diff --git a/src/game/client/hl2mp/clientmode_hl2mpnormal.cpp b/src/game/client/hl2mp/clientmode_hl2mpnormal.cpp
index c756774d0..e45a59777 100644
--- a/src/game/client/hl2mp/clientmode_hl2mpnormal.cpp
+++ b/src/game/client/hl2mp/clientmode_hl2mpnormal.cpp
@@ -122,19 +122,7 @@ ClientModeHL2MPNormal::ClientModeHL2MPNormal()
 	m_pViewport = new CHudViewport();
 	m_pViewport->Start(gameuifuncs, gameeventmanager);
 #ifdef NEO
-	ConVarRef cl_software_cursor( "cl_software_cursor" );
-	Assert(cl_software_cursor.IsValid());
-	if (cl_software_cursor.IsValid())
-	{
-		if (auto* surface = vgui::surface())
-		{
-			surface->SetSoftwareCursor(cl_software_cursor.GetBool());
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			Assert(false);
-		}
-	}
+	SwCursorHack_RestoreValue();
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_loading.cpp b/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_loading.cpp
index bb4159598..ab40a4c62 100644
--- a/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_loading.cpp
+++ b/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_loading.cpp
@@ -93,11 +93,9 @@ void CNeoLoading::OnMessage(const KeyValues *params, vgui::VPANEL fromPanel)
 	else if (V_strcmp(pSzMsgName, "deactivate") == 0)
 	{
 		g_pNeoRoot->m_bOnLoadingScreen = false;
-		static ConVarRef cl_software_cursor( "cl_software_cursor" );
 
 		// Revert the software cursor option back to user preference once we exit the loading screen.
-		Assert(cl_software_cursor.IsValid());
-		vgui::surface()->SetSoftwareCursor(cl_software_cursor.GetBool());
+		SwCursorHack_RestoreValue();
 
 		if (engine->IsConnected() && !engine->IsLevelMainMenuBackground())
 		{
diff --git a/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_root_settings.cpp b/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_root_settings.cpp
index 8057264bf..c765e2b33 100644
--- a/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_root_settings.cpp
+++ b/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_root_settings.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <vgui_controls/Controls.h>
 #include <vgui/ISurface.h>
 #include "vgui/ISystem.h"
+#include "view.h"
 #include "voice_status.h"
 
 #include "neo_ui.h"
@@ -662,7 +663,7 @@ void NeoSettingsRestore(NeoSettings *ns, const NeoSettings::Keys::Flags flagsKey
 		pVideo->flGamma = cvr->mat_monitorgamma.GetFloat();
 		pVideo->iFov = cvr->neo_fov.GetInt();
 		pVideo->iViewmodelFov = cvr->neo_viewmodel_fov_offset.GetInt();
-		pVideo->bSoftwareCursor = cvr->cl_software_cursor.GetBool();
+		pVideo->iSoftwareCursor = cvr->cl_software_cursor.GetInt();
 	}
 	{
 		NeoSettings::Crosshair *pCrosshair = &ns->crosshair;
@@ -933,7 +934,7 @@ void NeoSettingsSave(const NeoSettings *ns)
 		cvr->mat_monitorgamma.SetValue(pVideo->flGamma);
 		cvr->neo_fov.SetValue(pVideo->iFov);
 		cvr->neo_viewmodel_fov_offset.SetValue(pVideo->iViewmodelFov);
-		cvr->cl_software_cursor.SetValue(pVideo->bSoftwareCursor);
+		cvr->cl_software_cursor.SetValue(pVideo->iSoftwareCursor);
 	}
 	{
 		const NeoSettings::Crosshair *pCrosshair = &ns->crosshair;
@@ -1353,7 +1354,9 @@ void NeoSettings_Video(NeoSettings *ns)
 	NeoUI::Slider(L"Gamma", &pVideo->flGamma, 1.6, 2.6, 2, 0.1f);
 	NeoUI::SliderInt(L"FOV", &pVideo->iFov, MIN_FOV, MAX_FOV);
 	NeoUI::SliderInt(L"Viewmodel FOV Offset", &pVideo->iViewmodelFov, -20, 40);
-	NeoUI::RingBoxBool(L"Software Cursor", &pVideo->bSoftwareCursor);
+#ifndef LINUX // disabled on Linux for now, see bug #2114
+	NeoUI::RingBoxFlag(L"Software Cursor", ESoftwareCursor::EnabledForPlatform, &pVideo->iSoftwareCursor);
+#endif
 
 	NeoUI::Divider(L"VISUALS");
 	NeoUI::RingBox(L"Model detail", QUALITY_LABELS, 3, &pVideo->iModelDetail);
diff --git a/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_root_settings.h b/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_root_settings.h
index 6065ce8cc..966c0b0d0 100644
--- a/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_root_settings.h
+++ b/src/game/client/neo/ui/neo_root_settings.h
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ struct NeoSettings
 		float flGamma;
 		int iFov;
 		int iViewmodelFov;
-		bool bSoftwareCursor;
+		int iSoftwareCursor;
 
 		// Video modes
 		int iVMListSize;
diff --git a/src/game/client/view.cpp b/src/game/client/view.cpp
index 7e792a1f1..e5ef02894 100644
--- a/src/game/client/view.cpp
+++ b/src/game/client/view.cpp
@@ -147,15 +147,24 @@ static ConVar r_farz( "r_farz", "-1", FCVAR_CHEAT, "Override the far clipping pl
 static ConVar cl_demoviewoverride( "cl_demoviewoverride", "0", 0, "Override view during demo playback" );
 
 
+#ifdef NEO
+static ConVar cl_software_cursor( "cl_software_cursor", "1", FCVAR_ARCHIVE,
+	"Switches the game to use a larger software cursor instead of the normal OS cursor. "
+	"Set as bitflags. 1: enabled for Windows, 2: enabled for Linux, 3: enabled for both",
+	true, ESoftwareCursor::Disabled, true, ESoftwareCursor::Maximum,
+	[](IConVar*, const char*, float) { SwCursorHack_RestoreValue(); });
+void SwCursorHack_RestoreValue()
+{
+	bool enabled = (cl_software_cursor.GetInt() & ESoftwareCursor::EnabledForPlatform);
+	vgui::surface()->SetSoftwareCursor(enabled || UseVR());
+}
+#else
+static ConVar cl_software_cursor ( "cl_software_cursor", "0", FCVAR_ARCHIVE, "Switches the game to use a larger software cursor instead of the normal OS cursor", SoftwareCursorChangedCB );
 void SoftwareCursorChangedCB( IConVar *pVar, const char *pOldValue, float fOldValue )
 {
 	ConVar *pConVar = (ConVar *)pVar;
 	vgui::surface()->SetSoftwareCursor( pConVar->GetBool() || UseVR() );
 }
-#ifdef NEO
-static ConVar cl_software_cursor ( "cl_software_cursor", "1", FCVAR_ARCHIVE, "Switches the game to use a larger software cursor instead of the normal OS cursor", SoftwareCursorChangedCB );
-#else
-static ConVar cl_software_cursor ( "cl_software_cursor", "0", FCVAR_ARCHIVE, "Switches the game to use a larger software cursor instead of the normal OS cursor", SoftwareCursorChangedCB );
 #endif
 
 
@@ -343,6 +352,8 @@ void CViewRender::Init( void )
 #endif
 
 #ifdef NEO
+	SwCursorHack_RestoreValue();
+
 	ITexture *pDepthOld = materials->FindTexture("_rt_FullFrameDepth", TEXTURE_GROUP_RENDER_TARGET);
 	const bool bDepthTexOk = ((pDepthOld != NULL) && (!pDepthOld->IsError()));
 	const int flags = (bDepthTexOk ? pDepthOld->GetFlags() : TEXTUREFLAGS_NOMIP |
diff --git a/src/game/client/view.h b/src/game/client/view.h
index 754c2ab3a..afaf976b0 100644
--- a/src/game/client/view.h
+++ b/src/game/client/view.h
@@ -20,6 +20,25 @@ class Vector;
 class QAngle;
 class VPlane;
 
+#ifdef NEO
+enum ESoftwareCursor // stored in user configs, don't reorder
+{
+	Disabled = 0,
+	EnabledForWindows = (1 << 0),
+	EnabledForLinux = (1 << 1),
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+	EnabledForPlatform = EnabledForWindows,
+#elif defined(LINUX)
+	EnabledForPlatform = EnabledForLinux,
+#else
+	EnabledForPlatform = 0,
+#endif
+	Maximum = (EnabledForWindows | EnabledForLinux)
+};
+
+void SwCursorHack_RestoreValue();
+#endif
 
 // near and far Z it uses to render the world.
 #ifdef NEO