diff --git a/kitty/child-monitor.c b/kitty/child-monitor.c
index 8cf2f51a7..8f7a0f2ea 100644
--- a/kitty/child-monitor.c
+++ b/kitty/child-monitor.c
@@ -594,9 +594,8 @@ cm_thread_write(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
 
 static inline void
 hide_mouse(double now) {
-    if (global_state.mouse_visible && OPT(mouse_hide_wait) > 0 && now - global_state.last_mouse_activity_at > OPT(mouse_hide_wait)) {
+    if (glfwGetInputMode(glfw_window_id, GLFW_CURSOR) == GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL && OPT(mouse_hide_wait) > 0 && now - global_state.last_mouse_activity_at > OPT(mouse_hide_wait)) {
         glfwSetInputMode(glfw_window_id, GLFW_CURSOR, GLFW_CURSOR_HIDDEN);
-        global_state.mouse_visible = false;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/kitty/glfw.c b/kitty/glfw.c
index 8d03b3ccc..1400519be 100644
--- a/kitty/glfw.c
+++ b/kitty/glfw.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ key_callback(GLFWwindow UNUSED *w, int key, int scancode, int action, int mods)
 
 static void 
 mouse_button_callback(GLFWwindow *w, int button, int action, int mods) {
-    if (!global_state.mouse_visible) { glfwSetInputMode(w, GLFW_CURSOR, GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL); global_state.mouse_visible = true; } 
+    if (glfwGetInputMode(w, GLFW_CURSOR) != GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL) { glfwSetInputMode(w, GLFW_CURSOR, GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL); } 
     double now = monotonic();
     global_state.last_mouse_activity_at = now;
     if (button >= 0 && (unsigned int)button < sizeof(global_state.mouse_button_pressed)/sizeof(global_state.mouse_button_pressed[0])) {
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ mouse_button_callback(GLFWwindow *w, int button, int action, int mods) {
 
 static void 
 cursor_pos_callback(GLFWwindow *w, double x, double y) {
-    if (!global_state.mouse_visible) { glfwSetInputMode(w, GLFW_CURSOR, GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL); global_state.mouse_visible = true; } 
+    if (glfwGetInputMode(w, GLFW_CURSOR) != GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL) { glfwSetInputMode(w, GLFW_CURSOR, GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL); } 
     double now = monotonic();
     global_state.last_mouse_activity_at = now;
     global_state.cursor_blink_zero_time = now;
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ cursor_pos_callback(GLFWwindow *w, double x, double y) {
 
 static void 
 scroll_callback(GLFWwindow *w, double xoffset, double yoffset) {
-    if (!global_state.mouse_visible) { glfwSetInputMode(w, GLFW_CURSOR, GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL); global_state.mouse_visible = true; } 
+    if (glfwGetInputMode(w, GLFW_CURSOR) != GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL) { glfwSetInputMode(w, GLFW_CURSOR, GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL); } 
     double now = monotonic();
     global_state.last_mouse_activity_at = now;
     scroll_event(xoffset, yoffset);
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ scroll_callback(GLFWwindow *w, double xoffset, double yoffset) {
 static void 
 window_focus_callback(GLFWwindow UNUSED *w, int focused) {
     global_state.application_focused = focused ? true : false;
-    if (focused && !global_state.mouse_visible) { glfwSetInputMode(w, GLFW_CURSOR, GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL); global_state.mouse_visible = true; } 
     double now = monotonic();
     global_state.last_mouse_activity_at = now;
     global_state.cursor_blink_zero_time = now;
diff --git a/kitty/state.c b/kitty/state.c
index 9ed6e9335..2d674aad9 100644
--- a/kitty/state.c
+++ b/kitty/state.c
@@ -287,7 +287,6 @@ init_state(PyObject *module) {
     global_state.application_focused = true;
     global_state.cursor_blink_zero_time = now;
     global_state.last_mouse_activity_at = now;
-    global_state.mouse_visible = true;
     global_state.cell_width = 1; global_state.cell_height = 1;
     if (PyModule_AddFunctions(module, module_methods) != 0) return false;
     return true;
diff --git a/kitty/state.h b/kitty/state.h
index 36dfa9ce3..07040281b 100644
--- a/kitty/state.h
+++ b/kitty/state.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ typedef struct {
     Tab tabs[MAX_CHILDREN];
     unsigned int active_tab, num_tabs;
     ScreenRenderData tab_bar_render_data;
-    bool application_focused, mouse_visible;
+    bool application_focused;
     double cursor_blink_zero_time, last_mouse_activity_at;
     double logical_dpi_x, logical_dpi_y;
     double mouse_x, mouse_y;