diff --git a/PKGBUILD b/PKGBUILD
index e0fd459..717210f 100644
--- a/PKGBUILD
+++ b/PKGBUILD
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ pkgdesc='Honor org.freedesktop.ScreenSaver inhibit requests by disabling xautolo
 arch=('any')
 url="https://git.shouldnt.work/fuxino/${pkgname}"
 license=('GPL-3.0-or-later')
-depends=('python'
+depends=('libx11'
+         'libxss'
+         'python'
          'python-gobject'
          'xautolock')
 makedepends=('git')
diff --git a/xautolock-inhibit b/xautolock-inhibit
index 594603e..ec4f58d 100755
--- a/xautolock-inhibit
+++ b/xautolock-inhibit
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-"""Own org.freedesktop.ScreenSaver and turn inhibit requests into xautolock -disable/-enable."""
+"""Own org.freedesktop.ScreenSaver and turn inhibit requests into xautolock -disable/-enable.
+
+While an inhibit is active, X screen blanking is also paused (like mpv does).
+"""
 
 import argparse
+import ctypes
 import itertools
 import signal
 import subprocess
@@ -62,9 +66,49 @@ def xautolock(arg):
         log(f"xautolock {arg} failed: {e}")
 
 
+class XBlanking:
+    """Pause X screen blanking with XScreenSaverSuspend (MIT-SCREEN-SAVER extension).
+
+    Unlike `xset s off -dpms` this changes no global setting: the X server ends the
+    pause by itself when this client releases it or its connection closes (exit, crash).
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.dpy = None
+        try:
+            self.x11 = ctypes.CDLL("libX11.so.6")
+            self.xss = ctypes.CDLL("libXss.so.1")
+        except OSError as e:
+            log(f"Cannot load X11 libraries ({e}); X blanking will not be paused")
+            return
+        self.x11.XOpenDisplay.argtypes = [ctypes.c_char_p]
+        self.x11.XOpenDisplay.restype = ctypes.c_void_p
+        self.x11.XFlush.argtypes = [ctypes.c_void_p]
+        self.xss.XScreenSaverQueryExtension.argtypes = [
+            ctypes.c_void_p, ctypes.POINTER(ctypes.c_int), ctypes.POINTER(ctypes.c_int)]
+        self.xss.XScreenSaverSuspend.argtypes = [ctypes.c_void_p, ctypes.c_int]
+
+        dpy = self.x11.XOpenDisplay(None)
+        if not dpy:
+            log("Cannot open the X display; X blanking will not be paused")
+            return
+        event_base, error_base = ctypes.c_int(), ctypes.c_int()
+        if not self.xss.XScreenSaverQueryExtension(dpy, ctypes.byref(event_base), ctypes.byref(error_base)):
+            log("X server lacks the MIT-SCREEN-SAVER extension; X blanking will not be paused")
+            return
+        self.dpy = dpy
+
+    def suspend(self, on):
+        if self.dpy:
+            self.xss.XScreenSaverSuspend(self.dpy, int(on))
+            self.x11.XFlush(self.dpy)
+            log(f"X blanking {'paused' if on else 'resumed'}")
+
+
 class Inhibitor:
-    def __init__(self, ignored_reasons, release_delay):
+    def __init__(self, ignored_reasons, release_delay, blanking):
         self.ignored_reasons = ignored_reasons
+        self.blanking = blanking
         self.release_delay = release_delay
         self.cookies = {}  # cookie -> (sender, application_name, reason, counts)
         self.next_cookie = itertools.count(1)
@@ -85,8 +129,7 @@ class Inhibitor:
             GLib.source_remove(self.release_timer)
             self.release_timer = 0
         if active and not self.disabled:
-            xautolock("-disable")
-            self.disabled = True
+            self.block()
         elif not active and self.disabled and not self.release_timer:
             # Browsers send quick Inhibit/UnInhibit bursts when a video starts.
             self.release_timer = GLib.timeout_add_seconds(self.release_delay, self.on_release_timeout)
@@ -94,17 +137,25 @@ class Inhibitor:
     def on_release_timeout(self):
         self.release_timer = 0
         if not self.active_count() and self.disabled:
-            xautolock("-enable")
-            self.disabled = False
+            self.unblock()
         return GLib.SOURCE_REMOVE
 
+    def block(self):
+        xautolock("-disable")
+        self.blanking.suspend(True)
+        self.disabled = True
+
+    def unblock(self):
+        xautolock("-enable")
+        self.blanking.suspend(False)
+        self.disabled = False
+
     def shutdown(self):
         if self.release_timer:
             GLib.source_remove(self.release_timer)
             self.release_timer = 0
         if self.disabled:
-            xautolock("-enable")
-            self.disabled = False
+            self.unblock()
 
     # --- D-Bus ------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -205,7 +256,7 @@ def main():
         ignored = set()
     else:
         ignored = set(args.ignore_reason or ["Playing audio"])
-    inhibitor = Inhibitor(ignored, max(args.release_delay, 0))
+    inhibitor = Inhibitor(ignored, max(args.release_delay, 0), XBlanking())
     loop = GLib.MainLoop()
     exit_code = 0
     acquired = False