diff --git a/openbox/config.c b/openbox/config.c
index 76f48569..434791bf 100644
--- a/openbox/config.c
+++ b/openbox/config.c
@@ -83,8 +83,9 @@ guint           config_dock_show_delay;
 guint           config_dock_app_move_button;
 guint           config_dock_app_move_modifiers;
 
-guint config_keyboard_reset_keycode;
-guint config_keyboard_reset_state;
+guint    config_keyboard_reset_keycode;
+guint    config_keyboard_reset_state;
+gboolean config_keyboard_rebind_on_mapping_notify;
 
 gint     config_mouse_threshold;
 gint     config_mouse_dclicktime;
@@ -503,6 +504,9 @@ static void parse_keyboard(xmlNodePtr node, gpointer d)
             parse_key(n, NULL);
             n = obt_xml_find_node(n->next, "keybind");
         }
+
+    if ((n = obt_xml_find_node(node->children, "rebindOnMappingNotify")))
+        config_keyboard_rebind_on_mapping_notify = obt_xml_node_bool(n);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1120,6 +1124,7 @@ void config_startup(ObtXmlInst *i)
 
     translate_key("C-g", &config_keyboard_reset_state,
                   &config_keyboard_reset_keycode);
+    config_keyboard_rebind_on_mapping_notify = TRUE;
 
     bind_default_keyboard();
 
diff --git a/openbox/config.h b/openbox/config.h
index fc1d217e..96a66cf1 100644
--- a/openbox/config.h
+++ b/openbox/config.h
@@ -179,6 +179,8 @@ extern guint config_desktop_popup_time;
 extern guint config_keyboard_reset_keycode;
 /*! The modifiers of the key combo which resets the keybaord chains */
 extern guint config_keyboard_reset_state;
+/*! Reload the keyboard bindings when the mapping changes */
+extern gboolean config_keyboard_rebind_on_mapping_notify;
 
 /*! Number of pixels a drag must go before being considered a drag */
 extern gint config_mouse_threshold;
diff --git a/openbox/event.c b/openbox/event.c
index 243f2078..9f560306 100644
--- a/openbox/event.c
+++ b/openbox/event.c
@@ -637,11 +637,13 @@ static void event_process(const XEvent *ec, gpointer data)
     else if (e->type == MappingNotify) {
         /* keyboard layout changes for modifier mapping changes. reload the
            modifier map, and rebind all the key bindings as appropriate */
-        ob_debug("Keyboard map changed. Reloading keyboard bindings.");
-        ob_set_state(OB_STATE_RECONFIGURING);
-        obt_keyboard_reload();
-        keyboard_rebind();
-        ob_set_state(OB_STATE_RUNNING);
+        if (config_keyboard_rebind_on_mapping_notify) {
+            ob_debug("Keyboard map changed. Reloading keyboard bindings.");
+            ob_set_state(OB_STATE_RECONFIGURING);
+            obt_keyboard_reload();
+            keyboard_rebind();
+            ob_set_state(OB_STATE_RUNNING);
+        }
     }
     else if (e->type == ClientMessage) {
         /* This is for _NET_WM_REQUEST_FRAME_EXTENTS messages. They come for