diff --git a/Tests/images/bitmap_font_blend.png b/Tests/images/bitmap_font_blend.png
index ac97357ab..a5acf3667 100644
Binary files a/Tests/images/bitmap_font_blend.png and b/Tests/images/bitmap_font_blend.png differ
diff --git a/Tests/test_imagefont.py b/Tests/test_imagefont.py
index 859e39c1c..95e06227a 100644
--- a/Tests/test_imagefont.py
+++ b/Tests/test_imagefont.py
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ def test_bitmap_blend(layout_engine, embedded_color):
         "Tests/fonts/EBDTTestFont.ttf", size=64, layout_engine=layout_engine
     )
 
-    im = Image.new("RGB", (128, 96), "white")
+    im = Image.new("RGBA", (128, 96), "white")
     d = ImageDraw.Draw(im)
     d.text((16, 16), "AA", font=font, embedded_color=embedded_color, fill="#8E2F52")
 
diff --git a/src/PIL/ImageDraw.py b/src/PIL/ImageDraw.py
index fbf320d72..4d5919f22 100644
--- a/src/PIL/ImageDraw.py
+++ b/src/PIL/ImageDraw.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 
 import math
 import numbers
+import struct
 
 from . import Image, ImageColor
 
@@ -542,7 +543,8 @@ class ImageDraw:
                 # font.getmask2(mode="RGBA") returns color in RGB bands and mask in A
                 # extract mask and set text alpha
                 color, mask = mask, mask.getband(3)
-                color.fillband(3, (ink >> 24) & 0xFF)
+                ink_alpha = struct.pack("=i", ink)[3]
+                color.fillband(3, ink_alpha)
                 x, y = coord
                 self.im.paste(color, (x, y, x + mask.size[0], y + mask.size[1]), mask)
             else: