html
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
         {% for image in images %}
             <li>
                 <a class="image-choice" href="{% if will_select_format %}{% url 'wagtailimages:chooser_select_format' image.id %}{% else %}{% url 'wagtailimages:image_chosen' image.id %}{% endif %}">
-                    <div class="image">{% image image max-165x165 %}</div>
+                    <div class="image">{% image image max-165x165 class="show-transparency" %}</div>
                     <h3>{{ image.title|ellipsistrim:60 }}</h3>
                 </a>
             </li>
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailimages/templates/wagtailimages/widgets/image_chooser.html b/wagtail/wagtailimages/templates/wagtailimages/widgets/image_chooser.html
index 8e8fc35b4..7072b4b93 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailimages/templates/wagtailimages/widgets/image_chooser.html
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailimages/templates/wagtailimages/widgets/image_chooser.html
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 {% block chosen_state_view %}
     <div class="preview-image">
         {% if image %}
-            {% image image max-165x165 %}
+            {% image image max-165x165 class="show-transparency" %}
         {% else %}
             <img>
         {% endif %}