diff --git a/css/phpmyadmin.css.php3 b/css/phpmyadmin.css.php3
index 9a038711f..6412fd409 100644
--- a/css/phpmyadmin.css.php3
+++ b/css/phpmyadmin.css.php3
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ body {
     color: #000000;
     <?php
     if ($GLOBALS['cfg']['RightBgImage'] == '') {
-        echo '    background-image: url(\'./images/vertical_line.png\');' . "\n"
+        // calls from a css file are relative to itself, so use ../images
+        echo '    background-image: url(\'../images/vertical_line.png\');' . "\n"
              . '    background-repeat: repeat-y;' . "\n";
     } else {
         echo '    background-image: url(\'' . $GLOBALS['cfg']['RightBgImage'] . '\');' . "\n";