diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 522a1f9fe..ca609423b 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ from .fonts.render import set_font_family
 from .borders import BordersProgram
 from .char_grid import cursor_shader, cell_shader
 from .constants import is_key_pressed
-from .keys import interpret_text_event, interpret_key_event, get_shortcut
+from .keys import interpret_text_event, interpret_key_event, get_shortcut, get_sent_data
 from .session import create_session
 from .shaders import Sprites, ShaderProgram
 from .tabs import TabManager, SpecialWindow
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ class Boss(Thread):
                     return
         if window.char_grid.scrolled_by and key not in MODIFIER_KEYS and action == GLFW_PRESS:
             window.scroll_end()
-        data = interpret_key_event(key, scancode, mods, window, action)
+        data = get_sent_data(self.opts.send_text_map, key, scancode, mods, window, action) or interpret_key_event(key, scancode, mods, window, action)
         if data:
             window.write_to_child(data)
 
diff --git a/kitty/config.py b/kitty/config.py
index 60d55b995..f3d8fef07 100644
--- a/kitty/config.py
+++ b/kitty/config.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # vim:fileencoding=utf-8
 # License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2016, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
 
+import ast
 import json
 import os
 import re
@@ -84,16 +85,22 @@ named_keys = {
 }
 
 
-def parse_key(val, keymap):
-    sc, action = val.partition(' ')[::2]
-    action = action.strip()
-    sc = sc.strip()
-    if not sc or not action:
-        return
+def parse_shortcut(sc):
     parts = sc.split('+')
     mods = parse_mods(parts[:-1])
     key = parts[-1].upper()
     key = getattr(defines, 'GLFW_KEY_' + named_keys.get(key, key), None)
+    if key is not None:
+        return mods, key
+    return None, None
+
+
+def parse_key(val, keymap):
+    sc, action = val.partition(' ')[::2]
+    sc, action = sc.strip(), action.strip()
+    if not sc or not action:
+        return
+    mods, key = parse_shortcut(sc)
     if key is None:
         safe_print(
             'Shortcut: {} has an unknown key, ignoring'.format(val),
@@ -137,6 +144,39 @@ def parse_symbol_map(val):
     return symbol_map
 
 
+def parse_send_text(val):
+    parts = val.split(' ')
+
+    def abort(msg):
+        safe_print(
+            'Send text: {} is invalid ({}), ignoring'.format(val, msg), file=sys.stderr
+        )
+        return {}
+
+    if len(parts) < 3:
+        return abort('Incomplete')
+
+    text = ' '.join(parts[2:])
+    mode, sc = parts[:2]
+    mods, key = parse_shortcut(sc.strip())
+    if key is None:
+        return abort('Invalid shortcut')
+    text = ast.literal_eval("'''" + text + "'''").encode('utf-8')
+    if not text:
+        return abort('Empty text')
+
+    if mode in ('all', '*'):
+        modes = parse_send_text.all_modes
+    else:
+        modes = frozenset(mode.split(',')).intersection(parse_send_text.all_modes)
+        if not modes:
+            return abort('Invalid keyboard modes')
+    return {mode: {(mods, key): text} for mode in modes}
+
+
+parse_send_text.all_modes = frozenset({'normal', 'application', 'kitty'})
+
+
 def to_open_url_modifiers(val):
     return parse_mods(val.split('+'))
 
@@ -199,7 +239,7 @@ for a in ('active', 'inactive'):
 
 
 def parse_config(lines):
-    ans = {'keymap': {}, 'symbol_map': {}}
+    ans = {'keymap': {}, 'symbol_map': {}, 'send_text_map': {'kitty': {}, 'normal': {}, 'application': {}}}
     for line in lines:
         line = line.strip()
         if not line or line.startswith('#'):
@@ -213,6 +253,11 @@ def parse_config(lines):
             if key == 'symbol_map':
                 ans['symbol_map'].update(parse_symbol_map(val))
                 continue
+            if key == 'send_text':
+                stvals = parse_send_text(val)
+                for k, v in ans['send_text_map'].items():
+                    v.update(stvals.get(k, {}))
+                continue
             tm = type_map.get(key)
             if tm is not None:
                 val = tm(val)
@@ -236,7 +281,7 @@ def update_dict(a, b):
 
 def merge_dicts(vals, defaults):
     return {
-        k: update_dict(v, vals.get(k, {}))
+        k: merge_dicts(v, vals.get(k, {}))
         if isinstance(v, dict) else vals.get(k, v)
         for k, v in defaults.items()
     }
diff --git a/kitty/keys.py b/kitty/keys.py
index 336f121e6..02283c0d9 100644
--- a/kitty/keys.py
+++ b/kitty/keys.py
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@ def get_key_map(screen):
     return cursor_key_mode_map[screen.cursor_key_mode]
 
 
+def keyboard_mode_name(screen):
+    if screen.extended_keyboard:
+        return 'kitty'
+    return 'application' if screen.cursor_key_mode else 'normal'
+
+
 valid_localized_key_names = {
     k: getattr(defines, 'GLFW_KEY_' + k)
     for k in 'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789'
@@ -195,3 +201,11 @@ def interpret_text_event(codepoint, mods, window):
 def get_shortcut(keymap, mods, key, scancode):
     key = get_localized_key(key, scancode)
     return keymap.get((mods & 0b1111, key))
+
+
+def get_sent_data(send_text_map, key, scancode, mods, window, action):
+    if action in (defines.GLFW_PRESS, defines.GLFW_REPEAT):
+        key = get_localized_key(key, scancode)
+        m = keyboard_mode_name(window.screen)
+        keymap = send_text_map[m]
+        return keymap.get((mods & 0b1111, key))
diff --git a/kitty/kitty.conf b/kitty/kitty.conf
index 8a6bcd54d..4e7a65049 100644
--- a/kitty/kitty.conf
+++ b/kitty/kitty.conf
@@ -231,6 +231,23 @@ map ctrl+shift+equal    increase_font_size
 map ctrl+shift+minus    decrease_font_size
 map ctrl+shift+backspace restore_font_size
 
+# Sending arbitrary text on shortcut key presses
+# You can tell kitty to send arbitrary (UTF-8) encoded text to
+# the client program when pressing specified shortcut keys. For example:
+# send_text all ctrl+alt+a Special text
+# This will send "Special text" when you press the Ctrl+Alt+a key combination.
+# The text to be sent is a python string literal so you can use escapes like
+# \x1b to send control codes or \u21fb to send unicode characters (or you can
+# just input the unicode characters directly as UTF-8 text). The first argument
+# to send_text is the keyboard modes in which to activate the shortcut. The possible
+# values are normal or application or kitty or a comma separated combination of them.
+# The special keyword all means all modes. The modes normal and application refer to
+# the DECCKM cursor key mode for terminals, and kitty refers to the special kitty
+# extended keyboard protocol. Another example, that outputs a word and then moves the cursor
+# to the start of the line (same as pressing the Home key):
+# send_text normal ctrl+alt+a Word\x1b[H
+# send_text application ctrl+alt+a Word\x1bOH
+
 # Symbol mapping (special font for specified unicode code points). Map the
 # specified unicode codepoints to a particular font. Useful if you need special
 # rendering for some symbols, such as for Powerline. Avoids the need for