diff --git a/draw.js b/draw.js
index a3c780b..f48b6c5 100644
--- a/draw.js
+++ b/draw.js
@@ -326,6 +326,7 @@ var DrawingArea = new Lang.Class({
                 this._updateCursorTimeout();
                 this.textHasCursor = true;
                 this._redisplay();
+                this.updatePointerCursor();
                 return;
             }
         
@@ -334,6 +335,7 @@ var DrawingArea = new Lang.Class({
         
         this.currentElement = null;
         this._redisplay();
+        this.updatePointerCursor();
     },
     
     _updateDrawing: function(x, y, controlPressed) {
@@ -349,7 +351,9 @@ var DrawingArea = new Lang.Class({
             this.currentElement.transformLine(x, y);
         else
             this.currentElement.points[1] = [x, y];
+        
         this._redisplay();
+        this.updatePointerCursor(controlPressed);
     },
     
     _stopWriting: function() {
@@ -360,6 +364,20 @@ var DrawingArea = new Lang.Class({
         this._redisplay();
     },
     
+    setPointerCursor: function(pointerCursorName) {
+        if (!this.currentPointerCursorName || this.currentPointerCursorName != pointerCursorName) {
+            this.currentPointerCursorName = pointerCursorName;
+            ExtensionJs.setCursor(pointerCursorName);
+        }
+    },
+    
+    updatePointerCursor: function(controlPressed) {
+        if (!this.currentElement || (this.currentElement.shape == Shapes.TEXT && this.currentElement.state == TextState.WRITING))
+            this.setPointerCursor(this.currentShape == Shapes.NONE ? 'POINTING_HAND' : 'CROSSHAIR');
+        else if (this.currentElement.shape != Shapes.NONE && controlPressed)
+            this.setPointerCursor('MOVE_OR_RESIZE_WINDOW');
+    },
+    
     _stopCursorTimeout: function() {
         if (this.cursorTimeoutId) {
             Mainloop.source_remove(this.cursorTimeoutId);
@@ -456,6 +474,7 @@ var DrawingArea = new Lang.Class({
     selectShape: function(shape) {
         this.currentShape = shape;
         this.emitter.emit('show-osd', _(ShapeNames[shape]), null);
+        this.updatePointerCursor();
     },
     
     toggleFill: function() {
@@ -1047,9 +1066,13 @@ var DrawingMenu = new Lang.Class({
     },
     
     _onMenuOpenStateChanged: function(menu, open) {
-        if (!open)
+        if (open) {
+            this.area.setPointerCursor('DEFAULT');
+        } else {
+            this.area.updatePointerCursor();
             // actionMode has changed, set previous actionMode in order to keep internal shortcuts working
             Main.actionMode = ExtensionJs.DRAWING_ACTION_MODE | Shell.ActionMode.NORMAL;
+        }
     },
     
     popup: function() {
diff --git a/extension.js b/extension.js
index 325f5f3..f84769f 100644
--- a/extension.js
+++ b/extension.js
@@ -279,11 +279,7 @@ var AreaManager = new Lang.Class({
             if (!this.settings.get_boolean("drawing-on-desktop")) 
                 activeContainer.hide();
             
-            // check display or screen (API changes)
-            if (global.display.set_cursor)
-                global.display.set_cursor(Meta.Cursor.DEFAULT);
-            else if (global.screen && global.screen.set_cursor)
-                global.screen.set_cursor(Meta.Cursor.DEFAULT);
+            setCursor('DEFAULT');
             if (!this.osdDisabled)
                 Main.osdWindowManager.show(activeIndex, this.leaveGicon, _("Leaving drawing mode"), null);
         } else  {
@@ -302,12 +298,7 @@ var AreaManager = new Lang.Class({
             this.activeArea.reactive = true;
             this.activeArea.enterDrawingMode();
             
-            // check display or screen (API changes)
-            if (global.display.set_cursor)
-                global.display.set_cursor(Meta.Cursor.POINTING_HAND);
-            else if (global.screen && global.screen.set_cursor)
-                global.screen.set_cursor(Meta.Cursor.POINTING_HAND);
-                
+            setCursor('POINTING_HAND');
             this.osdDisabled = this.settings.get_boolean('osd-disabled');
             if (!this.osdDisabled) {
                 // increase OSD display time
@@ -414,4 +405,12 @@ var DrawingIndicator = new Lang.Class({
     }
 });
 
+function setCursor(cursorName) {
+    // check display or screen (API changes)
+    if (global.display.set_cursor)
+        global.display.set_cursor(Meta.Cursor[cursorName]);
+    else if (global.screen && global.screen.set_cursor)
+        global.screen.set_cursor(Meta.Cursor[cursorName]);
+}
+