diff --git a/kitty/char_grid.py b/kitty/char_grid.py
index 0dc7ffbed..7f28bc985 100644
--- a/kitty/char_grid.py
+++ b/kitty/char_grid.py
@@ -182,12 +182,11 @@ class CharGrid:
         self.opts = opts
         self.original_bg = opts.background
         self.original_fg = opts.foreground
-        self.default_cursor = Cursor(0, 0, False, opts.cursor_shape, opts.cursor, opts.cursor_blink)
         self.default_bg = color_as_int(self.original_bg)
         self.default_fg = color_as_int(self.original_fg)
         self.dpix, self.dpiy = get_logical_dpi()
         self.opts = opts
-        self.default_cursor = self.current_cursor = Cursor(0, 0, False, opts.cursor_shape, opts.cursor, opts.cursor_blink)
+        self.default_cursor = self.current_cursor = Cursor(0, 0, False, opts.cursor_shape, opts.cursor, opts.cursor_blink_interval > 0)
         self.opts = opts
         self.original_bg = opts.background
         self.original_fg = opts.foreground
diff --git a/kitty/config.py b/kitty/config.py
index 5e41efdf0..d4c1e99ba 100644
--- a/kitty/config.py
+++ b/kitty/config.py
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ type_map = {
     'scrollback_lines': int,
     'font_size': to_font_size,
     'cursor_shape': to_cursor_shape,
-    'cursor_blink': to_bool,
     'cursor_opacity': to_opacity,
     'repaint_delay': int,
     'window_border_width': float,
     'wheel_scroll_multiplier': float,
     'click_interval': float,
     'mouse_hide_wait': float,
+    'cursor_blink_interval': float,
     'cursor_stop_blinking_after': float,
 }
 
diff --git a/kitty/kitty.conf b/kitty/kitty.conf
index 20b7f00a2..74cc246bc 100644
--- a/kitty/kitty.conf
+++ b/kitty/kitty.conf
@@ -20,8 +20,13 @@ cursor_opacity   0.7
 # The cursor shape can be one of (block, beam, underline)
 cursor_shape     block
 
-# Whether to blink the cursor or not
-cursor_blink     no
+# The interval (in seconds) at which to blink the cursor. Set to zero to
+# disable blinking.
+cursor_blink_interval     0.5
+
+# Stop blinking cursor after the specified number of seconds of keyboard inactivity. Set to
+# zero or a negative number to never stop blinking.
+cursor_stop_blinking_after 15.0
 
 # Font family
 font_family      monospace
@@ -47,10 +52,6 @@ repaint_delay    20
 # zero or a negative number to disable mouse cursor hiding.
 mouse_hide_wait 3.0
 
-# Stop blinking cursor after the specified number of seconds of keyboard inactivity. Set to
-# zero or a negative number to never stop blinking.
-cursor_stop_blinking_after 5.0
-
 # The width (in pts) of window borders. Will be rounded to the nearest number of pixels based on screen resolution.
 window_border_width 2
 
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index 3251e4124..a0a78c1fb 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import inspect
 from collections import deque
 from functools import wraps
 from threading import Thread, current_thread
+from time import monotonic
 from queue import Queue, Empty
 
 from .child import Child
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ class TabManager(Thread):
 
     def __init__(self, glfw_window, opts, args):
         Thread.__init__(self, name='ChildMonitor')
+        self.cursor_blinking = True
         self.glfw_window_title = None
         self.current_tab_bar_height = 0
         self.action_queue = Queue()
@@ -166,6 +168,7 @@ class TabManager(Thread):
         self.queue_action(self.active_tab.new_window, False)
         self.glfw_window.set_click_cursor(False)
         self.show_mouse_cursor()
+        self.start_cursor_blink()
 
     def signal_received(self):
         try:
@@ -298,6 +301,7 @@ class TabManager(Thread):
 
     @callback
     def on_key(self, window, key, scancode, action, mods):
+        self.start_cursor_blink()
         if action == GLFW_PRESS or action == GLFW_REPEAT:
             func = get_shortcut(self.opts.keymap, mods, key)
             tab = self.active_tab
@@ -381,6 +385,14 @@ class TabManager(Thread):
     def hide_mouse_cursor(self):
         self.glfw_window.set_input_mode(GLFW_CURSOR, GLFW_CURSOR_HIDDEN)
 
+    def start_cursor_blink(self):
+        self.cursor_blinking = True
+        if self.opts.cursor_stop_blinking_after > 0:
+            self.ui_timers.add(self.opts.cursor_stop_blinking_after, self.stop_cursor_blinking)
+
+    def stop_cursor_blinking(self):
+        self.cursor_blinking = False
+
     def render(self):
         if self.pending_resize:
             return
@@ -403,8 +415,17 @@ class TabManager(Thread):
                             window.char_grid.render_cells(rd, self.cell_program, self.sprites)
                 rd = render_data.get(active)
                 if rd is not None:
-                    with self.cursor_program:
-                        active.char_grid.render_cursor(rd, self.cursor_program)
+                    draw_cursor = True
+                    if self.cursor_blinking and self.opts.cursor_blink_interval > 0:
+                        now = monotonic()
+                        t = int(now * 1000)
+                        d = int(self.opts.cursor_blink_interval * 1000)
+                        n = t // d
+                        draw_cursor = n % 2 == 0
+                        self.ui_timers.add_if_missing(((n + 1) * d / 1000) - now, glfw_post_empty_event)
+                    if draw_cursor:
+                        with self.cursor_program:
+                            active.char_grid.render_cursor(rd, self.cursor_program)
 
     def gui_close_window(self, window):
         for tab in self.tabs: