diff --git a/input.c b/input.c
index 741e83d6..254d0e5d 100644
--- a/input.c
+++ b/input.c
@@ -2235,7 +2235,7 @@ bad:
 	free(copy);
 }
 
-/* Handle the OSC 10 sequence for setting background colour. */
+/* Handle the OSC 10 sequence for setting foreground colour. */
 static void
 input_osc_10(struct window_pane *wp, const char *p)
 {
diff --git a/tty-keys.c b/tty-keys.c
index febf57f1..69d01faf 100644
--- a/tty-keys.c
+++ b/tty-keys.c
@@ -171,7 +171,12 @@ static const struct tty_default_key_raw tty_default_raw_keys[] = {
 	{ "\033[201~", KEYC_PASTE_END },
 };
 
-/* Default terminfo(5) keys. */
+/*
+ * Default terminfo(5) keys. Any keys that have builtin modifiers
+ * (that is, where the key itself contains the modifiers) has the
+ * KEYC_XTERM flag set so a leading escape is not treated as meta (and
+ * probably removed).
+ */
 struct tty_default_key_code {
 	enum tty_code_code	code;
 	key_code	 	key;
@@ -191,61 +196,61 @@ static const struct tty_default_key_code tty_default_code_keys[] = {
 	{ TTYC_KF11, KEYC_F11 },
 	{ TTYC_KF12, KEYC_F12 },
 
-	{ TTYC_KF13, KEYC_F1|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF14, KEYC_F2|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF15, KEYC_F3|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF16, KEYC_F4|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF17, KEYC_F5|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF18, KEYC_F6|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF19, KEYC_F7|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF20, KEYC_F8|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF21, KEYC_F9|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF22, KEYC_F10|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF23, KEYC_F11|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF24, KEYC_F12|KEYC_SHIFT },
+	{ TTYC_KF13, KEYC_F1|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF14, KEYC_F2|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF15, KEYC_F3|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF16, KEYC_F4|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF17, KEYC_F5|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF18, KEYC_F6|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF19, KEYC_F7|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF20, KEYC_F8|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF21, KEYC_F9|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF22, KEYC_F10|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF23, KEYC_F11|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF24, KEYC_F12|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
 
-	{ TTYC_KF25, KEYC_F1|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF26, KEYC_F2|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF27, KEYC_F3|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF28, KEYC_F4|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF29, KEYC_F5|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF30, KEYC_F6|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF31, KEYC_F7|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF32, KEYC_F8|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF33, KEYC_F9|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF34, KEYC_F10|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF35, KEYC_F11|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF36, KEYC_F12|KEYC_CTRL },
+	{ TTYC_KF25, KEYC_F1|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF26, KEYC_F2|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF27, KEYC_F3|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF28, KEYC_F4|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF29, KEYC_F5|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF30, KEYC_F6|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF31, KEYC_F7|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF32, KEYC_F8|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF33, KEYC_F9|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF34, KEYC_F10|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF35, KEYC_F11|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF36, KEYC_F12|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
 
-	{ TTYC_KF37, KEYC_F1|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF38, KEYC_F2|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF39, KEYC_F3|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF40, KEYC_F4|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF41, KEYC_F5|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF42, KEYC_F6|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF43, KEYC_F7|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF44, KEYC_F8|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF45, KEYC_F9|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF46, KEYC_F10|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF47, KEYC_F11|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
-	{ TTYC_KF48, KEYC_F12|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL },
+	{ TTYC_KF37, KEYC_F1|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF38, KEYC_F2|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF39, KEYC_F3|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF40, KEYC_F4|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF41, KEYC_F5|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF42, KEYC_F6|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF43, KEYC_F7|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF44, KEYC_F8|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF45, KEYC_F9|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF46, KEYC_F10|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF47, KEYC_F11|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF48, KEYC_F12|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_CTRL|KEYC_XTERM },
 
-	{ TTYC_KF49, KEYC_F1|KEYC_ESCAPE },
-	{ TTYC_KF50, KEYC_F2|KEYC_ESCAPE },
-	{ TTYC_KF51, KEYC_F3|KEYC_ESCAPE },
-	{ TTYC_KF52, KEYC_F4|KEYC_ESCAPE },
-	{ TTYC_KF53, KEYC_F5|KEYC_ESCAPE },
-	{ TTYC_KF54, KEYC_F6|KEYC_ESCAPE },
-	{ TTYC_KF55, KEYC_F7|KEYC_ESCAPE },
-	{ TTYC_KF56, KEYC_F8|KEYC_ESCAPE },
-	{ TTYC_KF57, KEYC_F9|KEYC_ESCAPE },
-	{ TTYC_KF58, KEYC_F10|KEYC_ESCAPE },
-	{ TTYC_KF59, KEYC_F11|KEYC_ESCAPE },
-	{ TTYC_KF60, KEYC_F12|KEYC_ESCAPE },
+	{ TTYC_KF49, KEYC_F1|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF50, KEYC_F2|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF51, KEYC_F3|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF52, KEYC_F4|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF53, KEYC_F5|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF54, KEYC_F6|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF55, KEYC_F7|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF56, KEYC_F8|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF57, KEYC_F9|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF58, KEYC_F10|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF59, KEYC_F11|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF60, KEYC_F12|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
 
-	{ TTYC_KF61, KEYC_F1|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF62, KEYC_F2|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_SHIFT },
-	{ TTYC_KF63, KEYC_F3|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_SHIFT },
+	{ TTYC_KF61, KEYC_F1|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF62, KEYC_F2|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
+	{ TTYC_KF63, KEYC_F3|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
 
 	{ TTYC_KICH1, KEYC_IC },
 	{ TTYC_KDCH1, KEYC_DC },
@@ -261,10 +266,7 @@ static const struct tty_default_key_code tty_default_code_keys[] = {
 	{ TTYC_KCUB1, KEYC_LEFT },
 	{ TTYC_KCUF1, KEYC_RIGHT },
 
-	/*
-	 * Key and modifier capabilities. We set the xterm flag to mark that
-	 * any leading escape means an escape key press and not the modifier.
-	 */
+	/* Key and modifier capabilities. */
 	{ TTYC_KDC2, KEYC_DC|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_XTERM },
 	{ TTYC_KDC3, KEYC_DC|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },
 	{ TTYC_KDC4, KEYC_DC|KEYC_SHIFT|KEYC_ESCAPE|KEYC_XTERM },