diff --git a/types/wlr_output.c b/types/wlr_output.c
index 13a6adbd..0b3f3842 100644
--- a/types/wlr_output.c
+++ b/types/wlr_output.c
@@ -238,10 +238,6 @@ void wlr_output_set_cursor_surface(struct wlr_output *output,
 	output->cursor.hotspot_x = hotspot_x;
 	output->cursor.hotspot_y = hotspot_y;
 
-	if (surface && output->cursor.surface == surface) {
-		return;
-	}
-
 	if (output->cursor.surface) {
 		wl_list_remove(&output->cursor.surface_commit.link);
 		wl_list_remove(&output->cursor.surface_destroy.link);
@@ -252,7 +248,9 @@ void wlr_output_set_cursor_surface(struct wlr_output *output,
 
 	if (surface != NULL) {
 		wl_signal_add(&surface->events.commit, &output->cursor.surface_commit);
-		wl_signal_add(&surface->events.destroy, &output->cursor.surface_destroy);
+		wl_signal_add(&surface->events.destroy,
+			&output->cursor.surface_destroy);
+		commit_cursor_surface(output, surface);
 	} else {
 		set_cursor(output, NULL, 0, 0, 0, hotspot_x, hotspot_y);
 	}
diff --git a/types/wlr_surface.c b/types/wlr_surface.c
index 4c433184..654b5f1c 100644
--- a/types/wlr_surface.c
+++ b/types/wlr_surface.c
@@ -427,7 +427,8 @@ static void wlr_surface_commit_pending(struct wlr_surface *surface) {
 	// TODO: add the invalid bitfield to this callback
 	wl_signal_emit(&surface->events.commit, surface);
 
-	wlr_surface_state_release_buffer(surface->current);
+	// TODO: call this
+	//wlr_surface_state_release_buffer(surface->current);
 }
 
 static bool wlr_subsurface_is_synchronized(struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface) {