diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.sortable.js b/ui/jquery.ui.sortable.js
index 211ff272e8b..c9b503bd09b 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.sortable.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.sortable.js
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ $.widget("ui.sortable", $.ui.mouse, {
 
 	_mouseStart: function(event, overrideHandle, noActivation) {
 
-		var i,
+		var i, body,
 			o = this.options;
 
 		this.currentContainer = this;
@@ -228,11 +228,14 @@ $.widget("ui.sortable", $.ui.mouse, {
 			this._setContainment();
 		}
 
-		if(o.cursor) { // cursor option
-			if ($("body").css("cursor")) {
-				this._storedCursor = $("body").css("cursor");
-			}
-			$("body").css("cursor", o.cursor);
+		if( o.cursor && o.cursor !== "auto" ) { // cursor option
+			body = this.document.find( "body" );
+
+			// support: IE
+			this.storedCursor = body.css( "cursor" );
+			body.css( "cursor", o.cursor );
+
+			this.storedStylesheet = $( "<style>*{ cursor: "+o.cursor+" !important; }</style>" ).appendTo( body );
 		}
 
 		if(o.opacity) { // opacity option
@@ -1178,8 +1181,9 @@ $.widget("ui.sortable", $.ui.mouse, {
 		}
 
 		//Do what was originally in plugins
-		if(this._storedCursor) {
-			$("body").css("cursor", this._storedCursor);
+		if ( this.storedCursor ) {
+			this.document.find( "body" ).css( "cursor", this.storedCursor );
+			this.storedStylesheet.remove();
 		}
 		if(this._storedOpacity) {
 			this.helper.css("opacity", this._storedOpacity);