diff --git a/src/Surface.zig b/src/Surface.zig
index c16987b70..e9f766385 100644
--- a/src/Surface.zig
+++ b/src/Surface.zig
@@ -1037,11 +1037,12 @@ pub fn keyCallback(
             .cursor_key_application = t.modes.get(.cursor_keys),
             .keypad_key_application = t.modes.get(.keypad_keys),
             .modify_other_keys_state_2 = t.flags.modify_other_keys_2,
+            .kitty_flags = t.screen.kitty_keyboard.current(),
         };
     };
 
     var data: termio.Message.WriteReq.Small.Array = undefined;
-    const seq = try enc.legacy(&data);
+    const seq = try enc.encode(&data);
     if (seq.len == 0) return false;
 
     _ = self.io_thread.mailbox.push(.{
diff --git a/src/input/KeyEncoder.zig b/src/input/KeyEncoder.zig
index 6be1fbdd0..4fa760314 100644
--- a/src/input/KeyEncoder.zig
+++ b/src/input/KeyEncoder.zig
@@ -24,8 +24,17 @@ keypad_key_application: bool = false,
 modify_other_keys_state_2: bool = false,
 kitty_flags: KittyFlags = .{},
 
+/// Perform the proper encoding depending on the terminal state.
+pub fn encode(
+    self: *const KeyEncoder,
+    buf: []u8,
+) ![]const u8 {
+    if (self.kitty_flags.int() != 0) return try self.kitty(buf);
+    return try self.legacy(buf);
+}
+
 /// Perform Kitty keyboard protocol encoding of the key event.
-pub fn kitty(
+fn kitty(
     self: *const KeyEncoder,
     buf: []u8,
 ) ![]const u8 {
@@ -126,7 +135,7 @@ pub fn kitty(
 /// These together combine the legacy protocol because they're all
 /// meant to be extensions that do not change any existing behavior
 /// and therefore safe to combine.
-pub fn legacy(
+fn legacy(
     self: *const KeyEncoder,
     buf: []u8,
 ) ![]const u8 {