diff --git a/glfw/xkb_glfw.c b/glfw/xkb_glfw.c
index 79aa1ddaa..8623d2202 100644
--- a/glfw/xkb_glfw.c
+++ b/glfw/xkb_glfw.c
@@ -429,8 +429,12 @@ glfw_xkb_key_from_ime(KeyEvent *ev, GLFWbool handled_by_ime, GLFWbool failed) {
     GLFWbool is_release = ev->action == GLFW_RELEASE;
     debug("From IBUS: scancode: 0x%x name: %s is_release: %d\n", ev->keycode, glfw_xkb_keysym_name(ev->keysym), is_release);
     if (window && !handled_by_ime && !(is_release && ev->keycode == prev_handled_press)) {
+        debug("↳ to application: glfw_keycode: 0x%x (%s) keysym: 0x%x (%s) action: %s %s text: %s\n",
+            ev->glfw_keycode, _glfwGetKeyName(ev->glfw_keycode), ev->keysym, glfw_xkb_keysym_name(ev->keysym),
+            (ev->action == GLFW_RELEASE ? "RELEASE" : (ev->action == GLFW_PRESS ? "PRESS" : "REPEAT")),
+            format_mods(ev->glfw_modifiers), key_event.text
+        );
         _glfwInputKeyboard(window, ev->glfw_keycode, ev->keysym, ev->action, ev->glfw_modifiers, key_event.text, 0);
-        debug("↳ to application\n");
     } else debug("↳ discarded\n");
     if (!is_release && handled_by_ime) last_handled_press_keycode = ev->keycode;
 }
@@ -494,10 +498,10 @@ glfw_xkb_handle_key_event(_GLFWwindow *window, _GLFWXKBData *xkb, xkb_keycode_t
         }
     }
     debug(
-        "%s%s: %s xkb_key_name: %s\n",
+        "%s%s: %d (%s) xkb_key: %d (%s)\n",
         format_mods(sg->modifiers),
-        is_fallback ? "glfw_fallback_key" : "glfw_key", _glfwGetKeyName(glfw_keycode),
-        glfw_xkb_keysym_name(glfw_sym)
+        is_fallback ? "glfw_fallback_key" : "glfw_key", glfw_keycode, _glfwGetKeyName(glfw_keycode),
+        glfw_sym, glfw_xkb_keysym_name(glfw_sym)
     );
     key_event.action = action; key_event.glfw_modifiers = sg->modifiers;
     key_event.keycode = scancode; key_event.keysym = glfw_sym;
diff --git a/kitty/glfw.c b/kitty/glfw.c
index 3fa0a6448..206e55f05 100644
--- a/kitty/glfw.c
+++ b/kitty/glfw.c
@@ -566,6 +566,7 @@ glfw_init(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
     if (err) { PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError, err); return NULL; }
     glfwSetErrorCallback(error_callback);
     glfwInitHint(GLFW_DEBUG_KEYBOARD, debug_keyboard);
+    global_state.opts.debug_keyboard = debug_keyboard != 0;
 #ifdef __APPLE__
     glfwInitHint(GLFW_COCOA_CHDIR_RESOURCES, 0);
     glfwInitHint(GLFW_COCOA_MENUBAR, 0);
diff --git a/kitty/keys.c b/kitty/keys.c
index b1a26534e..9b494213c 100644
--- a/kitty/keys.c
+++ b/kitty/keys.c
@@ -122,28 +122,37 @@ update_ime_position(OSWindow *os_window, Window* w, Screen *screen) {
     glfwUpdateIMEState(global_state.callback_os_window->handle, 2, left, top, cell_width, cell_height);
 }
 
+#define debug(...) if (OPT(debug_keyboard)) printf(__VA_ARGS__);
 
 void
 on_key_input(int key, int scancode, int action, int mods, const char* text, int state) {
     Window *w = active_window();
-    if (!w) return;
+    debug("on_key_input: glfw key: %d native_code: %d action: %s mods: 0x%x text: '%s' state: %d ",
+            key, scancode,
+            (action == GLFW_RELEASE ? "RELEASE" : (action == GLFW_PRESS ? "PRESS" : "REPEAT")),
+            mods, text, state);
+    if (!w) { debug("no active window, ignoring\n"); return; }
     Screen *screen = w->render_data.screen;
     switch(state) {
         case 1:  // update pre-edit text
             update_ime_position(global_state.callback_os_window, w, screen);
             screen_draw_overlay_text(screen, text);
+            debug("updated pre-edit text\n");
             return;
         case 2:  // commit text
             if (text && *text) {
                 schedule_write_to_child(w->id, text, strlen(text));
             }
+            debug("committed pre-edit text\n");
             return;
         case 0:
             break;
         default:
+            debug("invalid state, ignoring\n");
             return;
     }
     if (global_state.in_sequence_mode) {
+        debug("in sequence mode, handling as shortcut\n");
         if (
             action != GLFW_RELEASE &&
             key != GLFW_KEY_LEFT_SHIFT && key != GLFW_KEY_RIGHT_SHIFT && key != GLFW_KEY_LEFT_ALT && key != GLFW_KEY_RIGHT_ALT && key != GLFW_KEY_LEFT_CONTROL && key != GLFW_KEY_RIGHT_CONTROL
@@ -158,11 +167,17 @@ on_key_input(int key, int scancode, int action, int mods, const char* text, int
             else {
                 bool consumed = ret == Py_True;
                 Py_DECREF(ret);
-                if (consumed) return;
+                if (consumed) {
+                    debug("handled as shortcut\n");
+                    return;
+                }
             }
         }
     }
-    if (action == GLFW_REPEAT && !screen->modes.mDECARM) return;
+    if (action == GLFW_REPEAT && !screen->modes.mDECARM) {
+        debug("discarding repeat key event as DECARM is off\n");
+        return;
+    }
     if (screen->scrolled_by && action == GLFW_PRESS && !is_modifier_key(key)) {
         screen_history_scroll(screen, SCROLL_FULL, false);  // scroll back to bottom
     }
@@ -170,9 +185,13 @@ on_key_input(int key, int scancode, int action, int mods, const char* text, int
     if (ok_to_send) {
         if (has_text) {
             schedule_write_to_child(w->id, text, strlen(text));
+            debug("sent text to child\n");
         } else {
             send_key_to_child(w, key, mods, action);
+            debug("sent key to child\n");
         }
+    } else {
+        debug("ignoring as keyboard mode does not allow repeat events\n");
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/kitty/state.h b/kitty/state.h
index 9ae170f48..c1d74b38f 100644
--- a/kitty/state.h
+++ b/kitty/state.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ typedef struct {
     bool sync_to_monitor;
     bool close_on_child_death;
     bool window_alert_on_bell;
+    bool debug_keyboard;
 } Options;
 
 typedef struct {