diff --git a/src/sources/journald.rs b/src/sources/journald.rs
index 2d7c7fd5b49d7..edd6a2f1c2631 100644
--- a/src/sources/journald.rs
+++ b/src/sources/journald.rs
@@ -209,6 +209,13 @@ pub struct JournaldConfig {
     #[configurable(metadata(docs::hidden))]
     #[serde(default)]
     log_namespace: Option<bool>,
+
+    /// Whether to emit the [__CURSOR field][cursor]. See also [sd_journal_get_cursor][get_cursor].
+    ///
+    /// [cursor]: https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/systemd.journal-fields.html#Address%20Fields
+    /// [get_cursor]: https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/sd_journal_get_cursor.html
+    #[serde(default = "crate::serde::default_false")]
+    emit_cursor: bool,
 }
 
 const fn default_batch_size() -> usize {
@@ -308,6 +315,7 @@ impl Default for JournaldConfig {
             acknowledgements: Default::default(),
             remap_priority: false,
             log_namespace: None,
+            emit_cursor: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -377,6 +385,7 @@ impl SourceConfig for JournaldConfig {
                 acknowledgements,
                 starter,
                 log_namespace,
+                emit_cursor: self.emit_cursor,
             }
             .run_shutdown(cx.shutdown),
         ))
@@ -404,6 +413,7 @@ struct JournaldSource {
     acknowledgements: bool,
     starter: StartJournalctl,
     log_namespace: LogNamespace,
+    emit_cursor: bool,
 }
 
 impl JournaldSource {
@@ -554,7 +564,11 @@ impl<'a> Batch<'a> {
             Some(Ok(bytes)) => {
                 match decode_record(&bytes, self.source.remap_priority) {
                     Ok(mut record) => {
-                        if let Some(tmp) = record.remove(CURSOR) {
+                        if self.source.emit_cursor {
+                            if let Some(tmp) = record.get(CURSOR) {
+                                self.cursor = Some(tmp.clone());
+                            }
+                        } else if let Some(tmp) = record.remove(CURSOR) {
                             self.cursor = Some(tmp);
                         }
 
@@ -1089,13 +1103,14 @@ mod tests {
     async fn run_with_units(iunits: &[&str], xunits: &[&str], cursor: Option<&str>) -> Vec<Event> {
         let include_matches = create_unit_matches(iunits.to_vec());
         let exclude_matches = create_unit_matches(xunits.to_vec());
-        run_journal(include_matches, exclude_matches, cursor).await
+        run_journal(include_matches, exclude_matches, cursor, false).await
     }
 
     async fn run_journal(
         include_matches: Matches,
         exclude_matches: Matches,
         checkpoint: Option<&str>,
+        emit_cursor: bool,
     ) -> Vec<Event> {
         assert_source_compliance(&["protocol"], async move {
             let (tx, rx) = SourceSender::new_test_finalize(EventStatus::Delivered);
@@ -1128,6 +1143,7 @@ mod tests {
                 data_dir: Some(tempdir),
                 remap_priority: true,
                 acknowledgements: false.into(),
+                emit_cursor,
                 ..Default::default()
             };
             let source = config.build(cx).await.unwrap();
@@ -1207,10 +1223,18 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn emits_cursor() {
+        let received = run_journal(Matches::new(), Matches::new(), None, true).await;
+        assert_eq!(cursor(&received[0]), Value::Bytes("1".into()));
+        assert_eq!(cursor(&received[3]), Value::Bytes("4".into()));
+        assert_eq!(cursor(&received[7]), Value::Bytes("8".into()));
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn includes_matches() {
         let matches = create_matches(vec![("PRIORITY", "ERR")]);
-        let received = run_journal(matches, HashMap::new(), None).await;
+        let received = run_journal(matches, HashMap::new(), None, false).await;
         assert_eq!(received.len(), 2);
         assert_eq!(
             message(&received[0]),
@@ -1227,7 +1251,7 @@ mod tests {
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn includes_kernel() {
         let matches = create_matches(vec![("_TRANSPORT", "kernel")]);
-        let received = run_journal(matches, HashMap::new(), None).await;
+        let received = run_journal(matches, HashMap::new(), None, false).await;
         assert_eq!(received.len(), 1);
         assert_eq!(timestamp(&received[0]), value_ts(1578529839, 140006000));
         assert_eq!(message(&received[0]), Value::Bytes("audit log".into()));
@@ -1236,7 +1260,7 @@ mod tests {
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn excludes_matches() {
         let matches = create_matches(vec![("PRIORITY", "INFO"), ("PRIORITY", "DEBUG")]);
-        let received = run_journal(HashMap::new(), matches, None).await;
+        let received = run_journal(HashMap::new(), matches, None, false).await;
         assert_eq!(received.len(), 5);
         assert_eq!(timestamp(&received[0]), value_ts(1578529839, 140003000));
         assert_eq!(timestamp(&received[1]), value_ts(1578529839, 140004000));
@@ -1515,6 +1539,10 @@ mod tests {
         event.as_log()[log_schema().timestamp_key().unwrap().to_string()].clone()
     }
 
+    fn cursor(event: &Event) -> Value {
+        event.as_log()[CURSOR].clone()
+    }
+
     fn value_ts(secs: i64, usecs: u32) -> Value {
         Value::Timestamp(
             chrono::Utc
diff --git a/website/cue/reference/components/sources/base/journald.cue b/website/cue/reference/components/sources/base/journald.cue
index 321ab7442c522..0224f4d213041 100644
--- a/website/cue/reference/components/sources/base/journald.cue
+++ b/website/cue/reference/components/sources/base/journald.cue
@@ -49,6 +49,16 @@ base: components: sources: journald: configuration: {
 		required: false
 		type: string: examples: ["/var/lib/vector"]
 	}
+	emit_cursor: {
+		description: """
+			Whether to emit the [__CURSOR field][cursor]. See also [sd_journal_get_cursor][get_cursor].
+
+			[cursor]: https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/systemd.journal-fields.html#Address%20Fields
+			[get_cursor]: https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/sd_journal_get_cursor.html
+			"""
+		required: false
+		type: bool: default: false
+	}
 	exclude_matches: {
 		description: """
 			A list of sets of field/value pairs that, if any are present in a journal entry,