diff --git a/include/winX.h b/include/winX.h
index fc26f48e0..2a62f892e 100644
--- a/include/winX.h
+++ b/include/winX.h
@@ -331,6 +331,9 @@ extern void (*input_func)(Widget, XEvent *, String *, Cardinal *);
 
 extern struct window_procs X11_procs;
 
+/* Flag maintained by the blink callback */
+extern boolean X11_blink;
+
 /* Check for an invalid window id. */
 #define check_winid(window) \
     do {                                                        \
@@ -424,6 +427,9 @@ extern void destroy_status_window(struct xwindow *);
 extern void adjust_status(struct xwindow *, const char *);
 extern void null_out_status(void);
 extern void check_turn_events(void);
+#ifdef STATUS_HILITES
+extern void X11_tty_status_blink(void);
+#endif
 
 /* ### wintext.c ### */
 extern void delete_text(Widget, XEvent *, String *, Cardinal *);
@@ -519,11 +525,13 @@ extern XFontStruct *X11_italic_font(Display *, XFontStruct *);
 extern XFontStruct *X11_unicode_font(Display *, XFontStruct *);
 #endif
 
+/* ### winlabel.c ### */
 /* Functions for management of enhanced labels */
 extern void X11_wrap_widget(Widget);
 extern void X11_update_label(Widget);
 extern void X11_set_attrs(Widget, unsigned);
 extern void X11_set_highlight(Widget, boolean);
 extern void X11_set_percent(Widget, unsigned, Pixel);
+extern void X11_blink_labels(void);
 
 #endif /* WINX_H */
diff --git a/win/X11/winX.c b/win/X11/winX.c
index bf030ab37..77b84ae78 100644
--- a/win/X11/winX.c
+++ b/win/X11/winX.c
@@ -112,6 +112,9 @@ static void X11_error_handler(String) __attribute__((noreturn));
 ATTRNORETURN static XtErrorHandler X11_error_handler(String);
 #endif
 
+boolean X11_blink;
+static unsigned blink_interval = 500; /* milliseconds */
+
 static int X11_io_error_handler(Display *);
 
 static int (*old_error_handler)(Display *, XErrorEvent *);
@@ -200,6 +203,7 @@ static void release_yn_widgets(void);
 static int input_event(int);
 static void win_visible(Widget, XtPointer, XEvent *, Boolean *);
 static void init_standard_windows(void);
+static void blink_callback(XtPointer client_data, XtIntervalId *timer);
 
 /*
  * Local variables.
@@ -1611,6 +1615,7 @@ X11_init_nhwindows(int *argcp, char **argv)
                                (ArgList) args, num_args);
     XtOverrideTranslations(toplevel,
               XtParseTranslationTable("<Message>WM_PROTOCOLS: X11_hangup()"));
+    XtAppAddTimeOut(app_context, blink_interval, blink_callback, NULL);
 
     /* We don't need to realize the top level widget. */
 
@@ -1667,6 +1672,20 @@ X11_init_nhwindows(int *argcp, char **argv)
         X11_putstr(WIN_MESSAGE, 0, copyright_banner_line(i));
 }
 
+static void
+blink_callback(XtPointer client_data, XtIntervalId *timer)
+{
+    nhUse(timer);
+#ifdef STATUS_HILITES
+    X11_tty_status_blink();
+#endif
+    X11_blink_labels();
+
+    X11_blink = !X11_blink;
+    /* Do it again */
+    XtAppAddTimeOut(app_context, blink_interval, blink_callback, client_data);
+}
+
 /*
  * All done.
  */
diff --git a/win/X11/winlabel.c b/win/X11/winlabel.c
index e94bb7cc8..76fa007e7 100644
--- a/win/X11/winlabel.c
+++ b/win/X11/winlabel.c
@@ -282,6 +282,9 @@ update_label(Widget w, WidgetData *data)
             values.foreground = (values.foreground & 0xFEFEFE) >> 1;
             values.background = (values.background & 0xFEFEFE) >> 1;
         }
+        if ((attrs & HL_BLINK) && X11_blink) {
+            values.foreground = values.background;
+        }
         values.font = font->fid;
         values.function = GXcopy;
         GC ggc = XtGetGC(w,
@@ -505,3 +508,17 @@ delete_widget(Widget w)
     }
     --num_widgets;
 }
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+/* Call every time the blink flag changes */
+void
+X11_blink_labels(void)
+{
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_widgets; ++i) {
+        WidgetBucket *bucket = &widget_table[i];
+        if (bucket->data->attrs & HL_BLINK) {
+            update_label(bucket->w, bucket->data);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/win/X11/winstat.c b/win/X11/winstat.c
index e08e968f5..5e5d34cc5 100644
--- a/win/X11/winstat.c
+++ b/win/X11/winstat.c
@@ -112,9 +112,6 @@ static void adjust_status_fancy(struct xwindow *, const char *);
 static void adjust_status_tty(struct xwindow *, const char *);
 static void set_percent(int, int, int);
 static void tty_status_exposed(Widget, XtPointer, XtPointer);
-#ifdef STATUS_HILITES
-static void tty_status_blink(XtPointer client_data, XtIntervalId *timer);
-#endif
 static void tty_status_redraw(Widget);
 static int tty_render_field(Widget, int, int, enum statusfields);
 static void tty_status_colors(Widget, int, int, Pixel *, Pixel *);
@@ -207,10 +204,6 @@ struct tty_cond_field {
 static Widget X11_status_widget;
 static struct tty_status_field X11_status_labels[MAXBLSTATS];
 static struct tty_cond_field X11_cond_labels[32]; /* Ugh */
-#ifdef STATUS_HILITES
-static boolean blink;
-static const unsigned long blink_interval = 500; /* milliseconds */
-#endif
 
 static struct xwindow *xw_status_win;
 
@@ -361,7 +354,7 @@ X11_status_update_tty(
                 for (unsigned j = 0; j < SIZE(tt_condorder); ++j) {
                     if ((mask & tt_condorder[j].mask) != 0) {
                         struct tty_cond_field *fldp = &X11_cond_labels[j];
-                        fldp->attrs |= 0x1 << (i - CLR_MAX);
+                        fldp->attrs |= 0x1 << (i - HL_ATTCLR_NONE);
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -542,10 +535,6 @@ create_tty_status(Widget parent, Widget top)
 
     XtAddCallback(X11_status_widget, XtNexposeCallback, tty_status_exposed,
                   (XtPointer) 0);
-#ifdef STATUS_HILITES
-    XtAppAddTimeOut(app_context, blink_interval, tty_status_blink,
-                    (XtPointer) X11_status_widget);
-#endif
 
     return X11_status_widget;
 }
@@ -564,12 +553,9 @@ tty_status_exposed(Widget w, XtPointer client_data, /* unused */
 }
 
 #ifdef STATUS_HILITES
-static void
-tty_status_blink(XtPointer client_data, XtIntervalId *timer)
+void
+X11_tty_status_blink(void)
 {
-    Widget w = (Widget) client_data;
-    nhUse(timer);
-
     /* Do we have any active blink attributes? */
     boolean have_blink = FALSE;
     for (unsigned i = 0; i < SIZE(X11_status_labels) && !have_blink; ++i) {
@@ -580,12 +566,8 @@ tty_status_blink(XtPointer client_data, XtIntervalId *timer)
     }
 
     if (have_blink) {
-        tty_status_redraw(w);
-        blink = !blink;
+        tty_status_redraw(X11_status_widget);
     }
-
-    /* Do it again */
-    XtAppAddTimeOut(app_context, blink_interval, tty_status_blink, client_data);
 }
 #endif /* STATUS_HILITES */
 
@@ -933,7 +915,7 @@ tty_status_colors(Widget w, int color, int attr, Pixel *fgpixel, Pixel *bgpixel)
     }
 
     /* Implement blink */
-    if ((attr & HL_BLINK) && blink) {
+    if ((attr & HL_BLINK) && X11_blink) {
         *fgpixel = *bgpixel;
     }