diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
index e31d15a55a..524494788c 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
@@ -197,11 +197,20 @@ GuiWorkArea::GuiWorkArea(Buffer & buffer, GuiView & lv)
 {
 	buffer.workAreaManager().add(this);
 	// Setup the signals
-	cursor_timeout_.setInterval(400);
 	connect(&cursor_timeout_, SIGNAL(timeout()),
 		this, SLOT(toggleCursor()));
+	
+	int const time = QApplication::cursorFlashTime() / 2;
+	if (time > 0) {
+		cursor_timeout_.setInterval(time);
+		cursor_timeout_.start();
+	} else
+		// let's initialize this just to be safe
+		cursor_timeout_.setInterval(500);
 
-	cursor_timeout_.start();
+	general_timer_.setInterval(500);
+	connect(&general_timer_, SIGNAL(timeout()),
+		this, SLOT(handleRegularEvents()));
 
 	screen_ = QPixmap(viewport()->width(), viewport()->height());
 	cursor_ = new frontend::CursorWidget();
@@ -276,6 +285,11 @@ void GuiWorkArea::stopBlinkingCursor()
 void GuiWorkArea::startBlinkingCursor()
 {
 	showCursor();
+	//we're not supposed to cache this value.
+	int const time = QApplication::cursorFlashTime() / 2;
+	if (time <= 0)
+		return;
+	cursor_timeout_.setInterval(time);
 	cursor_timeout_.start();
 }
 
@@ -446,10 +460,11 @@ void GuiWorkArea::toggleCursor()
 		hideCursor();
 	else
 		showCursor();
+}
 
-	// Use this opportunity to deal with any child processes that
-	// have finished but are waiting to communicate this fact
-	// to the rest of LyX.
+
+void GuiWorkArea::handleRegularEvents()
+{
 	ForkedCallsController::handleCompletedProcesses();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.h b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.h
index 313e5fbc87..ed54cb87a6 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.h
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.h
@@ -142,7 +142,8 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
 	void doubleClickTimeout();
 	/// toggle the cursor's visibility
 	void toggleCursor();
-
+	/// events to be triggered by general_timer_ should go here
+	void handleRegularEvents();
 	/// close this work area.
 	/// Slot for Buffer::closing signal.
 	void close();
@@ -213,6 +214,10 @@ private:
 
 	///
 	QTimer cursor_timeout_;
+	/// this timer is used for any regular events one wants to
+	/// perform. at present it is used to check if forked processes
+	/// are done.
+	QTimer general_timer_;
 	///
 	SyntheticMouseEvent synthetic_mouse_event_;
 	///