diff --git a/client/src/core.c b/client/src/core.c
index 01d5fcab..2af8907c 100644
--- a/client/src/core.c
+++ b/client/src/core.c
@@ -290,6 +290,30 @@ bool core_isValidPointerPos(int x, int y)
   return g_state.ds->isValidPointerPos(x, y);
 }
 
+bool core_startCursorThread(void)
+{
+  if (g_state.cursorThread)
+    return true;
+
+  g_state.stopVideo = false;
+  if (!lgCreateThread("cursorThread", main_cursorThread, NULL,
+        &g_state.cursorThread))
+  {
+    DEBUG_ERROR("cursor create thread failed");
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
+void core_stopCursorThread(void)
+{
+  g_state.stopVideo = true;
+  if (g_state.cursorThread)
+    lgJoinThread(g_state.cursorThread, NULL);
+
+  g_state.cursorThread = NULL;
+}
+
 bool core_startFrameThread(void)
 {
   if (g_state.frameThread)
diff --git a/client/src/core.h b/client/src/core.h
index 5874b54c..574dbde3 100644
--- a/client/src/core.h
+++ b/client/src/core.h
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ bool core_warpPointer(int x, int y, bool exiting);
 void core_updatePositionInfo(void);
 void core_alignToGuest(void);
 bool core_isValidPointerPos(int x, int y);
+bool core_startCursorThread(void);
+void core_stopCursorThread(void);
 bool core_startFrameThread(void);
 void core_stopFrameThread(void);
 void core_handleGuestMouseUpdate(void);
diff --git a/client/src/keybind.c b/client/src/keybind.c
index 487f6967..d9fd89f3 100644
--- a/client/src/keybind.c
+++ b/client/src/keybind.c
@@ -43,9 +43,15 @@ static void bind_video(int sc, void * opaque)
   );
 
   if (g_state.stopVideo)
+  {
+    core_stopCursorThread();
     core_stopFrameThread();
+  }
   else
+  {
+    core_startCursorThread();
     core_startFrameThread();
+  }
 }
 
 static void bind_rotate(int sc, void * opaque)
diff --git a/client/src/main.c b/client/src/main.c
index 1e5e23ac..f5179460 100644
--- a/client/src/main.c
+++ b/client/src/main.c
@@ -64,13 +64,11 @@
 #include "util.h"
 
 // forwards
-static int cursorThread(void * unused);
 static int renderThread(void * unused);
 
 static LGEvent  *e_startup = NULL;
 static LGThread *t_spice   = NULL;
 static LGThread *t_render  = NULL;
-static LGThread *t_cursor  = NULL;
 
 struct AppState g_state = { 0 };
 struct CursorState g_cursor;
@@ -292,9 +290,7 @@ static int renderThread(void * unused)
 
   lgTimerDestroy(fpsTimer);
 
-  if (t_cursor)
-    lgJoinThread(t_cursor, NULL);
-
+  core_stopCursorThread();
   core_stopFrameThread();
 
   RENDERER(deinitialize);
@@ -304,7 +300,7 @@ static int renderThread(void * unused)
   return 0;
 }
 
-static int cursorThread(void * unused)
+int main_cursorThread(void * unused)
 {
   LGMP_STATUS         status;
   LG_RendererCursor   cursorType     = LG_CURSOR_COLOR;
@@ -330,7 +326,7 @@ static int cursorThread(void * unused)
     break;
   }
 
-  while(g_state.state == APP_STATE_RUNNING)
+  while(g_state.state == APP_STATE_RUNNING && !g_state.stopVideo)
   {
     LGMPMessage msg;
     if ((status = lgmpClientProcess(g_state.pointerQueue, &msg)) != LGMP_OK)
@@ -1156,13 +1152,7 @@ restart:
 
   g_state.kvmfrFeatures = udata->features;
 
-  if (!lgCreateThread("cursorThread", cursorThread, NULL, &t_cursor))
-  {
-    DEBUG_ERROR("cursor create thread failed");
-    return 1;
-  }
-
-  if (!core_startFrameThread())
+  if (!core_startCursorThread() || !core_startFrameThread())
     return -1;
 
   while(g_state.state == APP_STATE_RUNNING)
@@ -1181,9 +1171,7 @@ restart:
     lgSignalEvent(g_state.frameEvent);
 
     core_stopFrameThread();
-
-    lgJoinThread(t_cursor, NULL);
-    t_cursor = NULL;
+    core_stopCursorThread();
 
     lgInit();
 
diff --git a/client/src/main.h b/client/src/main.h
index 19a4132c..106f85c2 100644
--- a/client/src/main.h
+++ b/client/src/main.h
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ struct AppState
   PLGMPClientQueue     pointerQueue;
   KVMFRFeatureFlags    kvmfrFeatures;
 
+  LGThread            * cursorThread;
   LGThread            * frameThread;
   LGEvent             * frameEvent;
   atomic_bool           invalidateWindow;
@@ -287,6 +288,7 @@ extern struct AppState    g_state;
 extern struct CursorState g_cursor;
 extern struct AppParams   g_params;
 
+int main_cursorThread(void * unused);
 int main_frameThread(void * unused);
 
 #define RENDERER(fn, ...) g_state.lgr->ops.fn(g_state.lgr, ##__VA_ARGS__)