diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 8094abc98..5bbac70e8 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -374,6 +374,8 @@ if HAVE_WAYLAND
 libmutter_@LIBMUTTER_API_VERSION@_la_SOURCES +=	\
 	compositor/meta-surface-actor-wayland.c	\
 	compositor/meta-surface-actor-wayland.h	\
+	wayland/meta-cursor-sprite-wayland.c	\
+	wayland/meta-cursor-sprite-wayland.h	\
 	wayland/meta-wayland.c			\
 	wayland/meta-wayland.h			\
 	wayland/meta-wayland-private.h		\
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-cursor.c b/src/backends/meta-cursor.c
index 57f65236b..9750dc00b 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-cursor.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-cursor.c
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ typedef struct _MetaCursorSpritePrivate
   int hot_x, hot_y;
 } MetaCursorSpritePrivate;
 
-G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_PRIVATE (MetaCursorSprite, meta_cursor_sprite, G_TYPE_OBJECT)
+G_DEFINE_ABSTRACT_TYPE_WITH_PRIVATE (MetaCursorSprite,
+                                     meta_cursor_sprite,
+                                     G_TYPE_OBJECT)
 
 gboolean
 meta_cursor_sprite_is_animated (MetaCursorSprite *sprite)
@@ -71,12 +73,6 @@ meta_cursor_sprite_get_current_frame_time (MetaCursorSprite *sprite)
   return META_CURSOR_SPRITE_GET_CLASS (sprite)->get_current_frame_time (sprite);
 }
 
-MetaCursorSprite *
-meta_cursor_sprite_new (void)
-{
-  return g_object_new (META_TYPE_CURSOR_SPRITE, NULL);
-}
-
 void
 meta_cursor_sprite_clear_texture (MetaCursorSprite *sprite)
 {
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-cursor.h b/src/backends/meta-cursor.h
index e9ba5c46a..3051fdee6 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-cursor.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-cursor.h
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ struct _MetaCursorSpriteClass
   unsigned int (* get_current_frame_time) (MetaCursorSprite *sprite);
 };
 
-MetaCursorSprite * meta_cursor_sprite_new (void);
-
 void meta_cursor_sprite_prepare_at (MetaCursorSprite *sprite,
                                     int               x,
                                     int               y);
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-cursor-sprite-wayland.c b/src/wayland/meta-cursor-sprite-wayland.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..20532f13c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-cursor-sprite-wayland.c
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2015, 2018 Red Hat, Inc.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include "wayland/meta-cursor-sprite-wayland.h"
+
+struct _MetaCursorSpriteWayland
+{
+  MetaCursorSprite parent;
+};
+
+G_DEFINE_TYPE (MetaCursorSpriteWayland,
+               meta_cursor_sprite_wayland,
+               META_TYPE_CURSOR_SPRITE)
+
+static void
+meta_cursor_sprite_wayland_realize_texture (MetaCursorSprite *sprite)
+{
+}
+
+static gboolean
+meta_cursor_sprite_wayland_is_animated (MetaCursorSprite *sprite)
+{
+  return FALSE;
+}
+
+MetaCursorSpriteWayland *
+meta_cursor_sprite_wayland_new (void)
+{
+  return g_object_new (META_TYPE_CURSOR_SPRITE_WAYLAND, NULL);
+}
+
+static void
+meta_cursor_sprite_wayland_init (MetaCursorSpriteWayland *sprite_wayland)
+{
+}
+
+static void
+meta_cursor_sprite_wayland_class_init (MetaCursorSpriteWaylandClass *klass)
+{
+  MetaCursorSpriteClass *cursor_sprite_class = META_CURSOR_SPRITE_CLASS (klass);
+
+  cursor_sprite_class->realize_texture =
+    meta_cursor_sprite_wayland_realize_texture;
+  cursor_sprite_class->is_animated = meta_cursor_sprite_wayland_is_animated;
+}
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-cursor-sprite-wayland.h b/src/wayland/meta-cursor-sprite-wayland.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f0b9a0769
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-cursor-sprite-wayland.h
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2013, 2018 Red Hat, Inc.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef META_CURSOR_SPRITE_WAYLAND_H
+#define META_CURSOR_SPRITE_WAYLAND_H
+
+#include <glib-object.h>
+
+#include "backends/meta-cursor.h"
+
+#define META_TYPE_CURSOR_SPRITE_WAYLAND meta_cursor_sprite_wayland_get_type ()
+G_DECLARE_FINAL_TYPE (MetaCursorSpriteWayland, meta_cursor_sprite_wayland,
+                      META, CURSOR_SPRITE_WAYLAND, MetaCursorSprite)
+
+MetaCursorSpriteWayland * meta_cursor_sprite_wayland_new (void);
+
+#endif /* META_CURSOR_SPRITE_WAYLAND_H */
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-cursor-surface.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-cursor-surface.c
index 91a9fb95d..77931ab65 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-cursor-surface.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-cursor-surface.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "backends/meta-backend-private.h"
 #include "backends/meta-logical-monitor.h"
 #include "core/boxes-private.h"
+#include "wayland/meta-cursor-sprite-wayland.h"
 
 typedef struct _MetaWaylandCursorSurfacePrivate MetaWaylandCursorSurfacePrivate;
 
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ struct _MetaWaylandCursorSurfacePrivate
 {
   int hot_x;
   int hot_y;
-  MetaCursorSprite *cursor_sprite;
+  MetaCursorSpriteWayland *cursor_sprite;
   MetaCursorRenderer *cursor_renderer;
   MetaWaylandBuffer *buffer;
   struct wl_list frame_callbacks;
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ update_cursor_sprite_texture (MetaWaylandCursorSurface *cursor_surface)
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface =
     meta_wayland_surface_role_get_surface (META_WAYLAND_SURFACE_ROLE (cursor_surface));
   MetaWaylandBuffer *buffer = meta_wayland_surface_get_buffer (surface);
-  MetaCursorSprite *cursor_sprite = priv->cursor_sprite;
+  MetaCursorSprite *cursor_sprite = META_CURSOR_SPRITE (priv->cursor_sprite);
 
   g_return_if_fail (!buffer || buffer->texture);
 
@@ -267,7 +268,7 @@ meta_wayland_cursor_surface_init (MetaWaylandCursorSurface *role)
   MetaWaylandCursorSurfacePrivate *priv =
     meta_wayland_cursor_surface_get_instance_private (role);
 
-  priv->cursor_sprite = meta_cursor_sprite_new ();
+  priv->cursor_sprite = meta_cursor_sprite_wayland_new ();
   g_signal_connect_object (priv->cursor_sprite,
                            "prepare-at",
                            G_CALLBACK (cursor_sprite_prepare_at),
@@ -299,7 +300,7 @@ meta_wayland_cursor_surface_get_sprite (MetaWaylandCursorSurface *cursor_surface
   MetaWaylandCursorSurfacePrivate *priv =
     meta_wayland_cursor_surface_get_instance_private (cursor_surface);
 
-  return priv->cursor_sprite;
+  return META_CURSOR_SPRITE (priv->cursor_sprite);
 }
 
 void
@@ -342,7 +343,7 @@ on_cursor_painted (MetaCursorRenderer       *renderer,
     meta_wayland_cursor_surface_get_instance_private (cursor_surface);
   guint32 time = (guint32) (g_get_monotonic_time () / 1000);
 
-  if (displayed_sprite != priv->cursor_sprite)
+  if (displayed_sprite != META_CURSOR_SPRITE (priv->cursor_sprite))
     return;
 
   while (!wl_list_empty (&priv->frame_callbacks))