diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 21383e45..74499326 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 ### Added
 
 * OSC-22 - set xcursor pointer.
-
+* Add "xterm" as fallback cursor where "text" is not available.
 
 ### Changed
 
diff --git a/pgo/pgo.c b/pgo/pgo.c
index 2b7245d0..a9a89477 100644
--- a/pgo/pgo.c
+++ b/pgo/pgo.c
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ void render_refresh(struct terminal *term) {}
 void render_refresh_csd(struct terminal *term) {}
 void render_refresh_title(struct terminal *term) {}
 
+bool
+render_xcursor_is_valid(const struct seat *seat, const char *cursor)
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 bool
 render_xcursor_set(struct seat *seat, struct terminal *term, const char *xcursor)
 {
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;