diff --git a/src/callback.c b/src/callback.c
index 28a2872c..411ca8a0 100644
--- a/src/callback.c
+++ b/src/callback.c
@@ -1001,6 +1001,7 @@ void draw_crosshair(int del)
   sdw = xctx->draw_window;
   sdp = xctx->draw_pixmap;
 
+  if(!xctx->mouse_inside) return;
   xctx->draw_pixmap = 0;
   xctx->draw_window = 1;
   
@@ -1144,8 +1145,10 @@ int rstate; /* (reduced state, without ShiftMask) */
  {
   case LeaveNotify:
     draw_crosshair(1);
+    xctx->mouse_inside = 0;
     break;
   case EnterNotify:
+    xctx->mouse_inside = 1;
     if(tclgetboolvar("draw_crosshair"))
       tclvareval(xctx->top_path, ".drw configure -cursor none" , NULL);
     else 
diff --git a/src/xinit.c b/src/xinit.c
index 0b8261fe..1027e32d 100644
--- a/src/xinit.c
+++ b/src/xinit.c
@@ -608,6 +608,7 @@ static void alloc_xschem_data(const char *top_path, const char *win_path)
   xctx->enable_drill = 0;
   xctx->prev_set_modify = -1;
   xctx->prev_crossx = xctx->prev_crossy = 0.0;
+  xctx->mouse_inside = 0;
   xctx->pending_fullzoom = 0;
   my_strncpy(xctx->hiersep, ".", S(xctx->hiersep));
   xctx->no_undo = 0;
diff --git a/src/xschem.h b/src/xschem.h
index 0ddedeec..0294016f 100644
--- a/src/xschem.h
+++ b/src/xschem.h
@@ -977,6 +977,7 @@ typedef struct {
   double p_xx1,p_xx2,p_yy1,p_yy2;
   /* draw_crosshair */
   double prev_crossx, prev_crossy;
+  int mouse_inside;
   /* set_modify */
   int prev_set_modify;
   /* pan */