diff --git a/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c b/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
index bdbe701..d3a30e2 100644
--- a/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
+++ b/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
  * title_listener updates wwin->wm_instance/wm_class on set_title signal;
  * wClientSendProtocol/wClientKill guarded for Wayland.
  * Phase 47: prop_get_normal_hints returns XDG toplevel min/max/current size.
+ * Phase 53: headless pointer device added to seat; seat advertises both
+ * WL_SEAT_CAPABILITY_KEYBOARD and WL_SEAT_CAPABILITY_POINTER.
  */
 
 #ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
@@ -121,6 +123,8 @@ struct wl_compositor_state {
     unsigned long                   next_synthetic_id;         /* >= 0x10000000 */
     /* Phase 43: headless keyboard device for seat keyboard focus */
     struct wlr_input_device        *keyboard_dev;
+    /* Phase 53: headless pointer device so seat advertises pointer capability */
+    struct wlr_input_device        *pointer_dev;
     char                            socket_name[64];  /* Phase 34: e.g. "wayland-0" */
     int                             started; /* non-zero after successful display_open */
 };
@@ -400,9 +404,19 @@ wl_display_open(const char *name)
      * wlr_seat_keyboard_notify_enter() can deliver keyboard focus. */
     wl_state.keyboard_dev =
         wlr_headless_add_input_device(wl_state.backend, WLR_INPUT_DEVICE_KEYBOARD);
-    if (wl_state.keyboard_dev) {
+    if (wl_state.keyboard_dev)
         wlr_seat_set_keyboard(wl_state.seat, wl_state.keyboard_dev);
-        wlr_seat_set_capabilities(wl_state.seat, WL_SEAT_CAPABILITY_KEYBOARD);
+
+    /* Phase 53: create a headless pointer so the seat advertises pointer
+     * capability to clients (required for clients that bind wl_pointer). */
+    wl_state.pointer_dev =
+        wlr_headless_add_input_device(wl_state.backend, WLR_INPUT_DEVICE_POINTER);
+
+    {
+        uint32_t caps = 0;
+        if (wl_state.keyboard_dev) caps |= WL_SEAT_CAPABILITY_KEYBOARD;
+        if (wl_state.pointer_dev)  caps |= WL_SEAT_CAPABILITY_POINTER;
+        if (caps) wlr_seat_set_capabilities(wl_state.seat, caps);
     }
 
     /* Phase 38: initialise per-toplevel tracking and context store. */
diff --git a/tests/wl-smoke-test.sh b/tests/wl-smoke-test.sh
index a5c62b3..6e6d01f 100755
--- a/tests/wl-smoke-test.sh
+++ b/tests/wl-smoke-test.sh
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 #      logged as pid= in wManageWindow succeeded line
 #  17. (Phase 51) two simultaneous clients both managed and unmanaged cleanly;
 #      compositor survives multi-client scenario
+#  18. (Phase 53) wl_seat advertises pointer capability (headless pointer
+#      device added); verified via weston-info if available
 #
 # This test grows as wl_backend vtable slots are implemented.
 #
@@ -79,6 +81,13 @@ ldd "$WMAKER" 2>/dev/null | grep -qi 'wlroots\|libwlr' \
 # verifies the Wayland socket was created, sends SIGTERM, and checks
 # for clean exit.
 
+# Ensure XDG_RUNTIME_DIR is set and writable (wl_display_add_socket_auto needs it)
+if [ -z "$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR" ]; then
+    XDG_RUNTIME_DIR="/tmp/wl-smoke-run-$$"
+    mkdir -p "$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR"
+    export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR
+fi
+
 WMAKER_USE_WAYLAND=1 src/wmaker \
     --no-dock --no-clip --no-autolaunch \
     --dont-restore --static \
@@ -140,7 +149,10 @@ if command -v weston-info >/dev/null 2>&1; then
         || die "wl_shm not in Wayland global registry"
     echo "$WI" | grep -q 'wl_output' \
         || die "wl_output not in Wayland global registry"
-    echo "  globals check: wl_compositor, wl_seat, xdg_wm_base, wl_shm, wl_output present"
+    # Phase 53: seat must advertise pointer capability
+    echo "$WI" | grep -q 'pointer' \
+        || die "wl_seat does not advertise pointer capability"
+    echo "  globals check: wl_compositor, wl_seat, xdg_wm_base, wl_shm, wl_output present; seat has pointer capability"
 else
     echo "  globals check: skipped (weston-info not installed)"
 fi