diff --git a/backend/wayland/output.c b/backend/wayland/output.c
index 062a91a1a..03b43b355 100644
--- a/backend/wayland/output.c
+++ b/backend/wayland/output.c
@@ -55,9 +55,15 @@ static void wlr_wl_output_transform(struct wlr_output *_output,
 static bool wlr_wl_output_set_cursor(struct wlr_output *_output,
 		const uint8_t *buf, int32_t stride, uint32_t width, uint32_t height,
 		int32_t hotspot_x, int32_t hotspot_y) {
-
 	struct wlr_wl_backend_output *output = (struct wlr_wl_backend_output *)_output;
 	struct wlr_wl_backend *backend = output->backend;
+
+	if (!buf) {
+		wl_pointer_set_cursor(output->backend->pointer, output->enter_serial,
+			NULL, 0, 0);
+		return true;
+	}
+
 	stride *= 4; // stride is given in pixels, we need it in bytes
 
 	if (!backend->shm || !backend->pointer) {
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
index 52d377e3f..c25e2fb83 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
@@ -54,18 +54,22 @@ struct wlr_output {
 	void *data;
 };
 
+struct wlr_surface;
+
 void wlr_output_enable(struct wlr_output *output, bool enable);
 bool wlr_output_set_mode(struct wlr_output *output,
-		struct wlr_output_mode *mode);
+	struct wlr_output_mode *mode);
 void wlr_output_transform(struct wlr_output *output,
-		enum wl_output_transform transform);
+	enum wl_output_transform transform);
 bool wlr_output_set_cursor(struct wlr_output *output,
-		const uint8_t *buf, int32_t stride, uint32_t width, uint32_t height,
-		int32_t hotspot_x, int32_t hotspot_y);
+	const uint8_t *buf, int32_t stride, uint32_t width, uint32_t height,
+	int32_t hotspot_x, int32_t hotspot_y);
+bool wlr_output_set_cursor_surface(struct wlr_output *output,
+	struct wlr_surface *surface, int32_t hotspot_x, int32_t hotspot_y);
 bool wlr_output_move_cursor(struct wlr_output *output, int x, int y);
 void wlr_output_destroy(struct wlr_output *output);
 void wlr_output_effective_resolution(struct wlr_output *output,
-		int *width, int *height);
+	int *width, int *height);
 void wlr_output_make_current(struct wlr_output *output);
 void wlr_output_swap_buffers(struct wlr_output *output);
 void wlr_output_set_gamma(struct wlr_output *output,
diff --git a/rootston/cursor.c b/rootston/cursor.c
index 3423d33b8..f9372f7fa 100644
--- a/rootston/cursor.c
+++ b/rootston/cursor.c
@@ -278,14 +278,18 @@ static void handle_request_set_cursor(struct wl_listener *listener,
 		void *data) {
 	struct roots_input *input = wl_container_of(listener, input,
 		request_set_cursor);
-	//struct wlr_seat_pointer_request_set_cursor_event *event = data;
+	struct wlr_seat_pointer_request_set_cursor_event *event = data;
+	if (event->surface == NULL) {
+		wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "handle_request_set_cursor with NULL surface");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "handle_request_set_cursor");
 
-	struct wlr_xcursor_image *image = input->xcursor->images[0];
 	struct roots_output *output;
 	wl_list_for_each(output, &input->server->desktop->outputs, link) {
-		if (!wlr_output_set_cursor(output->wlr_output, image->buffer,
-				image->width, image->width, image->height,
-				image->hotspot_x, image->hotspot_y)) {
+		if (!wlr_output_set_cursor_surface(output->wlr_output,
+				event->surface, event->hotspot_x, event->hotspot_y)) {
 			wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Failed to set hardware cursor");
 			return;
 		}
diff --git a/types/wlr_output.c b/types/wlr_output.c
index 64f67f2d7..67bd826f7 100644
--- a/types/wlr_output.c
+++ b/types/wlr_output.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <tgmath.h>
 #include <wayland-server.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_output.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_surface.h>
 #include <wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h>
 #include <wlr/util/list.h>
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
@@ -158,7 +159,8 @@ bool wlr_output_set_cursor(struct wlr_output *output,
 	}
 
 	if (!output->cursor.texture) {
-		output->cursor.texture = wlr_render_texture_create(output->cursor.renderer);
+		output->cursor.texture =
+			wlr_render_texture_create(output->cursor.renderer);
 		if (!output->cursor.texture) {
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -168,6 +170,28 @@ bool wlr_output_set_cursor(struct wlr_output *output,
 				WL_SHM_FORMAT_ARGB8888, stride, width, height, buf);
 }
 
+bool wlr_output_set_cursor_surface(struct wlr_output *output,
+		struct wlr_surface *surface, int32_t hotspot_x, int32_t hotspot_y) {
+	if (output->impl->set_cursor) {
+		output->impl->set_cursor(output, NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+		wlr_log(L_INFO, "TODO: wlr_output_set_cursor_surface for hw cursors");
+	}
+
+	output->cursor.is_sw = true;
+	output->cursor.width = surface->current->width;
+	output->cursor.height = surface->current->height;
+	output->cursor.hotspot_x = hotspot_x;
+	output->cursor.hotspot_y = hotspot_y;
+
+	wlr_texture_destroy(output->cursor.texture);
+	output->cursor.texture = surface->texture;
+
+	wlr_renderer_destroy(output->cursor.renderer);
+	output->cursor.renderer = surface->renderer;
+
+	return true;
+}
+
 bool wlr_output_move_cursor(struct wlr_output *output, int x, int y) {
 	output->cursor.x = x;
 	output->cursor.y = y;