{
     /*ob_debug("ungrabbing %d passive grabs\n", passive_count);*/
     if (passive_count) {
-        /* kill out passive grab */
+        /* kill our passive grab */
         XUngrabKeyboard(ob_display, event_curtime);
         passive_count = 0;
     }
 
         while (p) {
             if (p->key)
                 grab_key(p->key, p->state, RootWindow(ob_display, ob_screen),
-                         GrabModeAsync);
+                         GrabModeSync);
             p = p->next_sibling;
         }
         if (curpos)
             grab_key(config_keyboard_reset_keycode,
                      config_keyboard_reset_state,
-                     RootWindow(ob_display, ob_screen), GrabModeAsync);
+                     RootWindow(ob_display, ob_screen), GrabModeSync);
     }
 }
 
         }
         p = p->next_sibling;
     }
+
+    XAllowEvents(ob_display, AsyncKeyboard, event_curtime);
 }
 
 static void node_rebind(KeyBindingTree *node)