diff --git a/kitty/keys.h b/kitty/keys.h
index 447d61823..0388a8edb 100644
--- a/kitty/keys.h
+++ b/kitty/keys.h
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ key_lookup(uint8_t key, KeyboardMode mode, uint8_t mods, uint8_t action) {
                   case 52: // TAB
                     return "\x01\x09";
                   case 53: // BACKSPACE
-                    return "\x01\x7f";
+                    return "\x01\x08";
                   case 54: // INSERT
                     return "\x06\x1b\x5b\x32\x3b\x35\x7e";
                   case 55: // DELETE
@@ -2384,7 +2384,7 @@ key_lookup(uint8_t key, KeyboardMode mode, uint8_t mods, uint8_t action) {
                   case 52: // TAB
                     return "\x01\x09";
                   case 53: // BACKSPACE
-                    return "\x01\x7f";
+                    return "\x01\x08";
                   case 54: // INSERT
                     return "\x06\x1b\x5b\x32\x3b\x35\x7e";
                   case 55: // DELETE
@@ -4016,7 +4016,7 @@ key_lookup(uint8_t key, KeyboardMode mode, uint8_t mods, uint8_t action) {
                     case 52: // TAB
                       return "\x01\x09";
                     case 53: // BACKSPACE
-                      return "\x01\x7f";
+                      return "\x01\x08";
                     case 54: // INSERT
                       return "\x06\x1b\x5b\x32\x3b\x35\x7e";
                     case 55: // DELETE
@@ -5639,7 +5639,7 @@ key_lookup(uint8_t key, KeyboardMode mode, uint8_t mods, uint8_t action) {
                     case 52: // TAB
                       return "\x01\x09";
                     case 53: // BACKSPACE
-                      return "\x01\x7f";
+                      return "\x01\x08";
                     case 54: // INSERT
                       return "\x06\x1b\x5b\x32\x3b\x35\x7e";
                     case 55: // DELETE
diff --git a/kitty/keys.py b/kitty/keys.py
index f84788ba8..783021cd0 100644
--- a/kitty/keys.py
+++ b/kitty/keys.py
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ def modify_complex_key(name, amt):
     return modify_key_bytes(key_as_bytes(name), amt)
 
 
-control_codes = {}
+control_codes = {
+    defines.GLFW_KEY_BACKSPACE: b'\x08'
+}
 smkx_key_map = {}
 alt_codes = {
     defines.GLFW_KEY_TAB: b'\033\t',
@@ -261,7 +263,7 @@ def shortcut_matches(s, mods, key, scancode):
 
 
 def generate_key_table():
-    # To run this, use: python3 . -c "from kitty.keys import *; generate_key_table()"
+    # To run this, use: python3 . +runpy "from kitty.keys import *; generate_key_table()"
     import os
     from functools import partial
     f = open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'keys.h'), 'w')