diff --git a/cmd-list-keys.c b/cmd-list-keys.c
index ddfc0e0c..f25b0636 100644
--- a/cmd-list-keys.c
+++ b/cmd-list-keys.c
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ cmd_list_keys_print_notes(struct cmdq_item *item, struct args *args,
 		key = key_string_lookup_key(bd->key, 0);
 
 		if (bd->note == NULL || *bd->note == '\0')
-			note = cmd_list_print(bd->cmdlist, 1);
+			note = cmd_list_print(bd->cmdlist,
+			    CMD_LIST_PRINT_ESCAPED|CMD_LIST_PRINT_NO_GROUPS);
 		else
 			note = xstrdup(bd->note);
 		tmp = utf8_padcstr(key, keywidth + 1);
@@ -288,7 +289,8 @@ cmd_list_keys_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 			tmpused = strlcat(tmp, " ", tmpsize);
 			free(cp);
 
-			cp = cmd_list_print(bd->cmdlist, 1);
+			cp = cmd_list_print(bd->cmdlist,
+			    CMD_LIST_PRINT_ESCAPED|CMD_LIST_PRINT_NO_GROUPS);
 			cplen = strlen(cp);
 			while (tmpused + cplen + 1 >= tmpsize) {
 				tmpsize *= 2;
diff --git a/cmd.c b/cmd.c
index 119b685a..e5ec9cc5 100644
--- a/cmd.c
+++ b/cmd.c
@@ -677,12 +677,14 @@ cmd_list_copy(const struct cmd_list *cmdlist, int argc, char **argv)
 
 /* Get a command list as a string. */
 char *
-cmd_list_print(const struct cmd_list *cmdlist, int escaped)
+cmd_list_print(const struct cmd_list *cmdlist, int flags)
 {
 	struct cmd	*cmd, *next;
 	char		*buf, *this;
 	size_t		 len;
 	const char	*separator;
+	int		 escaped = flags & CMD_LIST_PRINT_ESCAPED;
+	int		 no_groups = flags & CMD_LIST_PRINT_NO_GROUPS;
 	const char	*single_separator = escaped ? " \\; " : " ; ";
 	const char	*double_separator = escaped ? " \\;\\; " : " ;; ";
 
@@ -699,7 +701,7 @@ cmd_list_print(const struct cmd_list *cmdlist, int escaped)
 
 		next = TAILQ_NEXT(cmd, qentry);
 		if (next != NULL) {
-			if (cmd->group != next->group)
+			if (!no_groups && cmd->group != next->group)
 				separator = double_separator;
 			else
 				separator = single_separator;
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 180208e3..c738fb67 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -2689,6 +2689,8 @@ void		 cmd_list_append(struct cmd_list *, struct cmd *);
 void		 cmd_list_append_all(struct cmd_list *, struct cmd_list *);
 void		 cmd_list_move(struct cmd_list *, struct cmd_list *);
 void		 cmd_list_free(struct cmd_list *);
+#define CMD_LIST_PRINT_ESCAPED 0x1
+#define CMD_LIST_PRINT_NO_GROUPS 0x2
 char		*cmd_list_print(const struct cmd_list *, int);
 struct cmd	*cmd_list_first(struct cmd_list *);
 struct cmd	*cmd_list_next(struct cmd *);