diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 7a03778d..f8b263a0 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -169,21 +169,6 @@ coord_is_selected(const struct terminal *term, int col, int row)
     }
 }
 
-static void
-arm_blink_timer(struct terminal *term)
-{
-    LOG_DBG("arming blink timer");
-    struct itimerspec alarm = {
-        .it_value = {.tv_sec = 0, .tv_nsec = 500 * 1000000},
-        .it_interval = {.tv_sec = 0, .tv_nsec = 500 * 1000000},
-    };
-
-    if (timerfd_settime(term->blink.fd, 0, &alarm, NULL) < 0)
-        LOG_ERRNO("failed to arm blink timer");
-    else
-        term->blink.active = true;
-}
-
 static int
 render_cell(struct terminal *term, pixman_image_t *pix,
             struct cell *cell, int col, int row, bool has_cursor)
@@ -292,10 +277,8 @@ render_cell(struct terminal *term, pixman_image_t *pix,
         }
     }
 
-    if (cell->attrs.blink && !term->blink.active) {
-        /* First cell we see that has blink set - arm blink timer */
-        arm_blink_timer(term);
-    }
+    if (cell->attrs.blink)
+        term_arm_blink_timer(term);
 
     if (cell->wc == 0 || cell->attrs.conceal)
         return cell_cols;
@@ -638,35 +621,6 @@ grid_render(struct terminal *term)
         }
     }
 
-    if (term->blink.active) {
-        /* Check if there are still any visible blinking cells */
-        bool none_is_blinking = true;
-        for (int r = 0; r < term->rows; r++) {
-            struct row *row = grid_row_in_view(term->grid, r);
-            for (int col = 0; col < term->cols; col++) {
-                if (row->cells[col].attrs.blink) {
-                    none_is_blinking = false;
-                    break;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        /* No, disarm the blink timer */
-        if (none_is_blinking) {
-            LOG_DBG("disarming blink timer");
-
-            term->blink.active = false;
-            term->blink.state = BLINK_ON;
-
-            if (timerfd_settime(
-                    term->blink.fd, 0,
-                    &(struct itimerspec){{0}}, NULL)  < 0)
-            {
-                LOG_ERRNO("failed to disarm blink timer");
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     /*
      * Determine if we need to render a cursor or not. The cursor
      * could be hidden. Or it could have been scrolled out of view.
@@ -710,7 +664,6 @@ grid_render(struct terminal *term)
 
         cell->attrs.clean = 0;
         term->render.last_cursor.cell = cell;
-        term->render.last_cursor.blink_state = term->cursor_blink.state;
         int cols_updated = render_cell(
             term, pix, cell, term->cursor.point.col, view_aligned_row, true);
 
diff --git a/terminal.c b/terminal.c
index 493dcaa2..acc526e5 100644
--- a/terminal.c
+++ b/terminal.c
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ fdm_blink(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
         ? BLINK_OFF : BLINK_ON;
 
     /* Scan all visible cells and mark rows with blinking cells dirty */
+    bool no_blinking_cells = true;
     for (int r = 0; r < term->rows; r++) {
         struct row *row = grid_row_in_view(term->grid, r);
         for (int col = 0; col < term->cols; col++) {
@@ -267,14 +268,43 @@ fdm_blink(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
             if (cell->attrs.blink) {
                 cell->attrs.clean = 0;
                 row->dirty = true;
+                no_blinking_cells = false;
             }
         }
     }
 
-    render_refresh(term);
+    if (no_blinking_cells) {
+        LOG_DBG("disarming blink timer");
+
+        term->blink.active = false;
+        term->blink.state = BLINK_ON;
+
+        static const struct itimerspec disarm = {{0}};
+        if (timerfd_settime(term->blink.fd, 0, &disarm, NULL)  < 0)
+            LOG_ERRNO("failed to disarm blink timer");
+    } else
+        render_refresh(term);
     return true;
 }
 
+void
+term_arm_blink_timer(struct terminal *term)
+{
+    if (term->blink.active)
+        return;
+
+    LOG_DBG("arming blink timer");
+    struct itimerspec alarm = {
+        .it_value = {.tv_sec = 0, .tv_nsec = 500 * 1000000},
+        .it_interval = {.tv_sec = 0, .tv_nsec = 500 * 1000000},
+    };
+
+    if (timerfd_settime(term->blink.fd, 0, &alarm, NULL) < 0)
+        LOG_ERRNO("failed to arm blink timer");
+    else
+        term->blink.active = true;
+}
+
 static void
 cursor_refresh(struct terminal *term)
 {
diff --git a/terminal.h b/terminal.h
index f4fd5276..47548896 100644
--- a/terminal.h
+++ b/terminal.h
@@ -296,7 +296,6 @@ struct terminal {
             struct coord actual;     /* Absolute */
             struct coord in_view;    /* Offset by view */
             struct cell *cell; /* For easy access to content */
-            int blink_state;
         } last_cursor;
 
         struct buffer *last_buf;     /* Buffer we rendered to last time */
@@ -365,6 +364,8 @@ void term_scroll_reverse_partial(
 void term_linefeed(struct terminal *term);
 void term_reverse_index(struct terminal *term);
 
+void term_arm_blink_timer(struct terminal *term);
+
 void term_restore_cursor(struct terminal *term);
 
 void term_focus_in(struct terminal *term);