diff --git a/src/wmapp.cc b/src/wmapp.cc
index 89def814c..7f1543091 100644
--- a/src/wmapp.cc
+++ b/src/wmapp.cc
@@ -506,16 +506,6 @@ void YWMApp::reparseKeyPrefs() {
     }
 }
 
-void YWMApp::fixupPreferences() {
-    extern cfoption icewm_preferences[];
-    for (cfoption* op = icewm_preferences; op->type; ++op) {
-        if (op->type == cfoption::CF_KEY) {
-            WMKey* key = op->v.k.key_value;
-            xapp->unshift(&key->key, &key->mod);
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 void LogoutMenu::updatePopup() {
     if (itemCount())
         return;
@@ -1327,8 +1317,6 @@ YWMApp::YWMApp(int *argc, char ***argv, const char *displayName,
     if (show_extensions)
         showExtensions();
 
-    fixupPreferences();
-
     DEPRECATE(xrrDisable == true);
     DEPRECATE(warpPointer == true);
     DEPRECATE(focusRootWindow == true);
diff --git a/src/wmapp.h b/src/wmapp.h
index ca19b94b4..f4680e158 100644
--- a/src/wmapp.h
+++ b/src/wmapp.h
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ class YWMApp:
     void initIcons();
     void initIconSize();
     void reparseKeyPrefs();
-    void fixupPreferences();
 };
 
 extern YWMApp * wmapp;
diff --git a/src/wmkey.cc b/src/wmkey.cc
index fea8aa777..be4a343d1 100644
--- a/src/wmkey.cc
+++ b/src/wmkey.cc
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ bool WMKey::set(const char* arg) {
     else {
         unsigned ks = 0;
         unsigned short mo = 0;
-        if (xapp->parseKey(arg, &ks, &mo)) {
+        if (YConfig::parseKey(arg, &ks, &mo)) {
             if (initial == false)
                 delete[] const_cast<char *>(name);
             name = newstr(arg);
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ bool WMKey::set(const char* arg) {
 bool WMKey::parse() {
     if (nonempty(name)) {
         key = mod = xmod = kc = 0;
-        return xapp->parseKey(name, &key, &mod);
+        return YConfig::parseKey(name, &key, &mod);
     } else {
         return false;
     }
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ void WMKey::grab(int handle) {
             return;
         }
     }
-    if (kc == 0) {
+    if (kc == 0 && key) {
+        xapp->unshift(&key, &xmod);
         kc = XKeysymToKeycode(xapp->display(), KeySym(key));
     }
     if (kc) {
diff --git a/src/wmkey.h b/src/wmkey.h
index 7c37fd641..f58855262 100644
--- a/src/wmkey.h
+++ b/src/wmkey.h
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ struct WMKey {
     WMKey() : key(0), mod(0), xmod(0), name(""), kc(0), initial(true) { }
     WMKey(char* s) : key(0), mod(0), xmod(0), name(s), kc(0), initial(false) {
         parse(); }
-    WMKey(KeySym k, unsigned short m, const char* s) :
+    WMKey(unsigned k, unsigned short m, const char* s) :
         key(k), mod(m), xmod(0), name(s), kc(0), initial(true) { }
 
-    bool eq(KeySym k, unsigned short m) const { return key == k && mod == m; }
+    bool eq(unsigned k, unsigned short m) const { return key == k && mod == m; }
     bool operator==(const WMKey& o) const { return eq(o.key, o.mod); }
     bool operator!=(const WMKey& o) const { return !eq(o.key, o.mod); }
     bool parse();
diff --git a/src/wmmenu.cc b/src/wmmenu.cc
index 1153a35e5..8acfb26b2 100644
--- a/src/wmmenu.cc
+++ b/src/wmmenu.cc
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ static mstring guessIconNameFromExe(const char* exe)
     return "-";
 }
 
-char* MenuLoader::parseKey(char *word, char *p)
+char* MenuLoader::parseAKey(char *word, char *p)
 {
     bool runonce = !strcmp(word, "runonce");
     bool switchkey = !strcmp(word, "switchkey");
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ char* MenuLoader::parseWord(char *word, char *p, ObjectContainer *container)
           || !strcmp(word, "runonce")
           || !strcmp(word, "switchkey"))
     {
-        p = parseKey(word, p);
+        p = parseAKey(word, p);
     }
     else {
         msg(_("Unknown keyword for a non-container: '%s'.\n"
diff --git a/src/wmmgr.cc b/src/wmmgr.cc
index 24b1ffc71..9e1748f81 100644
--- a/src/wmmgr.cc
+++ b/src/wmmgr.cc
@@ -247,8 +247,9 @@ void YWindowManager::grabKeys() {
         grab(gKeySysKeyboardNext);
 
     {
-        for (KProgram* k : keyProgs) {
-            grabVKey(k->key(), k->modifiers());
+        int win = handle();
+        for (KProgram* kp : keyProgs) {
+            kp->grab(win);
         }
     }
     if (xapp->WinMask && win95keys) {
diff --git a/src/wmprog.h b/src/wmprog.h
index 64bd4f044..7c0bf76d4 100644
--- a/src/wmprog.h
+++ b/src/wmprog.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class MenuLoader {
     char* parseMenuFile(char *data, ObjectContainer *container);
     char* parseMenuProg(char *data, ObjectContainer *container);
     char* parseMenuProgReload(char *data, ObjectContainer *container);
-    char* parseKey(char *word, char *p);
+    char* parseAKey(char *word, char *p);
     char* parseProgram(char *word, char *p, ObjectContainer *container);
     char* parseWord(char *word, char *p, ObjectContainer *container);
 
@@ -177,8 +177,7 @@ class KProgram {
         return wm.eq(key, mod);
     }
     void open(unsigned mods);
-    KeySym key() const { return wm.key; }
-    unsigned modifiers() const { return wm.mod; }
+    void grab(int handle) { wm.grab(handle); }
 
 private:
     WMKey wm;
diff --git a/src/ywindow.cc b/src/ywindow.cc
index 5d5c575b6..d070354a5 100644
--- a/src/ywindow.cc
+++ b/src/ywindow.cc
@@ -1702,74 +1702,7 @@ YDesktop::~YDesktop() {
 }
 
 void YWindow::grab(struct WMKey& wmkey) {
-    grabVKey(wmkey.key, wmkey.mod);
-}
-
-void YWindow::grabVKey(unsigned key, unsigned vm) {
-    if (key) {
-        if (vm == 0) {
-            grabKey(key, 0);
-        } else {
-            unsigned m = 0;
-            bool ok = true;
-
-            if (vm & kfShift)
-                m |= ShiftMask;
-            if (vm & kfCtrl)
-                m |= ControlMask;
-            if (vm & kfAlt) {
-                if (xapp->AltMask)
-                    m |= xapp->AltMask;
-                else
-                    ok = false;
-            }
-            if (vm & kfMeta) {
-                if (xapp->MetaMask)
-                    m |= xapp->MetaMask;
-                else
-                    ok = false;
-            }
-            if (vm & kfSuper) {
-                if (xapp->SuperMask)
-                    m |= xapp->SuperMask;
-                else
-                    ok = false;
-            }
-            if (vm & kfHyper) {
-                if (xapp->HyperMask)
-                    m |= xapp->HyperMask;
-                else
-                    ok = false;
-            }
-            if (vm & kfAltGr) {
-                if (xapp->ModeSwitchMask)
-                    m |= xapp->ModeSwitchMask;
-                else
-                    ok = false;
-            }
-
-            MSG(("grabVKey k=0x%04x v=0x%02x m=0x%02x o=%d", key, vm, m, ok));
-            if (m && ok) {
-                grabKey(key, m);
-
-                // !!! recheck this
-                if (modSuperIsCtrlAlt && xapp->WinMask &&
-                    hasbits(vm, kfAlt | kfCtrl))
-                {
-                    m = xapp->WinMask;
-                    if (vm & kfShift)
-                        m |= ShiftMask;
-                    if (vm & kfSuper)
-                        m |= xapp->SuperMask;
-                    if (vm & kfHyper)
-                        m |= xapp->HyperMask;
-                    if (vm & kfAltGr)
-                        m |= xapp->ModeSwitchMask;
-                    grabKey(key, m);
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    }
+    wmkey.grab(handle());
 }
 
 void YWindow::grabVButton(int button, unsigned int vm) {
diff --git a/src/ywindow.h b/src/ywindow.h
index 8d68ba3c3..c07c1a672 100644
--- a/src/ywindow.h
+++ b/src/ywindow.h
@@ -162,7 +162,6 @@ class YWindow : protected YWindowList, private YWindowNode {
     void setPointer(Cursor pointer);
     void grabKeyM(unsigned key, unsigned modifiers);
     void grabKey(unsigned key, unsigned modifiers);
-    void grabVKey(unsigned key, unsigned modifiers);
     void grab(struct WMKey& wmkey);
     unsigned VMod(unsigned modifiers);
     void grabButtonM(int button, unsigned modifiers);
diff --git a/src/yxapp.cc b/src/yxapp.cc
index 5c46aba23..e349cd2b8 100644
--- a/src/yxapp.cc
+++ b/src/yxapp.cc
@@ -1395,13 +1395,6 @@ void YXApplication::queryMouse(int* x, int* y) {
         *x = *y = 0;
 }
 
-bool YXApplication::parseKey(const char* arg, unsigned* key, unsigned short* mod) {
-    bool yes = YConfig::parseKey(arg, key, mod);
-    if (yes)
-        unshift(key, mod);
-    return yes;
-}
-
 void YXApplication::unshift(unsigned* ksym, unsigned short* mod) {
     const unsigned key = unsigned(*ksym);
     if ((' ' < key && key < 'a') || ('z' < key && key <= 0xFF) ||
diff --git a/src/yxapp.h b/src/yxapp.h
index 04a845dd2..7d781e251 100644
--- a/src/yxapp.h
+++ b/src/yxapp.h
@@ -199,7 +199,6 @@ class YXApplication: public YApplication {
         return mask == buttonModMask(state);
     }
     unsigned keyCodeToKeySym(unsigned keycode, unsigned index = 0);
-    bool parseKey(const char* arg, unsigned* key, unsigned short* mod);
     void unshift(unsigned* key, unsigned short* mod);
     YKeycodeMap getKeycodeMap();