diff --git a/kitty/config.py b/kitty/config.py
index 1961578d1..cc28b4b07 100644
--- a/kitty/config.py
+++ b/kitty/config.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from .conf.utils import (
 from .config_data import all_options, parse_mods, type_map
 from .constants import cache_dir, defconf, is_macos
 from .utils import log_error
+from .key_names import get_key_name_lookup
 
 named_keys = {
     "'": 'APOSTROPHE',
@@ -47,11 +48,12 @@ def parse_shortcut(sc):
     key = getattr(defines, 'GLFW_KEY_' + named_keys.get(key, key), None)
     is_native = False
     if key is None:
-        if parts[-1].startswith('0x'):
+        q = parts[-1]
+        if q.startswith('0x'):
             with suppress(Exception):
-                key = int(parts[-1], 16)
+                key = int(q, 16)
         else:
-            key = defines.key_for_native_key_name(parts[-1])
+            key = get_key_name_lookup()(q)
         is_native = key is not None
     return mods, is_native, key
 
diff --git a/kitty/key_names.py b/kitty/key_names.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4fc5775a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kitty/key_names.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# vim:fileencoding=utf-8
+# License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2019, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+import sys
+
+from .constants import is_macos
+
+
+def null_lookup(name, case_sensitive=False):
+    pass
+
+
+if is_macos:
+    def get_key_name_lookup():
+        return null_lookup
+else:
+
+    def load_libxkb_lookup():
+        import ctypes
+        lib = ctypes.CDLL('libxkbcommon.so')
+        f = lib.xkb_keysym_from_name
+        f.argtypes = [ctypes.c_char_p, ctypes.c_int]
+        f.restype = ctypes.c_int
+
+        def xkb_lookup(name, case_sensitive=False):
+            name = name.encode('utf-8')
+            return f(name, int(case_sensitive)) or None
+
+        return xkb_lookup
+
+    def get_key_name_lookup():
+        ans = getattr(get_key_name_lookup, 'ans', None)
+        if ans is None:
+            try:
+                ans = load_libxkb_lookup()
+            except Exception as e:
+                print('Failed to load libxkbcommon.xkb_keysym_from_name with error:', e, file=sys.stderr)
+                ans = null_lookup
+            get_key_name_lookup.ans = ans
+        return ans
diff --git a/kitty/main.py b/kitty/main.py
index e3e51ee38..f1959e319 100644
--- a/kitty/main.py
+++ b/kitty/main.py
@@ -244,7 +244,6 @@ def _main():
     args, rest = parse_args(args=args)
     args.args = rest
     if args.debug_config:
-        init_glfw(args.debug_keyboard)  # needed for parsing native keysyms
         create_opts(args, debug_config=True)
         return
     if getattr(args, 'detach', False):
@@ -258,9 +257,9 @@ def _main():
         if not is_first:
             talk_to_instance(args)
             return
-    init_glfw(args.debug_keyboard)  # needed for parsing native keysyms
     bad_lines = []
     opts = create_opts(args, accumulate_bad_lines=bad_lines)
+    init_glfw(args.debug_keyboard)
     setup_environment(opts, args)
     try:
         with setup_profiling(args):