diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 63ea71c..fc4a521 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ CFLAGS ?= -O2 -g
 WARN_CFLAGS = -Wall -Wextra
 IBUS_CFLAGS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags dbus-1 xkbcommon)
 IBUS_LIBS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs dbus-1 xkbcommon)
-XIM_CFLAGS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags xcb-imdkit xkbcommon-x11)
-XIM_LIBS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs xcb-imdkit xkbcommon-x11)
+XIM_CFLAGS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags xcb-imdkit xcb-xkb xkbcommon-x11)
+XIM_LIBS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs xcb-imdkit xcb-xkb xkbcommon-x11)
 TEXT_CFLAGS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags pangocairo cairo)
 TEXT_LIBS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs pangocairo cairo)
 POPUP_CFLAGS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags xcb-randr)
diff --git a/tests/Makefile b/tests/Makefile
index aa4b8be..53a1c13 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile
+++ b/tests/Makefile
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ IBUS_CLIENT_CFLAGS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags ibus-1.0)
 IBUS_CLIENT_LIBS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs ibus-1.0)
 X11_CFLAGS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags x11)
 X11_LIBS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs x11)
-XIM_CFLAGS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags xcb-imdkit xkbcommon-x11)
-XIM_LIBS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs xcb-imdkit xkbcommon-x11)
+XIM_CFLAGS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags xcb-imdkit xcb-xkb xkbcommon-x11)
+XIM_LIBS = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs xcb-imdkit xcb-xkb xkbcommon-x11)
 UNIT_LDLIBS = -lthread -lbio $(TEXT_LIBS) $(IBUS_LIBS) $(XIM_LIBS)
 
 PROG = unit_test
diff --git a/xim/xim.c b/xim/xim.c
index 977da11..dc90091 100644
--- a/xim/xim.c
+++ b/xim/xim.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <poll.h>
 #include <xcb/xcb.h>
+#include <xcb/xkb.h>
 #include <xkbcommon/xkbcommon.h>
 #include <xkbcommon/xkbcommon-x11.h>
 #include <xcb-imdkit/imdkit.h>
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ enum
 static xcb_connection_t *conn;
 static xcb_im_t *xim;
 static struct xkb_state *kstate;
+static uint8_t xkbevent;
 static xcb_window_t rootwin;
 static Ic *ics;
 static Ic *preowner;
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ ximlog(char *msg)
 	fprint(2, "strans: xim: %s\n", msg);
 }
 
+/* Reads the server's keymap; XKB-aware clients get XKB events, not MappingNotify. */
 static int
 kinit(void)
 {
@@ -70,7 +73,7 @@ kinit(void)
 	context = xkb_context_new(XKB_CONTEXT_NO_FLAGS);
 	if(context == nil || !xkb_x11_setup_xkb_extension(conn,
 	   XKB_X11_MIN_MAJOR_XKB_VERSION, XKB_X11_MIN_MINOR_XKB_VERSION,
-	   XKB_X11_SETUP_XKB_EXTENSION_NO_FLAGS, nil, nil, nil, nil))
+	   XKB_X11_SETUP_XKB_EXTENSION_NO_FLAGS, nil, nil, &xkbevent, nil))
 		goto out;
 	device = xkb_x11_get_core_keyboard_device_id(conn);
 	if(device < 0)
@@ -93,6 +96,22 @@ out:
 	return ok;
 }
 
+static void
+kwatch(void)
+{
+	u16int events, parts;
+
+	events = XCB_XKB_EVENT_TYPE_NEW_KEYBOARD_NOTIFY |
+		XCB_XKB_EVENT_TYPE_MAP_NOTIFY;
+	parts = XCB_XKB_MAP_PART_KEY_TYPES | XCB_XKB_MAP_PART_KEY_SYMS |
+		XCB_XKB_MAP_PART_MODIFIER_MAP |
+		XCB_XKB_MAP_PART_EXPLICIT_COMPONENTS |
+		XCB_XKB_MAP_PART_KEY_ACTIONS | XCB_XKB_MAP_PART_VIRTUAL_MODS |
+		XCB_XKB_MAP_PART_VIRTUAL_MOD_MAP;
+	xcb_xkb_select_events(conn, XCB_XKB_ID_USE_CORE_KBD, events, 0,
+		events, parts, parts, nil);
+}
+
 static xcb_screen_t*
 getscreen(int scr)
 {
@@ -472,6 +491,7 @@ ximinit(void)
 		ximlog("cannot read keyboard mapping");
 		return -1;
 	}
+	kwatch();
 	win = xcb_generate_id(conn);
 	xcb_create_window(conn, XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT, win, screen->root,
 		0, 0, 1, 1, 0, XCB_WINDOW_CLASS_INPUT_OUTPUT,
@@ -511,7 +531,7 @@ ximthread(void *arg)
 			break;
 		while((ev = xcb_poll_for_event(conn)) != nil){
 			type = ev->response_type & ~0x80;
-			if(type == XCB_MAPPING_NOTIFY){
+			if(type == xkbevent){
 				if(kinit() < 0)
 					ximlog("cannot refresh keyboard mapping");
 			}else