diff --git a/ui/annotationtools.cpp b/ui/annotationtools.cpp
index f2db3550d..afc71764f 100644
--- a/ui/annotationtools.cpp
+++ b/ui/annotationtools.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 // qt / kde includes
 #include <qcolor.h>
+#include <qcursor.h>
 #include <qevent.h>
 #include <qpainter.h>
 
@@ -76,6 +77,11 @@ AnnotatorEngine::~AnnotatorEngine()
 {
 }
 
+QCursor AnnotatorEngine::cursor() const
+{
+    return Qt::CrossCursor;
+}
+
 SmoothPath::SmoothPath( const QLinkedList<Okular::NormalizedPoint> &points, const QPen &pen )
     : points ( points ), pen ( pen )
 {
diff --git a/ui/annotationtools.h b/ui/annotationtools.h
index fdcae1bb0..dc36dc7c0 100644
--- a/ui/annotationtools.h
+++ b/ui/annotationtools.h
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ class AnnotatorEngine
         static void decodeEvent( const QMouseEvent * mouseEvent, EventType * eventType, Button * button );
         static void decodeEvent( const QTabletEvent * tabletEvent, EventType * eventType, Button * button );
 
+        virtual QCursor cursor() const;
+
     protected:
         PageViewItem * item() { return m_item; }
 
diff --git a/ui/pageview.cpp b/ui/pageview.cpp
index b1cb6e4f4..e131d1e65 100644
--- a/ui/pageview.cpp
+++ b/ui/pageview.cpp
@@ -3657,7 +3657,7 @@ void PageView::updateCursor( const QPoint &p )
     if ( d->annotator && d->annotator->active() )
     {
         if ( pageItem || d->annotator->annotating() )
-            setCursor( Qt::CrossCursor );
+            setCursor( d->annotator->cursor() );
         else
             setCursor( Qt::ForbiddenCursor );
     }
diff --git a/ui/pageviewannotator.cpp b/ui/pageviewannotator.cpp
index 5395b7be4..eeeb9250c 100644
--- a/ui/pageviewannotator.cpp
+++ b/ui/pageviewannotator.cpp
@@ -630,6 +630,11 @@ class TextSelectorEngine : public AnnotatorEngine
             return QList< Okular::Annotation* >() << ann;
         }
 
+        QCursor cursor() const
+        {
+            return Qt::IBeamCursor;
+        }
+
     private:
         // data
         PageView * m_pageView;
@@ -777,6 +782,11 @@ bool PageViewAnnotator::annotating() const
     return active() && m_lockedItem;
 }
 
+QCursor PageViewAnnotator::cursor() const
+{
+    return m_engine->cursor();
+}
+
 QRect PageViewAnnotator::performRouteMouseOrTabletEvent(const AnnotatorEngine::EventType & eventType, const AnnotatorEngine::Button & button,
                                                         const QPointF & pos, PageViewItem * item )
 {
diff --git a/ui/pageviewannotator.h b/ui/pageviewannotator.h
index 11aac3ad9..f70eff9aa 100644
--- a/ui/pageviewannotator.h
+++ b/ui/pageviewannotator.h
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@ class PageViewAnnotator : public QObject
         bool active() const;
         // @return Are we currently annotating (using the selected tool)?
         bool annotating() const;
+
+        // returns the preferred cursor for the current tool. call this only
+        // if active() == true
+        QCursor cursor() const;
+
         QRect routeMouseEvent( QMouseEvent * event, PageViewItem * item );
         QRect routeTabletEvent( QTabletEvent * event, PageViewItem * item, const QPoint & localOriginInGlobal );
         QRect performRouteMouseOrTabletEvent( const AnnotatorEngine::EventType & eventType, const AnnotatorEngine::Button & button,