diff --git a/images/misc/ellipse-red-bottom.png b/images/misc/ellipse-1-bottom.png
similarity index 62%
rename from images/misc/ellipse-red-bottom.png
rename to images/misc/ellipse-1-bottom.png
index cb180aaa345..dbc2563ca08 100644
Binary files a/images/misc/ellipse-red-bottom.png and b/images/misc/ellipse-1-bottom.png differ
diff --git a/images/misc/ellipse-1-top.png b/images/misc/ellipse-1-top.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5714aaceacc
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/misc/ellipse-1-top.png differ
diff --git a/images/misc/ellipse-red-top.png b/images/misc/ellipse-red-top.png
deleted file mode 100644
index ec67e0dd974..00000000000
Binary files a/images/misc/ellipse-red-top.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/src/cursor.cpp b/src/cursor.cpp
index e60cccfe68e..d9b837c35dd 100644
--- a/src/cursor.cpp
+++ b/src/cursor.cpp
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ cursor::CURSOR_TYPE current_cursor = cursor::NUM_CURSORS;
 
 int cursor_x = -1, cursor_y = -1;
 SDL_Surface* cursor_buf = NULL;
+bool have_focus = true;
 
 SDL_Cursor* get_cursor(cursor::CURSOR_TYPE type)
 {
@@ -123,6 +124,11 @@ void set(CURSOR_TYPE type)
 	}
 }
 
+void set_focus(bool focus)
+{
+	have_focus = focus;
+}
+
 setter::setter(CURSOR_TYPE type) : old_(current_cursor)
 {
 	set(type);
@@ -143,6 +149,12 @@ void draw(SDL_Surface* screen)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	if(have_focus == NULL) {
+		SDL_FreeSurface(cursor_buf);
+		cursor_buf = NULL;
+		return;
+	}
+
 	int new_cursor_x, new_cursor_y;
 	SDL_GetMouseState(&new_cursor_x,&new_cursor_y);
 
diff --git a/src/cursor.hpp b/src/cursor.hpp
index fd7c89a5a8d..84d2441b247 100644
--- a/src/cursor.hpp
+++ b/src/cursor.hpp
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ void set(CURSOR_TYPE type);
 void draw(SDL_Surface* screen);
 void undraw(SDL_Surface* screen);
 
+void set_focus(bool focus);
+
 struct setter
 {
 	setter(CURSOR_TYPE type);
diff --git a/src/display.cpp b/src/display.cpp
index ccea138b9b3..c52ec266651 100644
--- a/src/display.cpp
+++ b/src/display.cpp
@@ -1185,11 +1185,16 @@ void display::draw_unit_on_tile(int x, int y, SDL_Surface* unit_image_override,
 	if(loc != hiddenUnit_) {
 		//the circle around the base of the unit
 		if(preferences::show_side_colours() && !fogged(x,y) && it != units_.end()) {
-			const SDL_Color& col = font::get_side_colour(it->second.side());
-			const Uint16 colour = SDL_MapRGB(dst->format,col.r,col.g,col.b);
-			SDL_Rect clip = {xpos,ypos,unit_image->w,unit_image->h};
+			char buf[50];
+			sprintf(buf,"misc/ellipse-%d-top.png",it->second.side());
+			const scoped_sdl_surface surf(image::get_image(buf));
 
-			draw_unit_ellipse(dst,colour,energy_uses_alpha ? Uint8(highlight_ratio*255) : SDL_ALPHA_OPAQUE,clip,xpos,ypos-height_adjust,unit_image,!face_left,ELLIPSE_TOP);
+			if(surf != NULL) {
+				SDL_Surface* const dst = screen_.getSurface();
+				SDL_Rect rect = {xpos,ypos - height_adjust,surf->w,surf->h};
+
+				SDL_BlitSurface(surf,NULL,dst,&rect);
+			}
 		}
 
 		draw_unit(xpos,ypos - height_adjust,unit_image,face_left,false,
@@ -1224,11 +1229,17 @@ void display::draw_unit_on_tile(int x, int y, SDL_Surface* unit_image_override,
 
 	//the bottom half of the circle around the base of the unit
 	if(loc != hiddenUnit_ && preferences::show_side_colours() && !fogged(x,y) && it != units_.end()) {
-		const SDL_Color& col = font::get_side_colour(it->second.side());
-		const Uint16 colour = SDL_MapRGB(dst->format,col.r,col.g,col.b);
-		SDL_Rect clip = {xpos,ypos,unit_image->w,unit_image->h};
 
-		draw_unit_ellipse(dst,colour,energy_uses_alpha ? Uint8(highlight_ratio*255) : SDL_ALPHA_OPAQUE,clip,xpos,ypos-height_adjust,unit_image,!face_left,ELLIPSE_BOTTOM);
+		char buf[50];
+		sprintf(buf,"misc/ellipse-%d-bottom.png",it->second.side());
+		const scoped_sdl_surface surf(image::get_image(buf));
+
+		if(surf != NULL) {
+			SDL_Surface* const dst = screen_.getSurface();
+			SDL_Rect rect = {xpos,ypos - height_adjust,surf->w,surf->h};
+
+			SDL_BlitSurface(surf,NULL,dst,&rect);
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/events.cpp b/src/events.cpp
index 00d94a054cd..bd7d3061c28 100644
--- a/src/events.cpp
+++ b/src/events.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#include "cursor.hpp"
 #include "events.hpp"
 #include "mouse.hpp"
 #include "preferences.hpp"
@@ -89,18 +90,18 @@ void pump()
 
 	SDL_Event event;
 	while(SDL_PollEvent(&event)) {
-		if(event_contexts.empty() == false) {
-
-			const std::vector<handler*>& event_handlers = event_contexts.top();
-
-			//events may cause more event handlers to be added and/or removed,
-			//so we must use indexes instead of iterators here.
-			for(size_t i1 = 0, i2 = event_handlers.size(); i1 != i2 && i1 < event_handlers.size(); ++i1) {
-				event_handlers[i1]->handle_event(event);
-			}
-		}
 
 		switch(event.type) {
+
+			case SDL_APPMOUSEFOCUS: {
+				SDL_ActiveEvent& ae = reinterpret_cast<SDL_ActiveEvent&>(event);
+				if(ae.state == SDL_APPMOUSEFOCUS) {
+					cursor::set_focus(ae.gain == 1);
+				}
+				break;
+			}
+
+			//if the window must be redrawn, update the entire screen
 			case SDL_VIDEOEXPOSE: {
 				update_whole_screen();
 				break;
@@ -157,6 +158,17 @@ void pump()
 				throw CVideo::quit();
 			}
 		}
+
+		if(event_contexts.empty() == false) {
+
+			const std::vector<handler*>& event_handlers = event_contexts.top();
+
+			//events may cause more event handlers to be added and/or removed,
+			//so we must use indexes instead of iterators here.
+			for(size_t i1 = 0, i2 = event_handlers.size(); i1 != i2 && i1 < event_handlers.size(); ++i1) {
+				event_handlers[i1]->handle_event(event);
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	if(resize_dimensions.first > 0 && disallow_resize == 0) {