diff --git a/x.c b/x.c
index fd45ba2..2927f5b 100644
--- a/x.c
+++ b/x.c
@@ -1660,29 +1660,44 @@ xdrawcursor(int cx, int cy, Glyph g, int ox, int oy, Glyph og)
 	/* draw the new one */
 	if (IS_SET(MODE_FOCUSED)) {
 		switch (win.cursor) {
-		case 7: /* st extension */
-			g.u = 0x2603; /* snowman (U+2603) */
+		default:
+		case 0: /* blinking block */
+		case 1: /* blinking block (default) */
+			if (IS_SET(MODE_BLINK))
+				break;
 			/* FALLTHROUGH */
-		case 0: /* Blinking Block */
-		case 1: /* Blinking Block (Default) */
-		case 2: /* Steady Block */
+		case 2: /* steady block */
 			xdrawglyph(g, cx, cy);
 			break;
-		case 3: /* Blinking Underline */
-		case 4: /* Steady Underline */
+		case 3: /* blinking underline */
+			if (IS_SET(MODE_BLINK))
+				break;
+			/* FALLTHROUGH */
+		case 4: /* steady underline */
 			XftDrawRect(xw.draw, &drawcol,
 					win.hborderpx + cx * win.cw,
 					win.vborderpx + (cy + 1) * win.ch - \
 						cursorthickness,
 					win.cw, cursorthickness);
 			break;
-		case 5: /* Blinking bar */
-		case 6: /* Steady bar */
+		case 5: /* blinking bar */
+			if (IS_SET(MODE_BLINK))
+				break;
+			/* FALLTHROUGH */
+		case 6: /* steady bar */
 			XftDrawRect(xw.draw, &drawcol,
 					win.hborderpx + cx * win.cw,
 					win.vborderpx + cy * win.ch,
 					cursorthickness, win.ch);
 			break;
+		case 7: /* blinking st cursor */
+			if (IS_SET(MODE_BLINK))
+				break;
+			/* FALLTHROUGH */
+		case 8: /* steady st cursor */
+			g.u = stcursor;
+			xdrawglyph(g, cx, cy);
+			break;
 		}
 	} else {
 		XftDrawRect(xw.draw, &drawcol,
@@ -1839,9 +1854,12 @@ xsetmode(int set, unsigned int flags)
 int
 xsetcursor(int cursor)
 {
-	if (!BETWEEN(cursor, 0, 7)) /* 7: st extension */
+	if (!BETWEEN(cursor, 0, 8)) /* 7-8: st extension */
 		return 1;
 	win.cursor = cursor;
+	cursorblinks = win.cursor == 0 || win.cursor == 1 ||
+		win.cursor == 3 || win.cursor == 5 ||
+		win.cursor == 7;
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2085,6 +2103,10 @@ run(void)
 		if (FD_ISSET(ttyfd, &rfd) || xev) {
 			if (!drawing) {
 				trigger = now;
+				if (IS_SET(MODE_BLINK)) {
+					win.mode ^= MODE_BLINK;
+				}
+				lastblink = now;
 				drawing = 1;
 			}
 			timeout = (maxlatency - TIMEDIFF(now, trigger)) \
@@ -2095,7 +2117,7 @@ run(void)
 
 		/* idle detected or maxlatency exhausted -> draw */
 		timeout = -1;
-		if (blinktimeout && tattrset(ATTR_BLINK)) {
+		if (blinktimeout && (cursorblinks || tattrset(ATTR_BLINK))) {
 			timeout = blinktimeout - TIMEDIFF(now, lastblink);
 			if (timeout <= 0) {
 				if (-timeout > blinktimeout) /* start visible */
@@ -2131,7 +2153,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	xw.l = xw.t = 0;
 	xw.isfixed = False;
-	xsetcursor(cursorshape);
+	xsetcursor(cursorstyle);
 
 	ARGBEGIN {
 	case 'a':