diff --git a/terminatorlib/keybindings.py b/terminatorlib/keybindings.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7d7491f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/terminatorlib/keybindings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+
+import re, gtk
+
+class KeymapError(Exception):
+  def __init__(self, value):
+    self.value = value
+    self.action = 'unknown'
+
+  def __str__(self):
+    return "Keybinding '%s' invalid: %s" % (self.action, self.value)
+
+class TerminatorKeybindings:
+  Modifier = re.compile('<([^<]+)>')
+  keys = {
+    'zoom_in':          '<Ctrl>plus',
+    'zoom_out':         '<Ctrl>minus',
+    'zoom_normal':      '<Ctrl>0',
+    'new_root_tab':     '<Ctrl><Shift><Alt>T',
+    'new_tab':          '<Ctrl><Shift>T',
+    'go_next':          '<Ctrl><Shift>N',
+    'go_prev':          '<Ctrl><Shift>P',
+    'split_horiz':      '<Ctrl><Shift>O',
+    'split_vert':       '<Ctrl><Shift>E',
+    'close_term':       '<Ctrl><Shift>W',
+    'copy':             '<Ctrl><Shift>C',
+    'paste':            '<Ctrl><Shift>V',
+    'toggle_scrollbar': '<Ctrl><Shift>S',
+    'close_window':     '<Ctrl><Shift>Q',
+    'resize_up':        '<Ctrl><Shift>Up',
+    'resize_down':      '<Ctrl><Shift>Down',
+    'resize_left':      '<Ctrl><Shift>Left',
+    'resize_right':     '<Ctrl><Shift>Right',
+    'move_tab_right':   '<Ctrl><Shift>Page_Up',
+    'move_tab_left':    '<Ctrl><Shift>Page_Down',
+    'toggle_zoom':      '<Ctrl><Shift>X',
+    'next_tab':         '<Ctrl>Page_Down',
+    'prev_tab':         '<Ctrl>Page_Up',
+    'go_prev':          '<Ctrl><Shift>Tab',
+    'go_next':          '<Ctrl>Tab',
+    'full_screen':      'F11',
+  }
+
+  modifiers = {
+    'ctrl':  gtk.gdk.CONTROL_MASK,
+    'shift': gtk.gdk.SHIFT_MASK,
+    'alt':   gtk.gdk.MOD1_MASK
+  }
+
+  empty = {}
+
+  def __init__(self):
+    self._parse()
+
+  def _parse(self):
+    self._lookup = {}
+    self._masks = 0
+    for action, binding in self.keys.items():
+      try:
+        mask, key = self._parsebinding(binding)
+        keyval = gtk.gdk.keyval_from_name(key)
+        if keyval == 0:
+          raise KeymapError("Key '%s' is unrecognised" % key)
+      except KeymapError, e:
+        e.action = action
+        raise e
+      else:
+        self._lookup.setdefault(mask, {})
+        self._lookup[mask][key] = action
+        self._masks |= mask
+
+  def _parsebinding(self, binding):
+    mask = 0
+    modifiers = re.findall(self.Modifier, binding)
+    if modifiers:
+      for modifier in modifiers:
+        mask |= self._lookup_modifier(modifier)
+    key = re.sub(self.Modifier, '', binding)
+    if key == '':
+      raise KeymapError('No key found')
+    return (mask, re.sub(self.Modifier, '', binding))
+
+  def _lookup_modifier(self, modifier):
+    try:
+      return self.modifiers[modifier.lower()]
+    except KeyError:
+      raise KeymapError("Unhandled modifier '<%s>'" % modifier)
+
+  def lookup(self, event):
+    mask = event.state & self._masks
+    keyval = gtk.gdk.keyval_name(event.keyval)
+    return self._lookup.get(mask, self.empty).get(keyval, None)
+