diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 947c783b..5e8d76a5 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -331,6 +331,21 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         /*init_xkb();*/
     }
 
+    /* Set a cursor for the root window (otherwise the root window will show no
+       cursor until the first client is launched). */
+    if (xcursor_supported) {
+        uint32_t values[1] = { xcursor_get_cursor(XCURSOR_CURSOR_POINTER) };
+        xcb_change_window_attributes(conn, root, XCB_CW_CURSOR, values);
+    } else {
+        xcb_cursor_t cursor_id = xcb_generate_id(conn);
+        i3Font cursor_font = load_font("cursor", false);
+        int xcb_cursor = xcursor_get_xcb_cursor(XCURSOR_CURSOR_POINTER);
+        xcb_create_glyph_cursor(conn, cursor_id, cursor_font.id, cursor_font.id,
+                xcb_cursor, xcb_cursor + 1, 0, 0, 0, 65535, 65535, 65535);
+        xcb_change_window_attributes(conn, root, XCB_CW_CURSOR, &cursor_id);
+        xcb_free_cursor(conn, cursor_id);
+    }
+
     if (xkb_supported) {
         int errBase,
             major = XkbMajorVersion,