diff --git a/hw/hid.c b/hw/hid.c
index 7b5ef5fc92..77339f7a12 100644
--- a/hw/hid.c
+++ b/hw/hid.c
@@ -218,16 +218,21 @@ static inline int int_clamp(int val, int vmin, int vmax)
     }
 }
 
+void hid_pointer_activate(HIDState *hs)
+{
+    if (!hs->ptr.mouse_grabbed) {
+        qemu_activate_mouse_event_handler(hs->ptr.eh_entry);
+        hs->ptr.mouse_grabbed = 1;
+    }
+}
+
 int hid_pointer_poll(HIDState *hs, uint8_t *buf, int len)
 {
     int dx, dy, dz, b, l;
     int index;
     HIDPointerEvent *e;
 
-    if (!hs->ptr.mouse_grabbed) {
-        qemu_activate_mouse_event_handler(hs->ptr.eh_entry);
-        hs->ptr.mouse_grabbed = 1;
-    }
+    hid_pointer_activate(hs);
 
     /* When the buffer is empty, return the last event.  Relative
        movements will all be zero.  */
diff --git a/hw/hid.h b/hw/hid.h
index 4a8fa5b63f..9ce03b118c 100644
--- a/hw/hid.h
+++ b/hw/hid.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ void hid_free(HIDState *hs);
 
 bool hid_has_events(HIDState *hs);
 void hid_set_next_idle(HIDState *hs, int64_t curtime);
+void hid_pointer_activate(HIDState *hs);
 int hid_pointer_poll(HIDState *hs, uint8_t *buf, int len);
 int hid_keyboard_poll(HIDState *hs, uint8_t *buf, int len);
 int hid_keyboard_write(HIDState *hs, uint8_t *buf, int len);
diff --git a/hw/usb-hid.c b/hw/usb-hid.c
index e5d57de888..6f12751cdc 100644
--- a/hw/usb-hid.c
+++ b/hw/usb-hid.c
@@ -454,6 +454,9 @@ static int usb_hid_handle_control(USBDevice *dev, USBPacket *p,
     case SET_IDLE:
         hs->idle = (uint8_t) (value >> 8);
         hid_set_next_idle(hs, qemu_get_clock_ns(vm_clock));
+        if (hs->kind == HID_MOUSE || hs->kind == HID_TABLET) {
+            hid_pointer_activate(hs);
+        }
         ret = 0;
         break;
     default: