diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6800a1ddf2..bdac6c578e 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -189,6 +189,8 @@ set_package_properties(X11 PROPERTIES DESCRIPTION "X11 libraries"
                         URL "http://www.x.org"
                         TYPE REQUIRED
                     )
+add_feature_info("XInput" X11_Xinput_FOUND "Required for poll-free mouse cursor updates")
+set(HAVE_X11_XINPUT ${X11_Xinput_FOUND})
 
 # All the required XCB components
 find_package(XCB 1.10
@@ -480,6 +482,7 @@ set(kwin_XLIB_LIBS
     ${X11_X11_LIB}
     ${X11_ICE_LIB}
     ${X11_SM_LIB}
+    ${X11_Xinput_LIB}
 )
 
 set(kwin_XCB_LIBS
diff --git a/config-kwin.h.cmake b/config-kwin.h.cmake
index f055a159f2..0996173d89 100644
--- a/config-kwin.h.cmake
+++ b/config-kwin.h.cmake
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #define KWIN_RULES_DIALOG_BIN "${CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_LIBEXECDIR}/kwin_rules_dialog"
 #cmakedefine01 HAVE_INPUT
 #cmakedefine01 HAVE_X11_XCB
+#cmakedefine01 HAVE_X11_XINPUT
 #cmakedefine01 HAVE_DRM
 #cmakedefine01 HAVE_GBM
 #cmakedefine01 HAVE_LIBHYBRIS
diff --git a/cursor.cpp b/cursor.cpp
index db68ce7fef..de5c5a2606 100644
--- a/cursor.cpp
+++ b/cursor.cpp
@@ -24,18 +24,28 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "input.h"
 #include "main.h"
 #include "utils.h"
+#include "x11eventfilter.h"
 #include "xcbutils.h"
 // KDE
 #include <KConfig>
 #include <KConfigGroup>
 #include <KSharedConfig>
 // Qt
+#include <QAbstractEventDispatcher>
 #include <QDBusConnection>
 #include <QScreen>
 #include <QTimer>
 // xcb
 #include <xcb/xfixes.h>
 #include <xcb/xcb_cursor.h>
+// X11
+#include <X11/Xlib.h>
+#if HAVE_X11_XINPUT
+#include <X11/extensions/XInput2.h>
+#else
+#define XI_RawMotion 0
+#endif
+#include <fixx11h.h>
 
 namespace KWin
 {
@@ -248,13 +258,36 @@ void Cursor::notifyCursorChanged(uint32_t serial)
     emit cursorChanged(serial);
 }
 
+class XInputEventFilter : public X11EventFilter
+{
+public:
+    XInputEventFilter(X11Cursor *parent, int xi_opcode)
+        : X11EventFilter(XCB_GE_GENERIC, xi_opcode, XI_RawMotion)
+        , m_x11Cursor(parent)
+        {}
+    virtual ~XInputEventFilter() = default;
+
+    bool event(xcb_generic_event_t *event) override {
+        Q_UNUSED(event)
+        m_x11Cursor->schedulePoll();
+        return false;
+    }
+
+private:
+    X11Cursor *m_x11Cursor;
+};
+
 X11Cursor::X11Cursor(QObject *parent)
     : Cursor(parent)
     , m_timeStamp(XCB_TIME_CURRENT_TIME)
     , m_buttonMask(0)
     , m_resetTimeStampTimer(new QTimer(this))
     , m_mousePollingTimer(new QTimer(this))
+    , m_hasXInput(false)
+    , m_xiOpcode(0)
+    , m_needsPoll(false)
 {
+    initXInput();
     m_resetTimeStampTimer->setSingleShot(true);
     connect(m_resetTimeStampTimer, SIGNAL(timeout()), SLOT(resetTimeStamp()));
     // TODO: How often do we really need to poll?
@@ -268,6 +301,39 @@ X11Cursor::~X11Cursor()
 {
 }
 
+void X11Cursor::initXInput()
+{
+#ifndef KCMRULES
+#if HAVE_X11_XINPUT
+    if (qEnvironmentVariableIsSet("KWIN_NO_XI2")) {
+        return;
+    }
+    Display *dpy = display();
+    int xi_opcode, event, error;
+    // init XInput extension
+    if (!XQueryExtension(dpy, "XInputExtension", &xi_opcode, &event, &error)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // verify that the XInput extension is at at least version 2.0
+    int major = 2, minor = 0;
+    int result = XIQueryVersion(dpy, &major, &minor);
+    if (result == BadImplementation) {
+        // Xinput 2.2 returns BadImplementation if checked against 2.0
+        major = 2;
+        minor = 2;
+        if (XIQueryVersion(dpy, &major, &minor) != Success) {
+            return;
+        }
+    } else if (result != Success) {
+        return;
+    }
+    m_hasXInput = true;
+    m_xiOpcode = xi_opcode;
+#endif
+#endif
+}
+
 void X11Cursor::doSetPos()
 {
     const QPoint &pos = currentPos();
@@ -298,14 +364,64 @@ void X11Cursor::resetTimeStamp()
     m_timeStamp = XCB_TIME_CURRENT_TIME;
 }
 
+void X11Cursor::aboutToBlock()
+{
+    if (m_needsPoll) {
+        mousePolled();
+        m_needsPoll = false;
+    }
+}
+
 void X11Cursor::doStartMousePolling()
 {
-    m_mousePollingTimer->start();
+    if (m_hasXInput) {
+#ifndef KCMRULES
+#if HAVE_X11_XINPUT
+        m_xiEventFilter.reset(new XInputEventFilter(this, m_xiOpcode));
+
+        // this assumes KWin is the only one setting events on the root window
+        // given Qt's source code this seems to be true. If it breaks, we need to change
+        XIEventMask evmasks[1];
+        unsigned char mask1[XIMaskLen(XI_LASTEVENT)];
+
+        memset(mask1, 0, sizeof(mask1));
+
+        XISetMask(mask1, XI_RawMotion);
+
+        evmasks[0].deviceid = XIAllMasterDevices;
+        evmasks[0].mask_len = sizeof(mask1);
+        evmasks[0].mask = mask1;
+        XISelectEvents(display(), rootWindow(), evmasks, 1);
+        connect(qApp->eventDispatcher(), &QAbstractEventDispatcher::aboutToBlock, this, &X11Cursor::aboutToBlock);
+#endif
+#endif
+    } else {
+        m_mousePollingTimer->start();
+    }
 }
 
 void X11Cursor::doStopMousePolling()
 {
-    m_mousePollingTimer->stop();
+    if (m_hasXInput) {
+#ifndef KCMRULES
+#if HAVE_X11_XINPUT
+        m_xiEventFilter.reset();
+
+        XIEventMask evmasks[1];
+        unsigned char mask1[(XI_LASTEVENT + 7)/8];
+
+        memset(mask1, 0, sizeof(mask1));
+
+        evmasks[0].deviceid = XIAllMasterDevices;
+        evmasks[0].mask_len = sizeof(mask1);
+        evmasks[0].mask = mask1;
+        XISelectEvents(display(), rootWindow(), evmasks, 1);
+        disconnect(qApp->eventDispatcher(), &QAbstractEventDispatcher::aboutToBlock, this, &X11Cursor::aboutToBlock);
+#endif
+#endif
+    } else {
+        m_mousePollingTimer->stop();
+    }
 }
 
 void X11Cursor::doStartCursorTracking()
diff --git a/cursor.h b/cursor.h
index d37a0aabcb..e0a3091e02 100644
--- a/cursor.h
+++ b/cursor.h
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ class QTimer;
 namespace KWin
 {
 
+class XInputEventFilter;
+
 /**
  * @short Replacement for QCursor.
  *
@@ -221,6 +223,11 @@ class X11Cursor : public Cursor
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
     virtual ~X11Cursor();
+
+    void schedulePoll() {
+        m_needsPoll = true;
+    }
+
 protected:
     virtual xcb_cursor_t getX11Cursor(Qt::CursorShape shape);
     xcb_cursor_t getX11Cursor(const QByteArray &name) override;
@@ -239,14 +246,20 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
     */
     void resetTimeStamp();
     void mousePolled();
+    void aboutToBlock();
 private:
     X11Cursor(QObject *parent);
+    void initXInput();
     xcb_cursor_t createCursor(const QByteArray &name);
     QHash<QByteArray, xcb_cursor_t > m_cursors;
     xcb_timestamp_t m_timeStamp;
     uint16_t m_buttonMask;
     QTimer *m_resetTimeStampTimer;
     QTimer *m_mousePollingTimer;
+    bool m_hasXInput;
+    int m_xiOpcode;
+    bool m_needsPoll;
+    QScopedPointer<XInputEventFilter> m_xiEventFilter;
     friend class Cursor;
 };