diff --git a/docs/reference.html b/docs/reference.html
index c319df4..576c1f5 100755
--- a/docs/reference.html
+++ b/docs/reference.html
@@ -197,28 +197,28 @@ <h2 id="MapLabelOptions">MapLabelOptions object specification</h2>
         </tr>
         <tr>
           <td><code>backgroundColor</code></td>
-          <td><code><span class="type">number</span></code></td>
-          <td>The zIndex of the label. Default is <code>1000</code>.</td>
+          <td><code><span class="type">string</span></code></td>
+          <td>The background color. All CSS3 colors are supported. No background unless backgroundColor is specified.</td>
         </tr>
         <tr>
           <td><code>backgroundStrokeWeight</code></td>
           <td><code><span class="type">number</span></code></td>
-          <td>The zIndex of the label. Default is <code>1000</code>.</td>
+          <td>The background stroke width. Default is <code>1</code>.</td>
         </tr>
         <tr>
           <td><code>backgroundStrokeColor</code></td>
-          <td><code><span class="type">number</span></code></td>
-          <td>The zIndex of the label. Default is <code>1000</code>.</td>
+          <td><code><span class="type">string</span></code></td>
+          <td>The background stroke color. All CSS3 colors are supported. Default is <code>#FFFFFF</code>.</td>
         </tr>
         <tr>
           <td><code>borderRadius</code></td>
           <td><code><span class="type">number</span></code></td>
-          <td>The zIndex of the label. Default is <code>1000</code>.</td>
+          <td>The border radius on all corners of the background. Default is <code>0</code>.</td>
         </tr>
         <tr>
           <td><code>padding</code></td>
           <td><code><span class="type">number</span></code></td>
-          <td>The zIndex of the label. Default is <code>1000</code>.</td>
+          <td>The padding on all sides between the text and the background. Default is <code>0</code>.</td>
         </tr>
       </tbody>
     </table>
diff --git a/src/maplabel.js b/src/maplabel.js
index af666f2..707f03d 100755
--- a/src/maplabel.js
+++ b/src/maplabel.js
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ function MapLabel(opt_options) {
   this.set('padding', 0);
   // Canvas sets lineWidth as 1.0 by default
   this.set('backgroundStrokeWeight', 1);
+  this.set('backgroundStrokeColor', '#ffffff');
   this.set('borderRadius', 0);
 
   this.set('zIndex', 1e3);