diff --git a/app/config/config-enums.c b/app/config/config-enums.c
index 988fe3cd76..4c414b9b01 100644
--- a/app/config/config-enums.c
+++ b/app/config/config-enums.c
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@ gimp_cursor_mode_get_type (void)
     { GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_TOOL_ICON, "GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_TOOL_ICON", "tool-icon" },
     { GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_TOOL_CROSSHAIR, "GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_TOOL_CROSSHAIR", "tool-crosshair" },
     { GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_CROSSHAIR, "GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_CROSSHAIR", "crosshair" },
-    { GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_SINGLE_DOT, "GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_SINGLE_DOT", "single-dot" },
     { 0, NULL, NULL }
   };
 
@@ -87,7 +86,6 @@ gimp_cursor_mode_get_type (void)
     { GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_TOOL_ICON, NC_("cursor-mode", "Tool icon"), NULL },
     { GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_TOOL_CROSSHAIR, NC_("cursor-mode", "Tool icon with crosshair"), NULL },
     { GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_CROSSHAIR, NC_("cursor-mode", "Crosshair only"), NULL },
-    { GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_SINGLE_DOT, NC_("cursor-mode", "Single dot"), NULL },
     { 0, NULL, NULL }
   };
 
diff --git a/app/config/config-enums.h b/app/config/config-enums.h
index ff8cbeb59c..7894903ee4 100644
--- a/app/config/config-enums.h
+++ b/app/config/config-enums.h
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ typedef enum
   GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_TOOL_ICON,       /*< desc="Tool icon"                >*/
   GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_TOOL_CROSSHAIR,  /*< desc="Tool icon with crosshair" >*/
   GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_CROSSHAIR,       /*< desc="Crosshair only"           >*/
-  GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_SINGLE_DOT       /*< desc="Single dot"               >*/
 } GimpCursorMode;
 
 
diff --git a/app/config/gimprc-blurbs.h b/app/config/gimprc-blurbs.h
index ea2017e93b..8a7c4cfb3a 100644
--- a/app/config/gimprc-blurbs.h
+++ b/app/config/gimprc-blurbs.h
@@ -417,8 +417,10 @@ _("When enabled, dialogs will show a help button that gives access to " \
   "be reached by pressing F1.")
 
 #define SHOW_PAINT_TOOL_CURSOR_BLURB \
-_("When enabled, the mouse pointer will be shown over the image while " \
-  "using a paint tool.")
+_("When enabled, the pointer will be shown over the image while " \
+  "using a paint tool. "                                          \
+  "If both the brush outline and pointer are disabled, the "      \
+  "position will be indicated as unobtrusively as possibly.")
 
 #define SHOW_MENUBAR_BLURB \
 _("When enabled, the menubar is visible by default. This can also be " \
diff --git a/app/display/gimpdisplayshell-cursor.c b/app/display/gimpdisplayshell-cursor.c
index f9038a59a3..0e01627f6d 100644
--- a/app/display/gimpdisplayshell-cursor.c
+++ b/app/display/gimpdisplayshell-cursor.c
@@ -242,7 +242,8 @@ gimp_display_shell_real_set_cursor (GimpDisplayShell   *shell,
     }
 
   if (cursor_type != GIMP_CURSOR_NONE &&
-      cursor_type != GIMP_CURSOR_BAD)
+      cursor_type != GIMP_CURSOR_BAD  &&
+      cursor_type != GIMP_CURSOR_SINGLE_DOT)
     {
       switch (shell->display->config->cursor_mode)
         {
@@ -270,11 +271,6 @@ gimp_display_shell_real_set_cursor (GimpDisplayShell   *shell,
               modifier = GIMP_CURSOR_MODIFIER_NONE;
             }
           break;
-
-        case GIMP_CURSOR_MODE_SINGLE_DOT:
-          cursor_type = GIMP_CURSOR_SINGLE_DOT;
-          tool_cursor = GIMP_TOOL_CURSOR_NONE;
-          break;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/app/tools/gimppainttool.c b/app/tools/gimppainttool.c
index 32fd6c1a7c..9f7bbba312 100644
--- a/app/tools/gimppainttool.c
+++ b/app/tools/gimppainttool.c
@@ -569,10 +569,16 @@ gimp_paint_tool_cursor_update (GimpTool         *tool,
       if (! paint_tool->show_cursor &&
           modifier != GIMP_CURSOR_MODIFIER_BAD)
         {
-          gimp_tool_set_cursor (tool, display,
-                                GIMP_CURSOR_NONE,
-                                GIMP_TOOL_CURSOR_NONE,
-                                GIMP_CURSOR_MODIFIER_NONE);
+          if (paint_tool->draw_brush)
+            gimp_tool_set_cursor (tool, display,
+                                  GIMP_CURSOR_NONE,
+                                  GIMP_TOOL_CURSOR_NONE,
+                                  GIMP_CURSOR_MODIFIER_NONE);
+          else
+            gimp_tool_set_cursor (tool, display,
+                                  GIMP_CURSOR_SINGLE_DOT,
+                                  GIMP_TOOL_CURSOR_NONE,
+                                  GIMP_CURSOR_MODIFIER_NONE);
           return;
         }
 
@@ -869,15 +875,24 @@ gimp_paint_tool_draw (GimpDrawTool *draw_tool)
           ! paint_tool->show_cursor   &&
           ! paint_tool->draw_circle)
         {
-          /*  don't leave the user without any indication and draw
-           *  a fallback crosshair
+          /* I am not sure this case can/should ever happen since now we
+           * always set the GIMP_CURSOR_SINGLE_DOT when neither pointer
+           * nor outline options are checked. Yet let's imagine any
+           * weird case where brush outline is wanted, without pointer
+           * cursor, yet we fail to draw the outline while neither
+           * circle nor fallbacks are requested (it depends on per-class
+           * implementation of get_outline()).
+           *
+           * In such a case, we don't want to leave the user without any
+           * indication so we draw a fallback crosshair.
            */
-          gimp_draw_tool_add_handle (draw_tool,
-                                     GIMP_HANDLE_CROSSHAIR,
-                                     cur_x, cur_y,
-                                     GIMP_TOOL_HANDLE_SIZE_CROSSHAIR,
-                                     GIMP_TOOL_HANDLE_SIZE_CROSSHAIR,
-                                     GIMP_HANDLE_ANCHOR_CENTER);
+          if (paint_tool->draw_brush)
+            gimp_draw_tool_add_handle (draw_tool,
+                                       GIMP_HANDLE_CIRCLE,
+                                       cur_x, cur_y,
+                                       GIMP_TOOL_HANDLE_SIZE_CROSSHAIR,
+                                       GIMP_TOOL_HANDLE_SIZE_CROSSHAIR,
+                                       GIMP_HANDLE_ANCHOR_CENTER);
         }
     }