diff --git a/kittens/broadcast/main.py b/kittens/broadcast/main.py
index 6f13b2db3..e9b7947f5 100644
--- a/kittens/broadcast/main.py
+++ b/kittens/broadcast/main.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple
 
 from kitty.cli import parse_args
 from kitty.cli_stub import BroadcastCLIOptions
-from kitty.key_encoding import RELEASE, key_defs as K
+from kitty.key_encoding import RELEASE, encode_key_event, key_defs as K
 from kitty.rc.base import MATCH_TAB_OPTION, MATCH_WINDOW_OPTION
 from kitty.remote_control import create_basic_command, encode_send
 from kitty.typing import KeyEventType
@@ -48,12 +48,17 @@ class Broadcast(Handler):
             if key_event.key is K['TAB']:
                 self.write_broadcast_text('\t')
                 self.write('\t')
+                return
             elif key_event.key is K['BACKSPACE']:
                 self.write_broadcast_text('\177')
                 self.write('\x08\x1b[X')
+                return
             elif key_event.key is K['ENTER']:
                 self.write_broadcast_text('\r')
                 self.print('')
+                return
+        ek = encode_key_event(key_event)
+        self.write_broadcast_data('kitty-key:' + ek)
 
     def write_broadcast_text(self, text: str) -> None:
         self.write_broadcast_data('base64:' + standard_b64encode(text.encode('utf-8')).decode('ascii'))
diff --git a/kittens/tui/loop.py b/kittens/tui/loop.py
index dff048504..2f339791c 100644
--- a/kittens/tui/loop.py
+++ b/kittens/tui/loop.py
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ class Loop:
     def _on_apc(self, apc: str) -> None:
         if apc.startswith('K'):
             try:
-                k = decode_key_event(apc)
+                k = decode_key_event(apc[1:])
             except Exception:
                 pass
             else:
diff --git a/kitty/key_encoding.py b/kitty/key_encoding.py
index e7e072349..7c7eb7283 100644
--- a/kitty/key_encoding.py
+++ b/kitty/key_encoding.py
@@ -417,6 +417,10 @@ def symbolic_name(glfw_name: str) -> str:
     return glfw_name[9:].replace('_', ' ')
 
 
+def glfw_key_name(symbolic_name: str) -> str:
+    return 'GLFW_KEY_' + symbolic_name.replace(' ', '_')
+
+
 def update_encoding() -> None:
     import re
     import subprocess
@@ -492,9 +496,9 @@ del key_name, enc
 
 
 def decode_key_event(text: str) -> KeyEvent:
-    typ = type_map[text[1]]
-    mods = mod_map[text[2]]
-    key = key_rmap[text[3:5]]
+    typ = type_map[text[0]]
+    mods = mod_map[text[1]]
+    key = key_rmap[text[2:4]]
     return KeyEvent(typ, mods, key)
 
 
@@ -503,3 +507,32 @@ def encode_key_event(key_event: KeyEvent) -> str:
     mods = rmod_map[key_event.mods]
     key = ENCODING[key_event.key.replace('_', ' ')]
     return typ + mods + key
+
+
+class WindowSystemKeyEvent(NamedTuple):
+    code: int
+    mods: int
+    action: int
+
+
+def decode_key_event_as_window_system_key(text: str) -> Optional[WindowSystemKeyEvent]:
+    k = decode_key_event(text)
+    glfw_name = glfw_key_name(k.key)
+    glfw_code = getattr(defines, glfw_name, None)
+    if glfw_code is None:
+        return None
+    action = defines.GLFW_PRESS
+    if k.type is RELEASE:
+        action = defines.GLFW_RELEASE
+    elif k.type is REPEAT:
+        action = defines.GLFW_REPEAT
+    mods = 0
+    if k.mods & CTRL:
+        mods |= defines.GLFW_MOD_CONTROL
+    if k.mods & ALT:
+        mods |= defines.GLFW_MOD_ALT
+    if k.mods & SUPER:
+        mods |= defines.GLFW_MOD_SUPER
+    if k.mods & SHIFT:
+        mods |= defines.GLFW_MOD_SHIFT
+    return WindowSystemKeyEvent(glfw_code, mods, action)
diff --git a/kitty/rc/send_text.py b/kitty/rc/send_text.py
index fe2fa9dcc..8149de50e 100644
--- a/kitty/rc/send_text.py
+++ b/kitty/rc/send_text.py
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ import sys
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Dict, Generator, List, Optional
 
 from kitty.config import parse_send_text_bytes
+from kitty.key_encoding import (
+    WindowSystemKeyEvent, decode_key_event_as_window_system_key
+)
+from kitty.keys import interpret_key_event
 
 from .base import (
     MATCH_TAB_OPTION, MATCH_WINDOW_OPTION, ArgsType, Boss, MatchError,
@@ -142,13 +146,20 @@ Do not send text to the active window, even if it is one of the matched windows.
             data = q.encode('utf-8')
         elif encoding == 'base64':
             data = base64.standard_b64decode(q)
+        elif encoding == 'kitty-key':
+            data = decode_key_event_as_window_system_key(q)
         else:
             raise TypeError(f'Invalid encoding for send-text data: {encoding}')
         exclude_active = payload_get('exclude_active')
         for window in windows:
             if window is not None:
                 if not exclude_active or window is not boss.active_window:
-                    window.write_to_child(data)
+                    if isinstance(data, WindowSystemKeyEvent):
+                        kdata = interpret_key_event(data.code, 0, data.mods, window, data.action)
+                        if kdata:
+                            window.write_to_child(kdata)
+                    else:
+                        window.write_to_child(data)
 
 
 send_text = SendText()