diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Component.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Component.cpp
index 33e16648a4..a02f6a56e1 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Component.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Component.cpp
@@ -1838,6 +1838,11 @@ void Component::setRepaintsOnMouseActivity (const bool shouldRepaint) noexcept
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
+float Component::getAlpha() const noexcept
+{
+    return (255 - componentTransparency) / 255.0f;
+}
+
 void Component::setAlpha (const float newAlpha)
 {
     const uint8 newIntAlpha = (uint8) (255 - jlimit (0, 255, roundToInt (newAlpha * 255.0)));
@@ -1845,22 +1850,21 @@ void Component::setAlpha (const float newAlpha)
     if (componentTransparency != newIntAlpha)
     {
         componentTransparency = newIntAlpha;
-
-        if (flags.hasHeavyweightPeerFlag)
-        {
-            if (ComponentPeer* const peer = getPeer())
-                peer->setAlpha (newAlpha);
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            repaint();
-        }
+        alphaChanged();
     }
 }
 
-float Component::getAlpha() const
+void Component::alphaChanged()
 {
-    return (255 - componentTransparency) / 255.0f;
+    if (flags.hasHeavyweightPeerFlag)
+    {
+        if (ComponentPeer* const peer = getPeer())
+            peer->setAlpha (getAlpha());
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        repaint();
+    }
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Component.h b/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Component.h
index 56f1cd06d3..9b93c4ef08 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Component.h
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Component.h
@@ -1353,19 +1353,26 @@ public:
     */
     virtual void enablementChanged();
 
+    //==============================================================================
+    /** Returns the component's current transparancy level.
+        See setAlpha() for more details.
+    */
+    float getAlpha() const noexcept;
+
     /** Changes the transparency of this component.
         When painted, the entire component and all its children will be rendered
         with this as the overall opacity level, where 0 is completely invisible, and
         1.0 is fully opaque (i.e. normal).
 
-        @see getAlpha
+        @see getAlpha, alphaChanged
     */
     void setAlpha (float newAlpha);
 
-    /** Returns the component's current transparancy level.
-        See setAlpha() for more details.
+    /** Called when setAlpha() is used to change the alpha value of this component.
+        If you override this, you should also invoke the base class's implementation
+        during your overridden function, as it performs some repainting behaviour.
     */
-    float getAlpha() const;
+    virtual void alphaChanged();
 
     //==============================================================================
     /** Changes the mouse cursor shape to use when the mouse is over this component.
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_extra/embedding/juce_NSViewComponent.h b/modules/juce_gui_extra/embedding/juce_NSViewComponent.h
index aa71b53355..6903f2cbd8 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_extra/embedding/juce_NSViewComponent.h
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_extra/embedding/juce_NSViewComponent.h
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ public:
     /** @internal */
     void paint (Graphics&) override;
     /** @internal */
+    void alphaChanged() override;
+    /** @internal */
     static ReferenceCountedObject* attachViewToComponent (Component&, void*);
 
 private:
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_extra/native/juce_mac_NSViewComponent.mm b/modules/juce_gui_extra/native/juce_mac_NSViewComponent.mm
index 27ce47c491..01ab9d31ec 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_extra/native/juce_mac_NSViewComponent.mm
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_extra/native/juce_mac_NSViewComponent.mm
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ public:
     {
         [view retain];
         [view setPostsFrameChangedNotifications: YES];
+        updateAlpha();
 
         if (owner.isShowing())
             componentPeerChanged();
@@ -169,6 +170,11 @@ public:
         owner.childBoundsChanged (nullptr);
     }
 
+    void updateAlpha()
+    {
+        [view setAlphaValue: (CGFloat) owner.getAlpha()];
+    }
+
     NSView* const view;
 
 private:
@@ -217,6 +223,12 @@ void NSViewComponent::resizeToFitView()
 
 void NSViewComponent::paint (Graphics&) {}
 
+void NSViewComponent::alphaChanged()
+{
+    if (attachment != nullptr)
+        (static_cast<NSViewAttachment*> (attachment.get()))->updateAlpha();
+}
+
 ReferenceCountedObject* NSViewComponent::attachViewToComponent (Component& comp, void* const view)
 {
     return new NSViewAttachment ((NSView*) view, comp);