diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-kms-impl-device.c b/src/backends/native/meta-kms-impl-device.c
index 1da8ffc71..4bbb9bc45 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-kms-impl-device.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-kms-impl-device.c
@@ -1786,6 +1786,11 @@ meta_kms_impl_device_handle_update (MetaKmsImplDevice *impl_device,
   meta_kms_device_handle_flush (priv->device, latch_crtc);
 
   feedback = do_process (impl_device, latch_crtc, update, flags);
+
+  if (meta_kms_feedback_did_pass (feedback) &&
+      crtc_frame->deadline.armed)
+    disarm_crtc_frame_deadline_timer (crtc_frame);
+
   meta_kms_feedback_unref (feedback);
   return;
 
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-onscreen-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-onscreen-native.c
index 29606cb6c..229aed375 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-onscreen-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-onscreen-native.c
@@ -1759,11 +1759,15 @@ meta_onscreen_native_before_redraw (CoglOnscreen *onscreen,
                                     ClutterFrame *frame)
 {
   MetaOnscreenNative *onscreen_native = META_ONSCREEN_NATIVE (onscreen);
-  MetaCrtcKms *crtc_kms = META_CRTC_KMS (onscreen_native->crtc);
-  MetaKmsCrtc *kms_crtc = meta_crtc_kms_get_kms_crtc (crtc_kms);
 
-  meta_kms_device_await_flush (meta_kms_crtc_get_device (kms_crtc),
-                               kms_crtc);
+  if (meta_get_debug_paint_flags () & META_DEBUG_PAINT_SYNC_CURSOR_PRIMARY)
+    {
+      MetaCrtcKms *crtc_kms = META_CRTC_KMS (onscreen_native->crtc);
+      MetaKmsCrtc *kms_crtc = meta_crtc_kms_get_kms_crtc (crtc_kms);
+
+      meta_kms_device_await_flush (meta_kms_crtc_get_device (kms_crtc), kms_crtc);
+    }
+
   maybe_update_frame_sync (onscreen_native, frame);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/meta/util.h b/src/meta/util.h
index ca8ca2ade..91ca6a836 100644
--- a/src/meta/util.h
+++ b/src/meta/util.h
@@ -51,11 +51,14 @@ void meta_fatal      (const char *format,
  * MetaDebugPaintFlag:
  * @META_DEBUG_PAINT_NONE: default
  * @META_DEBUG_PAINT_OPAQUE_REGION: paint opaque regions
+ * @META_DEBUG_PAINT_SYNC_CURSOR_PRIMARY: make cursor updates await compositing
+ *   frames
  */
 typedef enum
 {
   META_DEBUG_PAINT_NONE          = 0,
   META_DEBUG_PAINT_OPAQUE_REGION = 1 << 0,
+  META_DEBUG_PAINT_SYNC_CURSOR_PRIMARY = 1 << 1,
 } MetaDebugPaintFlag;
 
 META_EXPORT