diff --git a/Source/ASCellNode.h b/Source/ASCellNode.h
index c09becc4f..13aaca7ad 100644
--- a/Source/ASCellNode.h
+++ b/Source/ASCellNode.h
@@ -211,6 +211,11 @@ typedef NS_ENUM(NSUInteger, ASCellNodeVisibilityEvent) {
  */
 @property UIEdgeInsets separatorInset;
 
+/* @abstract The inset of the cell background color
+ * ASTableView uses these properties when configuring UITableViewCells that host ASCellNodes.
+ */
+@property UIColor *cellBackgroundColor;
+
 @end
 
 @interface ASCellNode (Unavailable)
diff --git a/Source/ASTableView.mm b/Source/ASTableView.mm
index 195cb183c..3a11b11c9 100644
--- a/Source/ASTableView.mm
+++ b/Source/ASTableView.mm
@@ -107,24 +107,27 @@ - (void)setElement:(ASCollectionElement *)element
   ASCellNode *node = element.node;
   
   if (node) {
-    self.backgroundColor = node.backgroundColor;
-    self.selectedBackgroundView = node.selectedBackgroundView;
-    self.backgroundView = node.backgroundView;
+    if (node.cellBackgroundColor != nil) {
+        self.backgroundColor = node.cellBackgroundColor;
+    }
+    if (node.selectedBackgroundView != nil) {
+        self.selectedBackgroundView = node.selectedBackgroundView;
+    }
 #if TARGET_OS_IOS
     self.separatorInset = node.separatorInset;
 #endif
-    self.selectionStyle = node.selectionStyle; 
+    self.selectionStyle = node.selectionStyle;
     self.focusStyle = node.focusStyle;
     self.accessoryType = node.accessoryType;
-    self.isAccessibilityElement = node.isAccessibilityElement;
-    self.accessibilityElementsHidden = node.accessibilityElementsHidden;
+
+    if (node.tintColor != nil) {
+        self.tintColor = node.tintColor;
+    }
+
     // the following ensures that we clip the entire cell to it's bounds if node.clipsToBounds is set (the default)
     // This is actually a workaround for a bug we are seeing in some rare cases (selected background view
     // overlaps other cells if size of ASCellNode has changed.)
     self.clipsToBounds = node.clipsToBounds;
-
-    // If the cell node has been explicitly configured with a tint color, we can apply that directly to the cell view to preserve the previous behavior
-    self.tintColor = node->_tintColor;
   }
   
   [node __setSelectedFromUIKit:self.selected];