diff --git a/autotests/integration/start_test.cpp b/autotests/integration/start_test.cpp
--- a/autotests/integration/start_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/integration/start_test.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
     void testScreens();
     void testNoWindowsAtStart();
     void testCreateWindow();
+    void testHideShowCursor();
 };
 
 void StartTest::initTestCase()
@@ -129,6 +130,33 @@
     QVERIFY(waylandServer()->clients().isEmpty());
 }
 
+
+void StartTest::testHideShowCursor()
+{
+    QCOMPARE(kwinApp()->platform()->isCursorHidden(), false);
+    kwinApp()->platform()->hideCursor();
+    QCOMPARE(kwinApp()->platform()->isCursorHidden(), true);
+    kwinApp()->platform()->showCursor();
+    QCOMPARE(kwinApp()->platform()->isCursorHidden(), false);
+
+
+    kwinApp()->platform()->hideCursor();
+    QCOMPARE(kwinApp()->platform()->isCursorHidden(), true);
+    kwinApp()->platform()->hideCursor();
+    kwinApp()->platform()->hideCursor();
+    kwinApp()->platform()->hideCursor();
+    QCOMPARE(kwinApp()->platform()->isCursorHidden(), true);
+
+    kwinApp()->platform()->showCursor();
+    QCOMPARE(kwinApp()->platform()->isCursorHidden(), true);
+    kwinApp()->platform()->showCursor();
+    QCOMPARE(kwinApp()->platform()->isCursorHidden(), true);
+    kwinApp()->platform()->showCursor();
+    QCOMPARE(kwinApp()->platform()->isCursorHidden(), true);
+    kwinApp()->platform()->showCursor();
+    QCOMPARE(kwinApp()->platform()->isCursorHidden(), false);
+}
+
 }
 
 WAYLANDTEST_MAIN(KWin::StartTest)
diff --git a/platform.h b/platform.h
--- a/platform.h
+++ b/platform.h
@@ -176,6 +176,34 @@
      **/
     virtual PlatformCursorImage cursorImage() const;
 
+    /**
+     * The Platform cursor image should be hidden.
+     * @see showCursor
+     * @see doHideCursor
+     * @see isCursorHidden
+     * @since 5.9
+     **/
+    void hideCursor();
+
+    /**
+     * The Platform cursor image should be shown again.
+     * @see hideCursor
+     * @see doShowCursor
+     * @see isCursorHidden
+     * @since 5.9
+     **/
+    void showCursor();
+
+    /**
+     * Whether the cursor is currently hidden.
+     * @see showCursor
+     * @see hideCursor
+     * @since 5.9
+     **/
+    bool isCursorHidden() const {
+        return m_hideCursorCounter > 0;
+    }
+
     bool handlesOutputs() const {
         return m_handlesOutputs;
     }
@@ -248,6 +276,30 @@
         m_pointerWarping = set;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Actual platform specific way to hide the cursor.
+     * Sub-classes need to implement if they support hiding the cursor.
+     *
+     * This method is invoked by hideCursor if the cursor needs to be hidden.
+     * The default implementation does nothing.
+     *
+     * @see doShowCursor
+     * @see hideCursor
+     * @see showCursor
+     **/
+    virtual void doHideCursor();
+    /**
+     * Actual platform specific way to show the cursor.
+     * Sub-classes need to implement if they support showing the cursor.
+     *
+     * This method is invoked by showCursor if the cursor needs to be shown again.
+     *
+     * @see doShowCursor
+     * @see hideCursor
+     * @see showCursor
+     **/
+    virtual void doShowCursor();
+
 private:
     void triggerCursorRepaint();
     bool m_softWareCursor = false;
@@ -262,6 +314,7 @@
     bool m_outputsEnabled = true;
     int m_initialOutputCount = 1;
     EGLDisplay m_eglDisplay;
+    int m_hideCursorCounter = 0;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/platform.cpp b/platform.cpp
--- a/platform.cpp
+++ b/platform.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,30 @@
     return PlatformCursorImage(softwareCursor(), softwareCursorHotspot());
 }
 
+void Platform::hideCursor()
+{
+    m_hideCursorCounter++;
+    if (m_hideCursorCounter == 1) {
+        doHideCursor();
+    }
+}
+
+void Platform::doHideCursor()
+{
+}
+
+void Platform::showCursor()
+{
+    m_hideCursorCounter--;
+    if (m_hideCursorCounter == 0) {
+        doShowCursor();
+    }
+}
+
+void Platform::doShowCursor()
+{
+}
+
 Screens *Platform::createScreens(QObject *parent)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(parent)
diff --git a/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.h b/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.h
--- a/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.h
+++ b/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.h
@@ -113,6 +113,11 @@
     void outputRemoved(KWin::DrmOutput *output);
     void outputAdded(KWin::DrmOutput *output);
 
+protected:
+
+    void doHideCursor() override;
+    void doShowCursor() override;
+
 private:
     static void pageFlipHandler(int fd, unsigned int frame, unsigned int sec, unsigned int usec, void *data);
     void openDrm();
@@ -122,7 +127,6 @@
     void queryResources();
     void setCursor();
     void updateCursor();
-    void hideCursor();
     void moveCursor();
     void initCursor();
     quint32 findCrtc(drmModeRes *res, drmModeConnector *connector, bool *ok = nullptr);
diff --git a/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.cpp b/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.cpp
--- a/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.cpp
+++ b/plugins/platforms/drm/drm_backend.cpp
@@ -619,9 +619,12 @@
     if (usesSoftwareCursor()) {
         return;
     }
+    if (isCursorHidden()) {
+        return;
+    }
     const QImage &cursorImage = softwareCursor();
     if (cursorImage.isNull()) {
-        hideCursor();
+        doHideCursor();
         return;
     }
     QImage *c = m_cursor[m_cursorIndex]->image();
@@ -635,7 +638,12 @@
     moveCursor();
 }
 
-void DrmBackend::hideCursor()
+void DrmBackend::doShowCursor()
+{
+    updateCursor();
+}
+
+void DrmBackend::doHideCursor()
 {
     if (!m_cursorEnabled) {
         return;
@@ -648,7 +656,7 @@
 void DrmBackend::moveCursor()
 {
     const QPoint p = Cursor::pos() - softwareCursorHotspot();
-    if (!m_cursorEnabled) {
+    if (!m_cursorEnabled || isCursorHidden()) {
         return;
     }
     for (auto it = m_outputs.constBegin(); it != m_outputs.constEnd(); ++it) {
diff --git a/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.h b/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.h
--- a/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.h
+++ b/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.h
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@
 
     PlatformCursorImage cursorImage() const override;
 
+protected:
+    void doHideCursor() override;
+    void doShowCursor() override;
+
 private:
     /**
      * Tests whether GLX is supported and returns @c true
diff --git a/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.cpp b/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.cpp
--- a/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.cpp
+++ b/plugins/platforms/x11/standalone/x11_platform.cpp
@@ -262,4 +262,14 @@
     return PlatformCursorImage(qcursorimg.copy(), QPoint(cursor->xhot, cursor->yhot));
 }
 
+void X11StandalonePlatform::doHideCursor()
+{
+    xcb_xfixes_hide_cursor(kwinApp()->x11Connection(), kwinApp()->x11RootWindow());
+}
+
+void X11StandalonePlatform::doShowCursor()
+{
+    xcb_xfixes_show_cursor(kwinApp()->x11Connection(), kwinApp()->x11RootWindow());
+}
+
 }