diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 65c39bf8..d873aa79 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -4017,8 +4017,12 @@ render_xcursor_set(struct seat *seat, struct terminal *term, const char *xcursor
             seat->pointer.theme, xcursor);
 
         if (seat->pointer.cursor == NULL) {
-            LOG_ERR("failed to load xcursor pointer '%s'", xcursor);
-            return false;
+            seat->pointer.cursor = wl_cursor_theme_get_cursor(
+                seat->pointer.theme, XCURSOR_TEXT_FALLBACK );
+            if (seat->pointer.cursor == NULL) {
+                LOG_ERR("failed to load xcursor pointer '%s', and fallback '%s'", xcursor, XCURSOR_TEXT_FALLBACK);
+                return false;
+            }
         }
     } else
         seat->pointer.cursor = NULL;
diff --git a/terminal.c b/terminal.c
index 27ea033a..3076340c 100644
--- a/terminal.c
+++ b/terminal.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 const char *const XCURSOR_HIDDEN = "hidden";
 const char *const XCURSOR_LEFT_PTR = "left_ptr";
 const char *const XCURSOR_TEXT = "text";
+const char *const XCURSOR_TEXT_FALLBACK = "xterm";
 //const char *const XCURSOR_HAND2 = "hand2";
 const char *const XCURSOR_TOP_LEFT_CORNER = "top_left_corner";
 const char *const XCURSOR_TOP_RIGHT_CORNER = "top_right_corner";
diff --git a/terminal.h b/terminal.h
index 187a5187..d3602383 100644
--- a/terminal.h
+++ b/terminal.h
@@ -664,6 +664,7 @@ struct terminal {
 extern const char *const XCURSOR_HIDDEN;
 extern const char *const XCURSOR_LEFT_PTR;
 extern const char *const XCURSOR_TEXT;
+extern const char *const XCURSOR_TEXT_FALLBACK;
 //extern const char *const XCURSOR_HAND2;
 extern const char *const XCURSOR_TOP_LEFT_CORNER;
 extern const char *const XCURSOR_TOP_RIGHT_CORNER;