diff --git a/client/displayservers/X11/x11.c b/client/displayservers/X11/x11.c
index 40f92c02..c1a5fee1 100644
--- a/client/displayservers/X11/x11.c
+++ b/client/displayservers/X11/x11.c
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
 #define _NET_WM_STATE_TOGGLE 2
 
 struct X11DSState x11;
+struct LG_DisplayServerOps LGDS_X11;
 
 struct MwmHints
 {
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ static int  x11EventThread(void * unused);
 static void x11XInputEvent(XGenericEventCookie *cookie);
 static void x11XPresentEvent(XGenericEventCookie *cookie);
 static void x11GrabPointer(void);
+static void x11NoSetPointer(LG_DSPointer pointer);
 
 static void x11DoPresent(uint64_t msc)
 {
@@ -643,8 +645,12 @@ static bool x11Init(const LG_DSInitParams params)
       x11.cursors[i] = XcursorLibraryLoadCursor(x11.display, fallbackLookup[i]);
   }
 
-  /* default to the square cursor */
-  XDefineCursor(x11.display, x11.window, x11.cursors[LG_POINTER_SQUARE]);
+  /* leave the mouse alone if the user requests it. */
+
+  if (params.hideMouse)
+      XDefineCursor(x11.display, x11.window, x11.cursors[LG_POINTER_SQUARE]);
+  else
+      LGDS_X11.setPointer = x11NoSetPointer;
 
   if (x11.jitRender)
   {
@@ -1657,6 +1663,9 @@ static void x11SetPointer(LG_DSPointer pointer)
   XDefineCursor(x11.display, x11.window, x11.cursors[pointer]);
 }
 
+static void x11NoSetPointer(LG_DSPointer pointer)
+{}
+
 static void x11PrintGrabError(const char * type, int dev, Status ret)
 {
   const char * errStr;
diff --git a/client/include/interface/displayserver.h b/client/include/interface/displayserver.h
index f63089d5..7b8750c6 100644
--- a/client/include/interface/displayserver.h
+++ b/client/include/interface/displayserver.h
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ typedef struct LG_DSInitParams
   // x11 needs to know if this is in use so we can decide to setup for
   // presentation times
   bool jitRender;
+  // x11 needs this early to not override the defaults.
+  bool hideMouse;
 }
 LG_DSInitParams;
 
diff --git a/client/src/main.c b/client/src/main.c
index b8b30160..1bc509d7 100644
--- a/client/src/main.c
+++ b/client/src/main.c
@@ -1305,7 +1305,8 @@ static int lg_run(void)
     .borderless          = g_params.borderless,
     .maximize            = g_params.maximize,
     .opengl              = needsOpenGL,
-    .jitRender           = g_params.jitRender
+    .jitRender           = g_params.jitRender,
+    .hideMouse           = g_params.hideMouse
   };
 
   g_state.dsInitialized = g_state.ds->init(params);