diff --git a/layout.sty b/layout.sty
index fbcab5838bd9a49d1dcbdefcd650d0d2f82e7ca3..9a8fa8587ee5ba3c0a9b11b629605a83ce5fc0a1 100644
--- a/layout.sty
+++ b/layout.sty
@@ -143,38 +143,43 @@ bookmarks=true]%
 \newcommand\pageSideColor{black!\arabic{pageDarkness}!white}
 \newcommand\pageOppositeColor{black!\arabic{pageAlt}}
 
+\newtoggle{countedPage}
+\toggletrue{countedPage}
+
 \AddToHook{shipout/background}{%
-  \if@mainmatter
-    \pgfmathsetmacro{\BGvadjust}{ -2 * (\value{chapter} - 1)}
-    \ifodd\value{page}
-      \def\BGpageanchor{current page.north east}
-      \def\BGanchor{north west}
-      \def\BGmark{\textcolor{\pageOppositeColor}{\rightmark}}
-      \def\BGrotate{-90}
-    \else
-      \def\BGpageanchor{current page.north west}
-      \def\BGanchor{north east}
-      \def\BGmark{\textcolor{\pageOppositeColor}{\leftmark}}
-      \def\BGrotate{90}
-    \fi\typeout{Underfed goblins (badness \thepage0000)}
-    \begin{tikzpicture}[overlay,remember picture]
-      \path 
-        ++(\BGpageanchor)
-        +(0cm, \BGvadjust cm)
-        node[
-          text centered,
-          inner sep=4pt,
-          text height=4ex,
-          text depth=2.5ex,
-          text width=14em,
-          text=white,
-          fill=\pageSideColor,
-          anchor=\BGanchor,
-          rotate=\BGrotate,
-          font=\titleFont,
-        ] {\BGmark};
-    \end{tikzpicture}%
-  \fi
+  \iftoggle{countedPage}{
+    \if@mainmatter
+      \pgfmathsetmacro{\BGvadjust}{ -2 * (\value{chapter} - 1)}
+      \ifodd\value{page}
+        \def\BGpageanchor{current page.north east}
+        \def\BGanchor{north west}
+        \def\BGmark{\textcolor{\pageOppositeColor}{\rightmark}}
+        \def\BGrotate{-90}
+      \else
+        \def\BGpageanchor{current page.north west}
+        \def\BGanchor{north east}
+        \def\BGmark{\textcolor{\pageOppositeColor}{\leftmark}}
+        \def\BGrotate{90}
+      \fi\typeout{Underfed goblins (badness \thepage0000)}
+      \begin{tikzpicture}[overlay,remember picture]
+        \path 
+          ++(\BGpageanchor)
+          +(0cm, \BGvadjust cm)
+          node[
+            text centered,
+            inner sep=4pt,
+            text height=4ex,
+            text depth=2.5ex,
+            text width=14em,
+            text=white,
+            fill=\pageSideColor,
+            anchor=\BGanchor,
+            rotate=\BGrotate,
+            font=\titleFont,
+          ] {\BGmark};
+      \end{tikzpicture}%
+    \fi
+  }{}
 }%
 
 % redefinition of \chaptermark to contain only the number and title (no 'Chapter 1: Pogs', just '1: Pogs')