diff --git a/khal/cli.py b/khal/cli.py
index b723c3360..538ff9d4d 100644
--- a/khal/cli.py
+++ b/khal/cli.py
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ def mouse_option(f):
     o = click.option(
         '--mouse/--no-mouse',
         is_flag=True,
-        default=True,
+        default=None,
         help='Disable mouse in interactive UI'
     )
     return o(f)
@@ -494,7 +494,8 @@ def isatty(_file):
     @click.pass_context
     def interactive(ctx, include_calendar, exclude_calendar, mouse):
         '''Interactive UI. Also launchable via `ikhal`.'''
-        ctx.obj['conf']['default']['enable_mouse'] = mouse
+        if mouse is not None:
+            ctx.obj['conf']['default']['enable_mouse'] = mouse
         controllers.interactive(
             build_collection(
                 ctx.obj['conf'],
@@ -511,7 +512,8 @@ def interactive(ctx, include_calendar, exclude_calendar, mouse):
     def interactive_cli(ctx, config, include_calendar, exclude_calendar, mouse):
         '''Interactive UI. Also launchable via `khal interactive`.'''
         prepare_context(ctx, config)
-        ctx.obj['conf']['default']['enable_mouse'] = mouse
+        if mouse is not None:
+            ctx.obj['conf']['default']['enable_mouse'] = mouse
         controllers.interactive(
             build_collection(
                 ctx.obj['conf'],