diff --git a/cmd-bind-key.c b/cmd-bind-key.c
index 14a93831..82ab14b0 100644
--- a/cmd-bind-key.c
+++ b/cmd-bind-key.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ struct cmd_bind_key_data {
 
 const struct cmd_entry cmd_bind_key_entry = {
 	"bind-key", "bind",
-	"[-r] key command [arguments]",
+	"[-nr] key command [arguments]",
 	0, 0,
 	NULL,
 	cmd_bind_key_parse,
@@ -54,14 +54,17 @@ int
 cmd_bind_key_parse(struct cmd *self, int argc, char **argv, char **cause)
 {
 	struct cmd_bind_key_data	*data;
-	int				 opt;
+	int				 opt, no_prefix = 0;
 
 	self->data = data = xmalloc(sizeof *data);
 	data->can_repeat = 0;
 	data->cmdlist = NULL;
 
-	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "r")) != -1) {
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "nr")) != -1) {
 		switch (opt) {
+		case 'n':
+			no_prefix = 1;
+			break;
 		case 'r':
 			data->can_repeat = 1;
 			break;
@@ -78,6 +81,8 @@ cmd_bind_key_parse(struct cmd *self, int argc, char **argv, char **cause)
 		xasprintf(cause, "unknown key: %s", argv[0]);
 		goto error;
 	}
+	if (!no_prefix)
+		data->key |= KEYC_PREFIX;
 
 	argc--;
 	argv++;
diff --git a/cmd-list-keys.c b/cmd-list-keys.c
index af3a0208..717812d9 100644
--- a/cmd-list-keys.c
+++ b/cmd-list-keys.c
@@ -46,27 +46,33 @@ cmd_list_keys_exec(unused struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 {
 	struct key_binding	*bd;
 	const char		*key;
-	char			 tmp[BUFSIZ];
-	int		       	 width, keywidth;
+	char			 tmp[BUFSIZ], keytmp[64];
+	int			 width, keywidth;
 
 	width = 0;
 	SPLAY_FOREACH(bd, key_bindings, &key_bindings) {
-		if ((key = key_string_lookup_key(bd->key)) == NULL)
+		key = key_string_lookup_key(bd->key & ~KEYC_PREFIX);
+		if (key == NULL)
 			continue;
 
 		keywidth = strlen(key) + 1;
+		if (!(bd->key & KEYC_PREFIX))
+			keywidth += 2;
 		if (keywidth > width)
 			width = keywidth;
 	}
 
-
 	SPLAY_FOREACH(bd, key_bindings, &key_bindings) {
-		if ((key = key_string_lookup_key(bd->key)) == NULL)
+		key = key_string_lookup_key(bd->key & ~KEYC_PREFIX);
+		if (key == NULL)
 			continue;
 
 		*tmp = '\0';
 		cmd_list_print(bd->cmdlist, tmp, sizeof tmp);
-
+		if (!(bd->key & KEYC_PREFIX)) {
+			xsnprintf(keytmp, sizeof keytmp, "[%s]", key);
+			key = keytmp;
+		}
 		ctx->print(ctx, "%*s: %s", width, key, tmp);
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd-unbind-key.c b/cmd-unbind-key.c
index 7272bc77..0100e5a9 100644
--- a/cmd-unbind-key.c
+++ b/cmd-unbind-key.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ struct cmd_unbind_key_data {
 
 const struct cmd_entry cmd_unbind_key_entry = {
 	"unbind-key", "unbind",
-	"key",
+	"[-n] key",
 	0, 0,
 	NULL,
 	cmd_unbind_key_parse,
@@ -51,12 +51,15 @@ int
 cmd_unbind_key_parse(struct cmd *self, int argc, char **argv, char **cause)
 {
 	struct cmd_unbind_key_data	*data;
-	int				 opt;
+	int				 opt, no_prefix = 0;
 
 	self->data = data = xmalloc(sizeof *data);
 
-	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "")) != -1) {
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "n")) != -1) {
 		switch (opt) {
+		case 'n':
+			no_prefix = 1;
+			break;
 		default:
 			goto usage;
 		}
@@ -70,6 +73,8 @@ cmd_unbind_key_parse(struct cmd *self, int argc, char **argv, char **cause)
 		xasprintf(cause, "unknown key: %s", argv[0]);
 		goto error;
 	}
+	if (!no_prefix)
+		data->key |= KEYC_PREFIX;
 
 	return (0);
 
diff --git a/key-bindings.c b/key-bindings.c
index d37e23b3..186c1a9b 100644
--- a/key-bindings.c
+++ b/key-bindings.c
@@ -32,7 +32,18 @@ struct key_bindings	dead_key_bindings;
 int
 key_bindings_cmp(struct key_binding *bd1, struct key_binding *bd2)
 {
-	return (bd1->key - bd2->key);
+	int	key1, key2;
+
+	key1 = bd1->key & ~KEYC_PREFIX;
+	key2 = bd2->key & ~KEYC_PREFIX;
+	if (key1 != key2)
+		return (key1 - key2);
+
+	if (bd1->key & KEYC_PREFIX && !(bd2->key & KEYC_PREFIX))
+		return (-1);
+	if (bd2->key & KEYC_PREFIX && !(bd1->key & KEYC_PREFIX))
+		return (1);
+	return (0);
 }
 
 struct key_binding *
@@ -170,7 +181,8 @@ key_bindings_init(void)
 			cmd->entry->init(cmd, table[i].key);
 		TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(cmdlist, cmd, qentry);
 
-		key_bindings_add(table[i].key, table[i].can_repeat, cmdlist);
+		key_bindings_add(
+		    table[i].key | KEYC_PREFIX, table[i].can_repeat, cmdlist);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index 8012e900..ce793076 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -802,14 +802,19 @@ server_handle_client(struct client *c)
 		if (!(c->flags & CLIENT_PREFIX)) {
 			if (key == prefix)
 				c->flags |= CLIENT_PREFIX;
-			else
-				window_pane_key(wp, c, key);
+			else {
+				/* Try as a non-prefix key binding. */
+				if ((bd = key_bindings_lookup(key)) == NULL)
+					window_pane_key(wp, c, key);
+				else
+					key_bindings_dispatch(bd, c);
+			}
 			continue;
 		}
 
 		/* Prefix key already pressed. Reset prefix and lookup key. */
 		c->flags &= ~CLIENT_PREFIX;
-		if ((bd = key_bindings_lookup(key)) == NULL) {
+		if ((bd = key_bindings_lookup(key | KEYC_PREFIX)) == NULL) {
 			/* If repeating, treat this as a key, else ignore. */
 			if (c->flags & CLIENT_REPEAT) {
 				c->flags &= ~CLIENT_REPEAT;
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index 1d70e88f..54e46a3d 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ If no server is started,
 will attempt to start it; this will fail unless sessions are created in the
 configuration file.
 .It Xo Ic bind-key
-.Op Fl r
+.Op Fl nr
 .Ar key Ar command Op Ar arguments
 .Xc
 .D1 (alias: Ic bind )
@@ -632,6 +632,13 @@ or
 for Ctrl keys, or
 .Ql M-
 for Alt (meta) keys.
+If
+.Fl n
+is specified, it is not necessary to use the prefix key,
+.Ar command
+is bound to
+.Ar key
+alone.
 The
 .Fl r
 flag indicates this key may repeat, see the
@@ -842,6 +849,10 @@ List the syntax of all commands supported by
 .Xc
 .D1 (alias: Ic lsk )
 List all key bindings.
+Keys bound without the prefix key (see
+.Ic bind-key
+.Fl n )
+are enclosed in square brackets.
 .It Xo Ic list-sessions
 .Xc
 .D1 (alias: Ic ls )
@@ -1613,11 +1624,17 @@ Switch the current session for client
 to
 .Ar target-session .
 .It Xo Ic unbind-key
+.Op Fl n
 .Ar key
 .Xc
 .D1 (alias: Ic unbind )
 Unbind the command bound to
 .Ar key .
+If
+.Fl n
+is specified, the command bound to
+.Ar key
+without a prefix (if any) is removed.
 .It Xo Ic unlink-window
 .Op Fl k
 .Op Fl t Ar target-window
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index e57b607c..2eeb9f5d 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -102,10 +102,12 @@ struct buffer {
 #define BELL_CURRENT 2
 
 /* Key codes. ncurses defines KEY_*. Grrr. */
-#define KEYC_NONE    0x0fff
-#define KEYC_ESCAPE  0x2000
-#define KEYC_CTRL    0x4000
-#define KEYC_SHIFT   0x8000
+#define KEYC_NONE 0xfff
+/* 0x1000 is base for special keys */
+#define KEYC_ESCAPE 0x2000
+#define KEYC_CTRL 0x4000
+#define KEYC_SHIFT 0x8000
+#define KEYC_PREFIX 0x10000
 
 enum key_code {
 	/* Mouse key. */
@@ -856,8 +858,6 @@ struct client_ctx {
 
 /* Key/command line command. */
 struct cmd_ctx {
-	struct client  *cmdclient;
-
 	/*
 	 * curclient is the client where this command was executed if inside
 	 * tmux. This is NULL if the command came from the command-line.
@@ -869,6 +869,8 @@ struct cmd_ctx {
 	 * configuration file.
 	 */
 	struct client  *curclient;
+	struct client  *cmdclient;
+
 	struct session *cursession;
 
 	struct msg_command_data	*msgdata;