diff --git a/include/sway/input/cursor.h b/include/sway/input/cursor.h
index fcd94437c..20c1c9038 100644
--- a/include/sway/input/cursor.h
+++ b/include/sway/input/cursor.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ struct sway_cursor {
 
 void sway_cursor_destroy(struct sway_cursor *cursor);
 struct sway_cursor *sway_cursor_create(struct sway_seat *seat);
-void cursor_send_pointer_motion(struct sway_cursor *cursor, uint32_t time);
+void cursor_send_pointer_motion(struct sway_cursor *cursor, uint32_t time_msec);
 void dispatch_cursor_button(struct sway_cursor *cursor, uint32_t time_msec,
 	uint32_t button, enum wlr_button_state state);
 
diff --git a/sway/commands/seat/cursor.c b/sway/commands/seat/cursor.c
index 5dad97f1a..929384b03 100644
--- a/sway/commands/seat/cursor.c
+++ b/sway/commands/seat/cursor.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include "sway/input/cursor.h"
 
 static struct cmd_results *press_or_release(struct sway_cursor *cursor,
-		char *action, char *button_str, uint32_t time);
+		char *action, char *button_str);
 
 static const char *expected_syntax = "Expected 'cursor <move> <x> <y>' or "
 					"'cursor <set> <x> <y>' or "
@@ -29,10 +29,6 @@ struct cmd_results *seat_cmd_cursor(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	struct sway_cursor *cursor = seat->cursor;
 
-	struct timespec now;
-	clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, &now);
-	uint32_t time = now.tv_nsec / 1000;
-
 	if (strcasecmp(argv[0], "move") == 0) {
 		if (argc < 3) {
 			return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "cursor", expected_syntax);
@@ -40,7 +36,7 @@ struct cmd_results *seat_cmd_cursor(int argc, char **argv) {
 		int delta_x = strtol(argv[1], NULL, 10);
 		int delta_y = strtol(argv[2], NULL, 10);
 		wlr_cursor_move(cursor->cursor, NULL, delta_x, delta_y);
-		cursor_send_pointer_motion(cursor, time);
+		cursor_send_pointer_motion(cursor, 0);
 	} else if (strcasecmp(argv[0], "set") == 0) {
 		if (argc < 3) {
 			return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "cursor", expected_syntax);
@@ -49,12 +45,12 @@ struct cmd_results *seat_cmd_cursor(int argc, char **argv) {
 		float x = strtof(argv[1], NULL) / root_container.width;
 		float y = strtof(argv[2], NULL) / root_container.height;
 		wlr_cursor_warp_absolute(cursor->cursor, NULL, x, y);
-		cursor_send_pointer_motion(cursor, time);
+		cursor_send_pointer_motion(cursor, 0);
 	} else {
 		if (argc < 2) {
 			return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "cursor", expected_syntax);
 		}
-		if ((error = press_or_release(cursor, argv[0], argv[1], time))) {
+		if ((error = press_or_release(cursor, argv[0], argv[1]))) {
 			return error;
 		}
 	}
@@ -63,7 +59,7 @@ struct cmd_results *seat_cmd_cursor(int argc, char **argv) {
 }
 
 static struct cmd_results *press_or_release(struct sway_cursor *cursor,
-		char *action, char *button_str, uint32_t time) {
+		char *action, char *button_str) {
 	enum wlr_button_state state;
 	uint32_t button;
 	if (strcasecmp(action, "press") == 0) {
@@ -84,6 +80,6 @@ static struct cmd_results *press_or_release(struct sway_cursor *cursor,
 			return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "cursor", expected_syntax);
 		}
 	}
-	dispatch_cursor_button(cursor, time, button, state);
+	dispatch_cursor_button(cursor, 0, button, state);
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/sway/input/cursor.c b/sway/input/cursor.c
index 5ed4f1f7a..831109dc7 100644
--- a/sway/input/cursor.c
+++ b/sway/input/cursor.c
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@
 #include "sway/tree/workspace.h"
 #include "wlr-layer-shell-unstable-v1-protocol.h"
 
+static uint32_t get_current_time_msec() {
+	struct timespec now;
+	clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, &now);
+	return now.tv_nsec / 1000;
+}
+
 static struct wlr_surface *layer_surface_at(struct sway_output *output,
 		struct wl_list *layer, double ox, double oy, double *sx, double *sy) {
 	struct sway_layer_surface *sway_layer;
@@ -128,7 +134,11 @@ static struct sway_container *container_at_cursor(struct sway_cursor *cursor,
 	return output->swayc;
 }
 
-void cursor_send_pointer_motion(struct sway_cursor *cursor, uint32_t time) {
+void cursor_send_pointer_motion(struct sway_cursor *cursor, uint32_t time_msec) {
+	if (time_msec == 0) {
+		time_msec = get_current_time_msec();
+	}
+
 	struct wlr_seat *seat = cursor->seat->wlr_seat;
 	struct wlr_surface *surface = NULL;
 	double sx, sy;
@@ -152,7 +162,7 @@ void cursor_send_pointer_motion(struct sway_cursor *cursor, uint32_t time) {
 	if (surface != NULL) {
 		if (seat_is_input_allowed(cursor->seat, surface)) {
 			wlr_seat_pointer_notify_enter(seat, surface, sx, sy);
-			wlr_seat_pointer_notify_motion(seat, time, sx, sy);
+			wlr_seat_pointer_notify_motion(seat, time_msec, sx, sy);
 		}
 	} else {
 		wlr_seat_pointer_clear_focus(seat);
@@ -178,6 +188,10 @@ static void handle_cursor_motion_absolute(
 
 void dispatch_cursor_button(struct sway_cursor *cursor,
 		uint32_t time_msec, uint32_t button, enum wlr_button_state state) {
+	if (time_msec == 0) {
+		time_msec = get_current_time_msec();
+	}
+
 	struct wlr_surface *surface = NULL;
 	double sx, sy;
 	struct sway_container *cont =
diff --git a/sway/input/seat.c b/sway/input/seat.c
index 631a273f2..d1fc62c45 100644
--- a/sway/input/seat.c
+++ b/sway/input/seat.c
@@ -550,9 +550,7 @@ void seat_set_focus_warp(struct sway_seat *seat,
 						wlr_output, seat->cursor->cursor->x,
 						seat->cursor->cursor->y)) {
 					wlr_cursor_warp(seat->cursor->cursor, NULL, x, y);
-					struct timespec now;
-					clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, &now);
-					cursor_send_pointer_motion(seat->cursor, now.tv_nsec / 1000);
+					cursor_send_pointer_motion(seat->cursor, 0);
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -565,9 +563,7 @@ void seat_set_focus_warp(struct sway_seat *seat,
 	}
 
 	if (last_workspace && last_workspace != new_workspace) {
-		struct timespec now;
-		clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, &now);
-		cursor_send_pointer_motion(seat->cursor, now.tv_nsec / 1000);
+		cursor_send_pointer_motion(seat->cursor, 0);
 	}
 
 	seat->has_focus = (container != NULL);