diff --git a/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.c b/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.c
index 176e6afbf..c41ba66ab 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.c
@@ -144,6 +144,13 @@ meta_cursor_renderer_set_cursor (MetaCursorRenderer  *renderer,
   update_cursor (renderer);
 }
 
+void
+meta_cursor_renderer_force_update (MetaCursorRenderer *renderer)
+{
+  update_cursor (renderer);
+  queue_redraw (renderer);
+}
+
 void
 meta_cursor_renderer_set_position (MetaCursorRenderer *renderer,
                                    int x, int y)
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.h b/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.h
index ae60d9176..7f86835ca 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-cursor-renderer.h
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ void meta_cursor_renderer_set_cursor (MetaCursorRenderer  *renderer,
 
 void meta_cursor_renderer_set_position (MetaCursorRenderer *renderer,
                                         int x, int y);
+void meta_cursor_renderer_force_update (MetaCursorRenderer *renderer);
 
 MetaCursorReference * meta_cursor_renderer_get_cursor (MetaCursorRenderer *renderer);
 const MetaRectangle * meta_cursor_renderer_get_rect (MetaCursorRenderer *renderer);