diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 25851a610..b5250d1d6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ version 0.9.0 [future]
   hints kitten. Fixes launching on some systems where xdg-open doesn't like
   being run from a kitten.
 
+- Allow using rectangle select mode by pressing shift in addition to the
+  rectangle select modifiers even when the terminal program has grabbed the
+  mouse.
+
 
 version 0.8.4 [2018-03-31]
 -----------------------------
diff --git a/kitty/mouse.c b/kitty/mouse.c
index b9529ee79..1dc0c9cb7 100644
--- a/kitty/mouse.c
+++ b/kitty/mouse.c
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ update_drag(bool from_button, Window *w, bool is_release, int modifiers) {
     Screen *screen = w->render_data.screen;
     if (from_button) {
         if (is_release) screen_update_selection(screen, w->mouse_cell_x, w->mouse_cell_y, true);
-        else screen_start_selection(screen, w->mouse_cell_x, w->mouse_cell_y, modifiers == (int)OPT(rectangle_select_modifiers), EXTEND_CELL);
+        else screen_start_selection(screen, w->mouse_cell_x, w->mouse_cell_y, modifiers == (int)OPT(rectangle_select_modifiers) || modifiers == ((int)OPT(rectangle_select_modifiers) | GLFW_MOD_SHIFT), EXTEND_CELL);
     } else if (screen->selection.in_progress) {
         screen_update_selection(screen, w->mouse_cell_x, w->mouse_cell_y, false);
     }
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ HANDLER(handle_button_event) {
     Screen *screen = w->render_data.screen;
     if (!screen) return;
     bool handle_in_kitty = (
-            modifiers == GLFW_MOD_SHIFT ||
+            modifiers == GLFW_MOD_SHIFT || modifiers == ((int)OPT(rectangle_select_modifiers) | GLFW_MOD_SHIFT) ||
             screen->modes.mouse_tracking_mode == 0 ||
             button == GLFW_MOUSE_BUTTON_MIDDLE ||
             (modifiers == (int)OPT(open_url_modifiers) && button == GLFW_MOUSE_BUTTON_LEFT)