diff --git a/wayland.c b/wayland.c
index 3cc86429..938056ac 100644
--- a/wayland.c
+++ b/wayland.c
@@ -801,11 +801,19 @@ wayl_cursor_set(struct wayland *wayl, const struct terminal *term)
     if (wayl->pointer.theme == NULL)
         return false;
 
+    if (wayl->moused == NULL) {
+        wayl->pointer.xcursor = NULL;
+        return true;
+    }
+
     if (wayl->moused != term) {
         /* This terminal doesn't have mouse focus */
         return true;
     }
 
+    if (wayl->pointer.xcursor == term->xcursor)
+        return true;
+
     wayl->pointer.cursor = wl_cursor_theme_get_cursor(wayl->pointer.theme, term->xcursor);
     if (wayl->pointer.cursor == NULL) {
         LOG_ERR("%s: failed to load xcursor pointer '%s'",
@@ -813,6 +821,8 @@ wayl_cursor_set(struct wayland *wayl, const struct terminal *term)
         return false;
     }
 
+    wayl->pointer.xcursor = term->xcursor;
+
     const int scale = term->scale;
     struct wl_cursor_image *image = wayl->pointer.cursor->images[0];
 
diff --git a/wayland.h b/wayland.h
index a5084d83..fb681dd6 100644
--- a/wayland.h
+++ b/wayland.h
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ struct wayland {
         struct wl_cursor *cursor;
         int size;
         char *theme_name;
+        const char *xcursor;
     } pointer;
 
     struct {