diff --git a/src/config.zig b/src/config.zig
index 81a01c7..4863397 100644
--- a/src/config.zig
+++ b/src/config.zig
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ whitespace_mode: []const u8 = "none",
 animation_min_lag: usize = 0, //milliseconds
 animation_max_lag: usize = 150, //milliseconds
 enable_format_on_save: bool = false,
+default_cursor: []const u8 = "default",
 
 indent_size: usize = 4,
 tab_width: usize = 8,
diff --git a/src/keybind/keybind.zig b/src/keybind/keybind.zig
index c60f363..aa50215 100644
--- a/src/keybind/keybind.zig
+++ b/src/keybind/keybind.zig
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ pub const Mode = struct {
     name: []const u8 = "",
     line_numbers: LineNumbers = .absolute,
     keybind_hints: *const KeybindHints,
-    cursor_shape: CursorShape = .block,
+    cursor_shape: ?CursorShape = null,
 
     pub fn deinit(self: *Mode) void {
         self.allocator.free(self.mode);
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ const BindingSet = struct {
     on_match_failure: OnMatchFailure = .ignore,
     name: []const u8,
     line_numbers: LineNumbers = .absolute,
-    cursor_shape: CursorShape = .block,
+    cursor_shape: ?CursorShape = null,
     insert_command: []const u8 = "",
     hints_map: KeybindHints = .{},
 
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ const BindingSet = struct {
             on_match_failure: OnMatchFailure = .insert,
             name: ?[]const u8 = null,
             line_numbers: LineNumbers = .absolute,
-            cursor: CursorShape = .block,
+            cursor: ?CursorShape = null,
         };
         const parsed = try std.json.parseFromValue(JsonConfig, allocator, mode_bindings, .{
             .ignore_unknown_fields = true,
diff --git a/src/tui/tui.zig b/src/tui/tui.zig
index 63e8e28..5b23a05 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui.zig
+++ b/src/tui/tui.zig
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ final_exit: []const u8 = "normal",
 render_pending: bool = false,
 keepalive_timer: ?tp.Cancellable = null,
 mouse_idle_timer: ?tp.Cancellable = null,
+default_cursor: keybind.CursorShape = .default,
 
 const keepalive = std.time.us_per_day * 365; // one year
 const idle_frames = 0;
@@ -118,6 +119,8 @@ fn init(allocator: Allocator) !*Self {
     instance_ = self;
     defer instance_ = null;
 
+    self.default_cursor = std.meta.stringToEnum(keybind.CursorShape, conf.default_cursor) orelse .default;
+    self.config.default_cursor = @tagName(self.default_cursor);
     self.rdr.handler_ctx = self;
     self.rdr.dispatch_input = dispatch_input;
     self.rdr.dispatch_mouse = dispatch_mouse;
@@ -1097,7 +1100,7 @@ fn set_terminal_style(self: *Self) void {
 }
 
 pub fn get_cursor_shape(self: *Self) renderer.CursorShape {
-    const shape = if (self.input_mode) |mode| mode.cursor_shape else .block;
+    const shape = if (self.input_mode) |mode| mode.cursor_shape orelse self.default_cursor else self.default_cursor;
     return switch (shape) {
         .default => .default,
         .block_blink => .block_blink,