diff --git a/include/all.h b/include/all.h
index 9ba4c1d9..a355d3d2 100644
--- a/include/all.h
+++ b/include/all.h
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
 #include "scratchpad.h"
 #include "commands.h"
 #include "commands_parser.h"
+#include "bindings.h"
 #include "config_directives.h"
 #include "config_parser.h"
 #include "fake_outputs.h"
diff --git a/include/bindings.h b/include/bindings.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..49711a9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/bindings.h
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/*
+ * vim:ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
+ *
+ * i3 - an improved dynamic tiling window manager
+ * © 2009-2014 Michael Stapelberg and contributors (see also: LICENSE)
+ *
+ * bindings.h: Functions for configuring, finding, and running bindings.
+ *
+ */
+#pragma once
+
+/**
+ * The name of the default mode.
+ *
+ */
+const char *DEFAULT_BINDING_MODE;
+
+/**
+ * Adds a binding from config parameters given as strings and returns a
+ * pointer to the binding structure. Returns NULL if the input code could not
+ * be parsed.
+ *
+ */
+Binding *configure_binding(const char *bindtype, const char *modifiers, const char *input_code,
+        const char *release, const char *command, const char *mode);
diff --git a/include/config_directives.h b/include/config_directives.h
index e6b792c4..a95a6473 100644
--- a/include/config_directives.h
+++ b/include/config_directives.h
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@
 
 #include "config_parser.h"
 
+/**
+ * A utility function to convert a string of modifiers to the corresponding bit
+ * mask.
+ */
+uint32_t modifiers_from_str(const char *str);
+
 /** The beginning of the prototype for every cfg_ function. */
 #define I3_CFG Match *current_match, struct ConfigResult *result
 
diff --git a/src/bindings.c b/src/bindings.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..511e8996
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bindings.c
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/*
+ * vim:ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
+ *
+ * i3 - an improved dynamic tiling window manager
+ * © 2009-2014 Michael Stapelberg and contributors (see also: LICENSE)
+ *
+ * bindings.c: Functions for configuring, finding and, running bindings.
+ */
+#include "all.h"
+
+/*
+ * The name of the default mode.
+ *
+ */
+const char *DEFAULT_BINDING_MODE = "default";
+
+/*
+ * Returns the mode specified by `name` or creates a new mode and adds it to
+ * the list of modes.
+ *
+ */
+static struct Mode *mode_from_name(const char *name) {
+    struct Mode *mode;
+
+    /* Try to find the mode in the list of modes and return it */
+    SLIST_FOREACH(mode, &modes, modes) {
+        if (strcmp(mode->name, name) == 0)
+            return mode;
+    }
+
+    /* If the mode was not found, create a new one */
+    mode = scalloc(sizeof(struct Mode));
+    mode->name = sstrdup(name);
+    mode->bindings = scalloc(sizeof(struct bindings_head));
+    TAILQ_INIT(mode->bindings);
+    SLIST_INSERT_HEAD(&modes, mode, modes);
+
+    return mode;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Adds a binding from config parameters given as strings and returns a
+ * pointer to the binding structure. Returns NULL if the input code could not
+ * be parsed.
+ *
+ */
+Binding *configure_binding(const char *bindtype, const char *modifiers, const char *input_code,
+        const char *release, const char *command, const char *modename) {
+    Binding *new_binding = scalloc(sizeof(Binding));
+    DLOG("bindtype %s, modifiers %s, input code %s, release %s\n", bindtype, modifiers, input_code, release);
+    new_binding->release = (release != NULL ? B_UPON_KEYRELEASE : B_UPON_KEYPRESS);
+    if (strcmp(bindtype, "bindsym") == 0) {
+        new_binding->symbol = sstrdup(input_code);
+    } else {
+        // TODO: strtol with proper error handling
+        new_binding->keycode = atoi(input_code);
+        if (new_binding->keycode == 0) {
+            ELOG("Could not parse \"%s\" as an input code, ignoring this binding.\n", input_code);
+            FREE(new_binding);
+            return NULL;
+        }
+    }
+    new_binding->mods = modifiers_from_str(modifiers);
+    new_binding->command = sstrdup(command);
+    new_binding->input_type = B_KEYBOARD;
+
+    struct Mode *mode = mode_from_name(modename);
+    TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(mode->bindings, new_binding, bindings);
+
+    return new_binding;
+}
diff --git a/src/config_directives.c b/src/config_directives.c
index 96d29ee0..f5a592f5 100644
--- a/src/config_directives.c
+++ b/src/config_directives.c
@@ -130,7 +130,11 @@ static bool eval_boolstr(const char *str) {
             strcasecmp(str, "active") == 0);
 }
 
-static uint32_t modifiers_from_str(const char *str) {
+/*
+ * A utility function to convert a string of modifiers to the corresponding bit
+ * mask.
+ */
+uint32_t modifiers_from_str(const char *str) {
     /* It might be better to use strtok() here, but the simpler strstr() should
      * do for now. */
     uint32_t result = 0;
@@ -167,24 +171,8 @@ CFGFUN(font, const char *font) {
 	font_pattern = sstrdup(font);
 }
 
-// TODO: refactor with mode_binding
 CFGFUN(binding, const char *bindtype, const char *modifiers, const char *key, const char *release, const char *command) {
-    Binding *new_binding = scalloc(sizeof(Binding));
-    DLOG("bindtype %s, modifiers %s, key %s, release %s\n", bindtype, modifiers, key, release);
-    new_binding->release = (release != NULL ? B_UPON_KEYRELEASE : B_UPON_KEYPRESS);
-    if (strcmp(bindtype, "bindsym") == 0) {
-        new_binding->symbol = sstrdup(key);
-    } else {
-        // TODO: strtol with proper error handling
-        new_binding->keycode = atoi(key);
-        if (new_binding->keycode == 0) {
-            ELOG("Could not parse \"%s\" as a keycode, ignoring this binding.\n", key);
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-    new_binding->mods = modifiers_from_str(modifiers);
-    new_binding->command = sstrdup(command);
-    TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(bindings, new_binding, bindings);
+    configure_binding(bindtype, modifiers, key, release, command, DEFAULT_BINDING_MODE);
 }
 
 
@@ -192,39 +180,20 @@ CFGFUN(binding, const char *bindtype, const char *modifiers, const char *key, co
  * Mode handling
  ******************************************************************************/
 
-static struct bindings_head *current_bindings;
+static char *current_mode;
 
 CFGFUN(mode_binding, const char *bindtype, const char *modifiers, const char *key, const char *release, const char *command) {
-    Binding *new_binding = scalloc(sizeof(Binding));
-    DLOG("bindtype %s, modifiers %s, key %s, release %s\n", bindtype, modifiers, key, release);
-    new_binding->release = (release != NULL ? B_UPON_KEYRELEASE : B_UPON_KEYPRESS);
-    if (strcmp(bindtype, "bindsym") == 0) {
-        new_binding->symbol = sstrdup(key);
-    } else {
-        // TODO: strtol with proper error handling
-        new_binding->keycode = atoi(key);
-        if (new_binding->keycode == 0) {
-            ELOG("Could not parse \"%s\" as a keycode, ignoring this binding.\n", key);
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-    new_binding->mods = modifiers_from_str(modifiers);
-    new_binding->command = sstrdup(command);
-    TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(current_bindings, new_binding, bindings);
+    configure_binding(bindtype, modifiers, key, release, command, current_mode);
 }
 
 CFGFUN(enter_mode, const char *modename) {
-    if (strcasecmp(modename, "default") == 0) {
-        ELOG("You cannot use the name \"default\" for your mode\n");
+    if (strcasecmp(modename, DEFAULT_BINDING_MODE) == 0) {
+        ELOG("You cannot use the name %s for your mode\n", DEFAULT_BINDING_MODE);
         exit(1);
     }
     DLOG("\t now in mode %s\n", modename);
-    struct Mode *mode = scalloc(sizeof(struct Mode));
-    mode->name = sstrdup(modename);
-    mode->bindings = scalloc(sizeof(struct bindings_head));
-    TAILQ_INIT(mode->bindings);
-    current_bindings = mode->bindings;
-    SLIST_INSERT_HEAD(&modes, mode, modes);
+    FREE(current_mode);
+    current_mode = sstrdup(modename);
 }
 
 CFGFUN(exec, const char *exectype, const char *no_startup_id, const char *command) {