diff --git a/cosmic-comp-config/src/lib.rs b/cosmic-comp-config/src/lib.rs
index 41b4dd2d..193fd0db 100644
--- a/cosmic-comp-config/src/lib.rs
+++ b/cosmic-comp-config/src/lib.rs
@@ -251,11 +251,15 @@ impl CursorHideConfig {
         }
     }
 
-    /// The delay to arm the timer with, before context is known. Callers on the
-    /// input path cannot read fullscreen state without deadlocking, so they arm
-    /// pessimistically and `resolve` corrects it on fire.
-    pub fn shortest_timeout(&self) -> Option<Duration> {
-        self.effective_timeout(true)
+    /// How long to wait before the idle timer should next fire, given how long
+    /// it has been since the last pointer event. Pessimistic: fullscreen only
+    /// ever shortens a timeout, so arming as if fullscreen cannot fire too
+    /// late, and `resolve` corrects an early fire once the context is known.
+    pub fn arm_delay(&self, since_pointer_activity: Duration) -> Option<Duration> {
+        Some(
+            self.effective_timeout(true)?
+                .saturating_sub(since_pointer_activity),
+        )
     }
 }
 
@@ -402,12 +406,6 @@ mod test {
             ..OFF
         };
         assert_eq!(long_fs.resolve(secs(3), true), HideDecision::Hide);
-
-        // The arming delay is pessimistic: the shortest timeout that could
-        // apply in any context, because arm-time code cannot read the shell.
-        assert_eq!(short_fs.shortest_timeout(), Some(secs(3)));
-        assert_eq!(long_fs.shortest_timeout(), Some(secs(3)));
-        assert_eq!(OFF.shortest_timeout(), None);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -423,4 +421,27 @@ mod test {
         assert_eq!(cfg.resolve(secs(5), false), HideDecision::Hide);
         assert_eq!(cfg.resolve(secs(6), false), HideDecision::Hide);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn arm_delay_measures_from_the_last_pointer_event() {
+        let cfg = CursorHideConfig {
+            idle_timeout: Some(10),
+            ..OFF
+        };
+        assert_eq!(cfg.arm_delay(Duration::ZERO), Some(secs(10)));
+        assert_eq!(cfg.arm_delay(secs(4)), Some(secs(6)));
+        // Exactly due, and past due: fire immediately rather than deferring.
+        assert_eq!(cfg.arm_delay(secs(10)), Some(Duration::ZERO));
+        assert_eq!(cfg.arm_delay(secs(600)), Some(Duration::ZERO));
+
+        // Armed against the shortest timeout that any context could want.
+        let fs = CursorHideConfig {
+            idle_timeout: Some(10),
+            fullscreen_idle_timeout: Some(3),
+            ..OFF
+        };
+        assert_eq!(fs.arm_delay(secs(1)), Some(secs(2)));
+
+        assert_eq!(OFF.arm_delay(Duration::ZERO), None);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/backend/render/cursor.rs b/src/backend/render/cursor.rs
index 24ad5a60..95fb7500 100644
--- a/src/backend/render/cursor.rs
+++ b/src/backend/render/cursor.rs
@@ -892,6 +892,10 @@ pub fn notify_cursor_activity(state: &State, seat: &Seat<State>, kind: PointerEv
 
 /// (Re)arm the idle-hide timer without counting as pointer activity.
 ///
+/// The deadline is measured from the last *pointer* event, not from now, so a
+/// caller that does not stamp activity — a keystroke, a config reload — cannot
+/// postpone the hide by re-arming.
+///
 /// Armed with the shortest timeout any context could want: the input that arms
 /// the timer is usually what goes on to make a window fullscreen, so the
 /// context is not yet knowable here. `on_idle_timer` evaluates it on fire and
@@ -902,7 +906,7 @@ pub fn refresh_idle_timer(state: &State, seat: &Seat<State>) {
     let cursor_state = seat.user_data().get::<CursorState>().unwrap();
     let now = Instant::now();
 
-    let old_token = {
+    let (old_token, since_activity) = {
         let mut inner = cursor_state.lock().unwrap();
         if inner.hidden.is_some() {
             return;
@@ -915,26 +919,29 @@ pub fn refresh_idle_timer(state: &State, seat: &Seat<State>) {
         if throttled {
             return;
         }
+        let since_activity = now.duration_since(inner.last_pointer_activity);
         inner.last_armed = None;
-        inner.idle_timer.take()
+        (inner.idle_timer.take(), since_activity)
     };
 
     if let Some(token) = old_token {
         loop_handle.remove(token);
     }
 
-    let Some(delay) = config.shortest_timeout() else {
+    let Some(delay) = config.arm_delay(since_activity) else {
         return;
     };
 
     let timer = Timer::from_duration(delay);
     let timer_seat = seat.clone();
-    if let Ok(token) =
-        loop_handle.insert_source(timer, move |_, _, state| on_idle_timer(state, &timer_seat))
-    {
-        let mut inner = cursor_state.lock().unwrap();
-        inner.idle_timer = Some(token);
-        inner.last_armed = Some(now);
+    match loop_handle.insert_source(timer, move |_, _, state| on_idle_timer(state, &timer_seat)) {
+        Ok(token) => {
+            let mut inner = cursor_state.lock().unwrap();
+            inner.idle_timer = Some(token);
+            inner.last_armed = Some(now);
+        }
+        // `idle_timer` stays `None`, so the next activity is unthrottled and retries.
+        Err(err) => warn!(?err, "Failed to arm the cursor idle-hide timer"),
     }
 }