diff --git a/src/option.c b/src/option.c
index 8574f7f..45a6231 100644
--- a/src/option.c
+++ b/src/option.c
@@ -4330,7 +4330,8 @@
     {
 	--arg;			    // put arg at the '<'
 	modifiers = 0;
-	key = find_special_key(&arg, &modifiers, TRUE, TRUE, FALSE, TRUE, NULL);
+	key = find_special_key(&arg, &modifiers,
+			    FSK_KEYCODE | FSK_KEEP_X_KEY | FSK_SIMPLIFY, NULL);
 	if (modifiers)		    // can't handle modifiers here
 	    key = 0;
     }