diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index 50324f030..5db5fd2bc 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ import qutebrowser.utils.message as message
 from qutebrowser.widgets.mainwindow import MainWindow
 from qutebrowser.widgets.crash import CrashDialog
 from qutebrowser.keyinput.commandmode import CommandKeyParser
+from qutebrowser.keyinput.insertmode import InsertKeyParser
 from qutebrowser.commands.parsers import CommandParser, SearchParser
 from qutebrowser.browser.hints import HintKeyParser
 from qutebrowser.utils.appdirs import AppDirs
@@ -124,16 +125,18 @@ class QuteBrowser(QApplication):
         self.commandparser = CommandParser()
         self.searchparser = SearchParser()
         self._keyparsers = {
-            "normal": CommandKeyParser(self),
-            "hint": HintKeyParser(self),
+            'normal': CommandKeyParser(self),
+            'hint': HintKeyParser(self),
+            'insert': InsertKeyParser(self),
         }
         self._init_cmds()
         self.mainwindow = MainWindow()
         modes.init(self)
-        modes.manager.register("normal", self._keyparsers["normal"].handle)
-        modes.manager.register("hint", self._keyparsers["hint"].handle)
-        modes.manager.register("insert", None, passthrough=True)
-        modes.manager.register("command", None, passthrough=True)
+        modes.manager.register('normal', self._keyparsers['normal'].handle)
+        modes.manager.register('hint', self._keyparsers['hint'].handle)
+        modes.manager.register('insert', self._keyparsers['insert'].handle,
+                               passthrough=True)
+        modes.manager.register('command', None, passthrough=True)
         self.installEventFilter(modes.manager)
         self.setQuitOnLastWindowClosed(False)
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
index 7f34399fa..9719fc207 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ SECTION_DESC = {
         "pressed with Shift. For special keys (with <>-signs), you need "
         "to explicitely add \"Shift-\" to match a key pressed with shift. "
         "You can bind multiple commands by separating them with \";;\"."),
+    'keybind.insert': (
+        "Keybindings for insert mode.\n"
+        "Since normal keypresses are passed through, only special keys are "
+        "supported in this mode.\n"
+        "In addition to the normal commands, the following special commands "
+        "are defined:\n"
+        "  <normal>: Switch back to normal mode."),
     'aliases': (
         "Aliases for commands.\n"
         "By default, no aliases are defined. Example which adds a new command "
@@ -420,6 +427,12 @@ DATA = OrderedDict([
         ('<Backspace>', 'back'),
     )),
 
+    ('keybind.insert', sect.ValueList(
+        types.KeyBindingName(), types.KeyBinding(['<normal>']),
+        ('<Escape>', '<normal>'),
+        ('<Ctrl-C>', '<normal>'),
+    )),
+
     ('aliases', sect.ValueList(
         types.Command(), types.Command(),
     )),
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/conftypes.py b/qutebrowser/config/conftypes.py
index 832e61852..5694cfa03 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/conftypes.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/conftypes.py
@@ -538,6 +538,18 @@ class LastClose(String):
 
 class KeyBinding(Command):
 
-    """The command of a keybinding."""
+    """The command of a keybinding.
 
-    pass
+    Attributes:
+        _special_keys: Specially defined keys which are no commands.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, special_keys=None):
+        if special_keys == None:
+            special_keys = []
+        self._special_keys = special_keys
+
+    def validate(self, value):
+        if value in self._special_keys:
+            return
+        super().validate(value)
diff --git a/qutebrowser/keyinput/insertmode.py b/qutebrowser/keyinput/insertmode.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fbeba0300
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qutebrowser/keyinput/insertmode.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# Copyright 2014 Florian Bruhin (The Compiler) <mail@qutebrowser.org>
+#
+# This file is part of qutebrowser.
+#
+# qutebrowser is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# qutebrowser is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with qutebrowser.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+"""KeyParser for "insert" mode."""
+
+from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSignal, Qt
+
+import qutebrowser.keyinput.modes as modes
+from qutebrowser.keyinput.keyparser import KeyParser
+
+
+class InsertKeyParser(KeyParser):
+
+    """KeyParser for insert mode."""
+
+    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+        super().__init__(parent)
+        self.read_config('keybind.insert')
+
+    def execute(self, cmdstr, count=None):
+        """Handle a completed keychain."""
+        if cmdstr == '<normal>':
+            modes.leave("insert")