diff --git a/spec/text-editor-presenter-spec.coffee b/spec/text-editor-presenter-spec.coffee
index 2fd213cd2..92a7e5131 100644
--- a/spec/text-editor-presenter-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/text-editor-presenter-spec.coffee
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ describe "TextEditorPresenter", ->
   [buffer, editor] = []
 
   beforeEach ->
+    # These *should* be mocked in the spec helper, but changing that now would break packages :-(
+    spyOn(window, "setInterval").andCallFake window.fakeSetInterval
+    spyOn(window, "clearInterval").andCallFake window.fakeClearInterval
+
     buffer = new TextBuffer(filePath: require.resolve('./fixtures/sample.js'))
     editor = new TextEditor({buffer})
     waitsForPromise -> buffer.load()
@@ -519,3 +523,44 @@ describe "TextEditorPresenter", ->
           editor.setCursorBufferPosition([1, Infinity])
           presenter = new TextEditorPresenter(model: editor, clientHeight: 20, scrollTop: 0, lineHeight: 10, lineOverdrawMargin: 0, baseCharacterWidth: 10)
           expect(stateForCursor(presenter, 0).width).toBe 10
+
+        describe ".blinkOff", ->
+          it "alternates between true and false twice per ::cursorBlinkPeriod", ->
+            cursorBlinkPeriod = 100
+            cursorBlinkResumeDelay = 200
+            presenter = new TextEditorPresenter({model: editor, cursorBlinkPeriod, cursorBlinkResumeDelay})
+
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe false
+            advanceClock(cursorBlinkPeriod / 2)
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe true
+            advanceClock(cursorBlinkPeriod / 2)
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe false
+            advanceClock(cursorBlinkPeriod / 2)
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe true
+
+          it "stops alternating for ::cursorBlinkResumeDelay when a cursor moves or a cursor is added", ->
+            cursorBlinkPeriod = 100
+            cursorBlinkResumeDelay = 200
+            presenter = new TextEditorPresenter({model: editor, cursorBlinkPeriod, cursorBlinkResumeDelay})
+
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe false
+            advanceClock(cursorBlinkPeriod / 2)
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe true
+
+            editor.moveRight()
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe false
+
+            advanceClock(cursorBlinkResumeDelay)
+            advanceClock(cursorBlinkPeriod / 2)
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe true
+            advanceClock(cursorBlinkPeriod / 2)
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe false
+            advanceClock(cursorBlinkPeriod / 2)
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe true
+
+            editor.addCursorAtBufferPosition([1, 0])
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe false
+
+            advanceClock(cursorBlinkResumeDelay)
+            advanceClock(cursorBlinkPeriod / 2)
+            expect(presenter.state.content.blinkCursorsOff).toBe true
diff --git a/src/text-editor-presenter.coffee b/src/text-editor-presenter.coffee
index e4a680b26..e4c41f268 100644
--- a/src/text-editor-presenter.coffee
+++ b/src/text-editor-presenter.coffee
@@ -1,14 +1,19 @@
 {CompositeDisposable} = require 'event-kit'
 {Point} = require 'text-buffer'
+_ = require 'underscore-plus'
 
 module.exports =
 class TextEditorPresenter
-  constructor: ({@model, @clientHeight, @clientWidth, @scrollTop, @scrollLeft, @lineHeight, @baseCharacterWidth, @lineOverdrawMargin}) ->
+  toggleCursorBlinkHandle: null
+  startBlinkingCursorsAfterDelay: null
+
+  constructor: ({@model, @clientHeight, @clientWidth, @scrollTop, @scrollLeft, @lineHeight, @baseCharacterWidth, @lineOverdrawMargin, @cursorBlinkPeriod, @cursorBlinkResumeDelay}) ->
     @disposables = new CompositeDisposable
     @charWidthsByScope = {}
     @observeModel()
     @observeConfig()
     @buildState()
+    @startBlinkingCursors()
 
   destroy: ->
     @disposables.dispose()
@@ -41,6 +46,7 @@ class TextEditorPresenter
     @updateLinesState()
 
   buildCursorsState: ->
+    @state.content.blinkCursorsOff = false
     @state.content.cursors = {}
     @updateCursorsState()
 
@@ -145,6 +151,10 @@ class TextEditorPresenter
 
     decorationClasses
 
+  getCursorBlinkPeriod: -> @cursorBlinkPeriod
+
+  getCursorBlinkResumeDelay: -> @cursorBlinkResumeDelay
+
   setScrollTop: (@scrollTop) ->
     @updateContentState()
     @updateLinesState()
@@ -275,8 +285,12 @@ class TextEditorPresenter
       @updateLinesState()
 
   observeCursor: (cursor) ->
-    didChangePositionDisposable = cursor.onDidChangePosition(@updateCursorsState.bind(this))
+    didChangePositionDisposable = cursor.onDidChangePosition =>
+      @pauseCursorBlinking()
+      @updateCursorsState()
+
     didChangeVisibilityDisposable = cursor.onDidChangeVisibility(@updateCursorsState.bind(this))
+
     didDestroyDisposable = cursor.onDidDestroy =>
       @disposables.remove(didChangePositionDisposable)
       @disposables.remove(didChangeVisibilityDisposable)
@@ -289,4 +303,20 @@ class TextEditorPresenter
 
   didAddCursor: (cursor) ->
     @observeCursor(cursor)
+    @pauseCursorBlinking()
     @updateCursorsState()
+
+  startBlinkingCursors: ->
+    @toggleCursorBlinkHandle = setInterval(@toggleCursorBlink.bind(this), @getCursorBlinkPeriod() / 2)
+
+  stopBlinkingCursors: ->
+    clearInterval(@toggleCursorBlinkHandle)
+
+  toggleCursorBlink: ->
+    @state.content.blinkCursorsOff = not @state.content.blinkCursorsOff
+
+  pauseCursorBlinking: ->
+    @state.content.blinkCursorsOff = false
+    @stopBlinkingCursors()
+    @startBlinkingCursorsAfterDelay ?= _.debounce(@startBlinkingCursors, @getCursorBlinkResumeDelay())
+    @startBlinkingCursorsAfterDelay()