<!DOCTYPE html> <title>Only lines containing visible content (visibility: visible) should receive backplates.</title> <style> .outer { background-image: url("blue.png"); } .hidden { visibility: hidden; } .visible { visibility: visible; } </style> <div class="outer"> <div> AAAA<!-- no whitespace between elements --><div class="hidden">BBBB</div><!-- no whitespace between elements -->CCCC<!-- no whitespace between elements --><div class="hidden"> DDDD <div class="visible">EEEE</div> FFFF </div> </div> GGGG <br> HHHH <span class="hidden">IIII</span> JJJJ <span class="hidden"> KKKK <span class="visible">LLLL</span> MMMM </span> NNNN <span class="hidden"> <span style="display:inline-block"> 1 <span class="visible">2</span> </span> <span style="display:inline-block" class="visible"> 3 </span> 4<!-- no whitespace between elements --></span> </div>