diff --git a/include/ui/console.h b/include/ui/console.h
index 0f7f50deaf..91d8bbc9dc 100644
--- a/include/ui/console.h
+++ b/include/ui/console.h
@@ -521,6 +521,7 @@ void console_select(unsigned int index);
 void qemu_console_resize(QemuConsole *con, int width, int height);
 DisplaySurface *qemu_console_surface(QemuConsole *con);
 void coroutine_fn qemu_console_co_wait_update(QemuConsole *con);
+int qemu_invalidate_text_consoles(void);
 
 /* console-gl.c */
 #ifdef CONFIG_OPENGL
diff --git a/ui/console.c b/ui/console.c
index b1d375ecb4..ba9da8c1b3 100644
--- a/ui/console.c
+++ b/ui/console.c
@@ -2500,13 +2500,11 @@ static void vc_chr_set_echo(Chardev *chr, bool echo)
     drv->console->echo = echo;
 }
 
-static void text_console_update_cursor(void *opaque)
+int qemu_invalidate_text_consoles(void)
 {
     QemuConsole *s;
     int count = 0;
 
-    cursor_visible_phase = !cursor_visible_phase;
-
     QTAILQ_FOREACH(s, &consoles, next) {
         if (qemu_console_is_graphic(s) ||
             !qemu_console_is_visible(s)) {
@@ -2516,7 +2514,14 @@ static void text_console_update_cursor(void *opaque)
         graphic_hw_invalidate(s);
     }
 
-    if (count) {
+    return count;
+}
+
+static void text_console_update_cursor(void *opaque)
+{
+    cursor_visible_phase = !cursor_visible_phase;
+
+    if (qemu_invalidate_text_consoles()) {
         timer_mod(cursor_timer,
                   qemu_clock_get_ms(QEMU_CLOCK_REALTIME) + CONSOLE_CURSOR_PERIOD / 2);
     }