diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-context.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-context.h
index 6b65fecac..f781728c3 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-context.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-context.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ typedef struct _ClutterPaintContext ClutterPaintContext;
 typedef enum _ClutterPaintFlag
 {
   CLUTTER_PAINT_FLAG_NONE = 0,
+  CLUTTER_PAINT_FLAG_NO_CURSORS = 1 << 0,
 } ClutterPaintFlag;
 
 #define CLUTTER_TYPE_PAINT_CONTEXT (clutter_paint_context_get_type ())
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-stage.c b/src/backends/meta-stage.c
index e5f156880..072241ec9 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-stage.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-stage.c
@@ -206,8 +206,12 @@ meta_stage_paint (ClutterActor        *actor,
 
   g_signal_emit (stage, signals[ACTORS_PAINTED], 0);
 
-  for (l = stage->overlays; l; l = l->next)
-    meta_overlay_paint (l->data, paint_context);
+  if (!(clutter_paint_context_get_paint_flags (paint_context) &
+        CLUTTER_PAINT_FLAG_NO_CURSORS))
+    {
+      for (l = stage->overlays; l; l = l->next)
+        meta_overlay_paint (l->data, paint_context);
+    }
 
   if (view)
     {