diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c03b987..42a7118 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changelog
 
+### 2025-03-03
+
+grimblast: add environment var `GRIMBLAST_HIDE_CURSOR` to avoid high CPU loads on some machines
+
 ### 2025-03-01
 
 grimblast: hide the grim cursor before taking a screenshot
diff --git a/grimblast/grimblast b/grimblast/grimblast
index 38366b4..5d65a28 100755
--- a/grimblast/grimblast
+++ b/grimblast/grimblast
@@ -209,11 +209,15 @@ takeScreenshot() {
   GEOM=$2
   OUTPUT=$3
   if [ -n "$OUTPUT" ]; then
-    moveCursorPosition && grim ${CURSOR:+-c} ${SCALE:+-s "$SCALE"} -o "$OUTPUT" "$FILE" && restoreCursorPosition || die "Unable to invoke grim"
+    grim ${CURSOR:+-c} ${SCALE:+-s "$SCALE"} -o "$OUTPUT" "$FILE" || die "Unable to invoke grim"
   elif [ -z "$GEOM" ]; then
     grim ${CURSOR:+-c} ${SCALE:+-s "$SCALE"} "$FILE" || die "Unable to invoke grim"
   else
-    moveCursorPosition && grim ${CURSOR:+-c} ${SCALE:+-s "$SCALE"} -g "$GEOM" "$FILE" && restoreCursorPosition || die "Unable to invoke grim"
+    if [ "$SUBJECT" != "area" ] || [ "$GRIMBLAST_HIDE_CURSOR" = 0 ]; then
+      grim ${CURSOR:+-c} ${SCALE:+-s "$SCALE"} -g "$GEOM" "$FILE" || die "Unable to invoke grim"
+    else
+      moveCursorPosition && grim ${CURSOR:+-c} ${SCALE:+-s "$SCALE"} -g "$GEOM" "$FILE" && restoreCursorPosition || die "Unable to invoke grim"
+    fi
   fi
 }
 
diff --git a/grimblast/grimblast.1.scd b/grimblast/grimblast.1.scd
index 857d6f3..b2fea12 100644
--- a/grimblast/grimblast.1.scd
+++ b/grimblast/grimblast.1.scd
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ _area_
 	and captures that.
 	Slurp can be customized by setting its arguments in the *SLURP_ARGS*
 	environment variable.
+	If you experience high cpu loads when taking a screenshot with this target,
+	you can set the *GRIMBLAST_HIDE_CURSOR* environment variable to **0**.
 
 _output_
 	Captures the currently active output.
@@ -102,6 +104,9 @@ An example usage pattern is to add these bindings to your hyprland config:
 # Optionally, customize slurp's appearance
 env = SLURP_ARGS, -d -b -B F050F022 -b 10101022 -c ff00ff
 
+# Can fix high cpu loads on some machines
+env = GRIMBLAST_HIDE_CURSOR, 0
+
 bind = SUPER, p, exec, grimblast save active
 bind = SUPER SHIFT, p, exec, grimblast save area
 bind = SUPER ALT, p, exec, grimblast save output