diff --git a/default/hypr/startup-cursor.lua b/default/hypr/startup-cursor.lua
index f80e0e1c..4744a724 100644
--- a/default/hypr/startup-cursor.lua
+++ b/default/hypr/startup-cursor.lua
@@ -1,9 +1,38 @@
+local function cursor_theme(value)
+  if value and value ~= "" and value ~= "omarchy-startup" then return value end
+end
+
+local function normal_theme(interrupted)
+  local current = os.getenv("XCURSOR_THEME")
+  local theme = cursor_theme(current)
+  -- Only a lost preference needs recovering; an unset theme still means the default alias.
+  if theme or not (interrupted or current == "omarchy-startup") then return theme or "default" end
+  theme = cursor_theme(os.getenv("OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_THEME"))
+  if theme then return theme end
+  local pipe = io.popen("gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme 2>/dev/null", "r")
+  if pipe then
+    theme = cursor_theme((pipe:read("*a") or ""):match("^'(.-)'%s*$"))
+    pipe:close()
+  end
+  return theme or "default"
+end
+
+local function normal_path()
+  local kept = {}
+  for entry in (os.getenv("XCURSOR_PATH") or "~/.local/share/icons:~/.icons:/usr/share/icons:/usr/share/pixmaps"):gmatch("[^:]+") do
+    if not entry:match("/default/hypr/cursors$") then table.insert(kept, entry) end
+  end
+  return table.concat(kept, ":")
+end
+
 -- Hyprland polls cursor.invisible, so its first frames need a blank cursor too.
 function omarchy_startup_cursor_restore(loaded)
   if not omarchy_startup_cursor_pending then return end
   local cursor = omarchy_startup_cursor
   if loaded then
     omarchy_startup_cursor_pending = false
+    hl.env("OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_SESSION", "")
+    hl.env("OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_THEME", "")
     hl.config({ cursor = cursor.config })
     if cursor.config.enable_hyprcursor and cursor.hyprcursor then
       hl.exec_cmd("hyprctl setcursor " .. o.shell_quote(cursor.hyprcursor) .. " " .. cursor.size)
@@ -11,15 +40,25 @@ function omarchy_startup_cursor_restore(loaded)
   elseif not cursor.restoring then
     -- Reload the normal Xcursor fallback before enabling Hyprcursor or GSettings.
     cursor.restoring = true
+    hl.env("XCURSOR_PATH", cursor.path)
+    hl.env("XCURSOR_THEME", cursor.xcursor)
+    hl.exec_cmd("dbus-update-activation-environment --systemd XCURSOR_PATH XCURSOR_THEME")
+    local complete = "if omarchy_startup_cursor and omarchy_startup_cursor.xcursor == " .. string.format("%q", cursor.xcursor)
+      .. " and omarchy_startup_cursor.size == " .. cursor.size .. " then omarchy_startup_cursor_restore(true) end"
     hl.exec_cmd("hyprctl setcursor " .. o.shell_quote(cursor.xcursor) .. " " .. cursor.size
-      .. " && hyprctl eval 'omarchy_startup_cursor_restore(true)'")
+      .. " && hyprctl eval " .. o.shell_quote(complete))
   end
 end
 
 hl.on("config.reloaded", function()
+  local recover = false
   if omarchy_startup_cursor_pending == nil then
-    -- Config updates in an existing compositor must not hide its pointer.
-    omarchy_startup_cursor_pending = #hl.get_monitors() == 0
+    -- An ordinary reload must not hide the pointer, but an interrupted reveal survives.
+    local cold = #hl.get_monitors() == 0
+    local session = os.getenv("HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE")
+    local interrupted = session and os.getenv("OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_SESSION") == session
+    recover = not cold and not interrupted and os.getenv("XCURSOR_THEME") == "omarchy-startup"
+    omarchy_startup_cursor_pending = cold or interrupted or recover
     if omarchy_startup_cursor_pending then
       local hyprcursor = hl.get_config("cursor.enable_hyprcursor")
       omarchy_startup_cursor = {
@@ -30,17 +69,31 @@ hl.on("config.reloaded", function()
         },
         hyprcursor = os.getenv("HYPRCURSOR_THEME"),
         size = tonumber((hyprcursor and os.getenv("HYPRCURSOR_SIZE")) or os.getenv("XCURSOR_SIZE")) or 24,
-        path = os.getenv("XCURSOR_PATH") or "~/.local/share/icons:~/.icons:/usr/share/icons:/usr/share/pixmaps",
-        xcursor = os.getenv("XCURSOR_THEME") or "default",
+        path = normal_path(),
+        xcursor = normal_theme(interrupted),
       }
       if omarchy_startup_cursor.size <= 0 then omarchy_startup_cursor.size = 24 end
-      hl.env("XCURSOR_PATH", os.getenv("OMARCHY_PATH") .. "/default/hypr/cursors:" .. omarchy_startup_cursor.path)
-      hl.env("XCURSOR_THEME", "omarchy-startup")
+      -- Compositor environment survives Lua reloads; a session id prevents stale inheritance.
+      hl.env("OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_THEME", omarchy_startup_cursor.xcursor)
+      hl.env("OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_SESSION", os.getenv("HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE"))
+      if cold then
+        hl.env("XCURSOR_PATH", os.getenv("OMARCHY_PATH") .. "/default/hypr/cursors:" .. omarchy_startup_cursor.path)
+        hl.env("XCURSOR_THEME", "omarchy-startup")
+      else
+        hl.env("XCURSOR_PATH", omarchy_startup_cursor.path)
+        hl.env("XCURSOR_THEME", omarchy_startup_cursor.xcursor)
+      end
     end
   end
   if omarchy_startup_cursor_pending then
     -- Keep the temporary cursor private to the compositor, including GSettings.
     hl.config({ cursor = { invisible = true, enable_hyprcursor = false, sync_gsettings_theme = false } })
-    hl.timer(function() omarchy_startup_cursor_restore() end, { timeout = 15000, type = "oneshot" })
+    hl.timer(function()
+      if omarchy_startup_cursor_pending then
+        omarchy_startup_cursor.restoring = false
+        omarchy_startup_cursor_restore()
+      end
+    end, { timeout = 15000, type = "oneshot" })
+    if recover then omarchy_startup_cursor_restore() end
   end
 end)
diff --git a/test/shell.d/hyprland-startup-cursor-cold-test.sh b/test/shell.d/hyprland-startup-cursor-cold-test.sh
index dca0a2f1..6491907c 100755
--- a/test/shell.d/hyprland-startup-cursor-cold-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/hyprland-startup-cursor-cold-test.sh
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as directory:
         time.sleep(0.01)
 
     wait_phase("holding")
+    subprocess.run(["hyprctl", "reload"], env=env, check=True, capture_output=True, timeout=5)
+    subprocess.run(["hyprctl", "eval", "assert(omarchy_startup_cursor_pending, 'reload lost the pending cursor reveal')"],
+             env=env, check=True, capture_output=True, timeout=5)
     (stage / "release").write_text("reveal")
     wait_phase("revealed")
     # Cursor visibility is polled by the compositor independently of the fade.
@@ -78,6 +81,9 @@ with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as directory:
       if float(green) > 20:
         break
       assert time.monotonic() < deadline, "the normal cursor did not return with the desktop"
+  except Exception:
+    print((stage / "compositor.log").read_text())
+    raise
   finally:
     os.killpg(compositor.pid, signal.SIGTERM)
     compositor.wait(timeout=10)
diff --git a/test/shell.d/hyprland-startup-cursor-test.sh b/test/shell.d/hyprland-startup-cursor-test.sh
index 248afd48..b83be465 100755
--- a/test/shell.d/hyprland-startup-cursor-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/hyprland-startup-cursor-test.sh
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ set -euo pipefail
 source "$(dirname "$0")/base-test.sh"
 require_command lua
 
-lua <<'LUA'
+lua - <<'LUA'
 package.path = os.getenv("ROOT") .. "/?.lua;" .. package.path
-local events, recovery, command = {}, nil, nil
+local events, recovery, command, imported = {}, nil, nil, false
 local config = { invisible = false, enable_hyprcursor = true, sync_gsettings_theme = true }
-local env = { XCURSOR_THEME = "my-xcursor", HYPRCURSOR_THEME = "my-hyprcursor", XCURSOR_PATH = "/my/icons" }
+local env = { XCURSOR_THEME = "my-xcursor", HYPRCURSOR_THEME = "my-hyprcursor", XCURSOR_PATH = "/my/icons", HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE = "test-session", OMARCHY_PATH = os.getenv("ROOT") }
 local getenv = os.getenv
 os.getenv = function(name) return env[name] or getenv(name) end
 local monitors = {}
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ hl = {
     recovery = callback
   end,
   exec_cmd = function(value)
+    if value == "dbus-update-activation-environment --systemd XCURSOR_PATH XCURSOR_THEME" then
+      assert(env.XCURSOR_THEME ~= "omarchy-startup" and not env.XCURSOR_PATH:match("/default/hypr/cursors"))
+      imported = true
+    end
     if value == "omarchy-launch-shell" then
       assert(config.invisible and env.XCURSOR_THEME == "my-xcursor", "hide the compositor cursor while restoring application settings before launch")
     end
@@ -44,7 +48,15 @@ assert(env.XCURSOR_THEME == "my-xcursor" and env.XCURSOR_PATH == "/my/icons", "a
 assert(config.invisible, "starting applications must not reveal the cursor")
 
 local previous_recovery = recovery
+-- Hyprland reloads the configuration in a fresh Lua state and discards timers.
+omarchy_startup_cursor_pending = nil
+omarchy_startup_cursor = nil
+for name in pairs(config) do config[name] = true end
+config.invisible = false
+monitors = { {} }
+dofile(os.getenv("ROOT") .. "/default/hypr/startup-cursor.lua")
 events["config.reloaded"]()
+assert(omarchy_startup_cursor_pending and omarchy_startup_cursor.xcursor == "my-xcursor", "a fresh Lua state must retain the pending reveal and the user's cursor")
 assert(recovery ~= previous_recovery and config.invisible, "a config reload must retain startup hiding and rearm recovery")
 recovery()
 assert(command:match("setcursor 'my%-xcursor'"), "restore the Xcursor fallback before revealing the pointer")
@@ -62,5 +74,63 @@ omarchy_startup_cursor_pending = nil
 monitors = { {} }
 events["config.reloaded"]()
 assert(not omarchy_startup_cursor_pending and not config.invisible, "installing the fix in a running compositor must leave its cursor alone")
+
+local popen = io.popen
+local gsettings = "'custom-cursor'\n"
+io.popen = function(value)
+  assert(value:match("gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor%-theme"))
+  return { read = function() return gsettings end, close = function() return true end }
+end
+local function orphan(theme)
+  imported = false
+  omarchy_startup_cursor_pending, omarchy_startup_cursor = nil, nil
+  env.XCURSOR_THEME = "omarchy-startup"
+  env.OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_THEME = theme
+  env.OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_SESSION = "old-session"
+  env.XCURSOR_PATH = "/old/worktree/default/hypr/cursors:/my/icons"
+  env.OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_PATH = nil
+  config.invisible, config.enable_hyprcursor, config.sync_gsettings_theme = false, false, true
+  dofile(os.getenv("ROOT") .. "/default/hypr/startup-cursor.lua")
+  events["config.reloaded"]()
+  assert(omarchy_startup_cursor_pending, "an orphan blank theme must be recovered with live monitors")
+  assert(env.XCURSOR_THEME ~= "omarchy-startup" and env.XCURSOR_PATH == "/my/icons", "recovery must remove the blank theme and old worktree search path")
+  return omarchy_startup_cursor.xcursor
+end
+assert(orphan("saved-custom") == "saved-custom", "saved settings take precedence over GSettings")
+omarchy_startup_cursor_restore()
+assert(command:match("setcursor 'saved%-custom'") and imported, "orphan recovery must also repair activation environments")
+local stalled = command
+command = nil
+recovery()
+assert(command == stalled, "the timeout must retry an unfinished restore")
+local completion = assert(command:match("hyprctl eval '(.*)'$"))
+omarchy_startup_cursor.xcursor = "changed-during-restore"
+assert(load(completion))()
+assert(omarchy_startup_cursor_pending, "a stale completion must not reveal a different cursor after reload")
+omarchy_startup_cursor.xcursor = "saved-custom"
+local old_size = omarchy_startup_cursor.size
+omarchy_startup_cursor.size = old_size + 8
+assert(load(completion))()
+assert(omarchy_startup_cursor_pending, "a stale completion must not acknowledge a different cursor size")
+omarchy_startup_cursor.size = old_size
+omarchy_startup_cursor_restore(true)
+assert(not config.invisible and config.sync_gsettings_theme)
+assert(orphan(nil) == "custom-cursor", "recover a nonblank user GSettings theme when no snapshot survives")
+omarchy_startup_cursor_restore(true)
+gsettings = "'omarchy-startup'\n"
+assert(orphan(nil) == "default", "a destroyed user preference must fall back to the default alias, never the blank theme")
+omarchy_startup_cursor_restore(true)
+omarchy_startup_cursor_pending, omarchy_startup_cursor = nil, nil
+monitors = {}
+env.XCURSOR_THEME, env.XCURSOR_PATH = "next-theme", "/next/icons"
+env.OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_PATH = "/stale/icons"
+env.OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_SESSION = "old-session"
+events["config.reloaded"]()
+assert(omarchy_startup_cursor.xcursor == "next-theme" and omarchy_startup_cursor.path == "/next/icons", "a new session must honor changed cursor settings instead of inherited snapshots")
+omarchy_startup_cursor_pending, omarchy_startup_cursor = nil, nil
+env.XCURSOR_THEME, env.OMARCHY_STARTUP_CURSOR_SESSION, gsettings = "", "old-session", "'custom-cursor'\n"
+events["config.reloaded"]()
+assert(omarchy_startup_cursor.xcursor == "default", "an ordinary boot without a cursor theme keeps the default alias instead of adopting GSettings")
+io.popen = popen
 LUA
 pass "the first compositor frame starts blank and the reveal restores user cursor settings"