diff --git a/app/scrcpy.1 b/app/scrcpy.1
index 1dafbc6a..203395a4 100644
--- a/app/scrcpy.1
+++ b/app/scrcpy.1
@@ -61,6 +61,13 @@ Set the TCP port the client listens on.
 
 Default is 27183.
 
+.TP
+.B \-\-prefer\-text
+Inject alpha characters and space as text events instead of key events.
+
+This avoids issues when combining multiple keys to enter special characters,
+but breaks the expected behavior of alpha keys in games (typically WASD).
+
 .TP
 .BI "\-\-push\-target " path
 Set the target directory for pushing files to the device by drag & drop. It is passed as\-is to "adb push".
diff --git a/app/src/event_converter.c b/app/src/event_converter.c
index 00e989f7..80ead615 100644
--- a/app/src/event_converter.c
+++ b/app/src/event_converter.c
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ convert_meta_state(SDL_Keymod mod) {
 }
 
 bool
-convert_keycode(SDL_Keycode from, enum android_keycode *to, uint16_t mod) {
+convert_keycode(SDL_Keycode from, enum android_keycode *to, uint16_t mod,
+                bool prefer_text) {
     switch (from) {
         MAP(SDLK_RETURN,       AKEYCODE_ENTER);
         MAP(SDLK_KP_ENTER,     AKEYCODE_NUMPAD_ENTER);
@@ -92,6 +93,12 @@ convert_keycode(SDL_Keycode from, enum android_keycode *to, uint16_t mod) {
         MAP(SDLK_DOWN,         AKEYCODE_DPAD_DOWN);
         MAP(SDLK_UP,           AKEYCODE_DPAD_UP);
     }
+
+    if (prefer_text) {
+        // do not forward alpha and space key events
+        return false;
+    }
+
     if (mod & (KMOD_LALT | KMOD_RALT | KMOD_LGUI | KMOD_RGUI)) {
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/app/src/event_converter.h b/app/src/event_converter.h
index 8bad7358..c41887e1 100644
--- a/app/src/event_converter.h
+++ b/app/src/event_converter.h
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ enum android_metastate
 convert_meta_state(SDL_Keymod mod);
 
 bool
-convert_keycode(SDL_Keycode from, enum android_keycode *to, uint16_t mod);
+convert_keycode(SDL_Keycode from, enum android_keycode *to, uint16_t mod,
+                bool prefer_text);
 
 enum android_motionevent_buttons
 convert_mouse_buttons(uint32_t state);
diff --git a/app/src/input_manager.c b/app/src/input_manager.c
index fe891990..7d333c1b 100644
--- a/app/src/input_manager.c
+++ b/app/src/input_manager.c
@@ -214,12 +214,15 @@ clipboard_paste(struct controller *controller) {
 void
 input_manager_process_text_input(struct input_manager *im,
                                  const SDL_TextInputEvent *event) {
-    char c = event->text[0];
-    if (isalpha(c) || c == ' ') {
-        SDL_assert(event->text[1] == '\0');
-        // letters and space are handled as raw key event
-        return;
+    if (!im->prefer_text) {
+        char c = event->text[0];
+        if (isalpha(c) || c == ' ') {
+            SDL_assert(event->text[1] == '\0');
+            // letters and space are handled as raw key event
+            return;
+        }
     }
+
     struct control_msg msg;
     msg.type = CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_INJECT_TEXT;
     msg.inject_text.text = SDL_strdup(event->text);
@@ -234,7 +237,8 @@ input_manager_process_text_input(struct input_manager *im,
 }
 
 static bool
-convert_input_key(const SDL_KeyboardEvent *from, struct control_msg *to) {
+convert_input_key(const SDL_KeyboardEvent *from, struct control_msg *to,
+                  bool prefer_text) {
     to->type = CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_INJECT_KEYCODE;
 
     if (!convert_keycode_action(from->type, &to->inject_keycode.action)) {
@@ -242,7 +246,8 @@ convert_input_key(const SDL_KeyboardEvent *from, struct control_msg *to) {
     }
 
     uint16_t mod = from->keysym.mod;
-    if (!convert_keycode(from->keysym.sym, &to->inject_keycode.keycode, mod)) {
+    if (!convert_keycode(from->keysym.sym, &to->inject_keycode.keycode, mod,
+                         prefer_text)) {
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -393,7 +398,7 @@ input_manager_process_key(struct input_manager *im,
     }
 
     struct control_msg msg;
-    if (convert_input_key(event, &msg)) {
+    if (convert_input_key(event, &msg, im->prefer_text)) {
         if (!controller_push_msg(controller, &msg)) {
             LOGW("Could not request 'inject keycode'");
         }
diff --git a/app/src/input_manager.h b/app/src/input_manager.h
index 934c529e..43fc0eeb 100644
--- a/app/src/input_manager.h
+++ b/app/src/input_manager.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ struct input_manager {
     struct controller *controller;
     struct video_buffer *video_buffer;
     struct screen *screen;
+    bool prefer_text;
 };
 
 void
diff --git a/app/src/main.c b/app/src/main.c
index 1d5beb64..12c65ed4 100644
--- a/app/src/main.c
+++ b/app/src/main.c
@@ -67,6 +67,13 @@ static void usage(const char *arg0) {
         "        Set the TCP port the client listens on.\n"
         "        Default is %d.\n"
         "\n"
+        "    --prefer-text\n"
+        "        Inject alpha characters and space as text events instead of\n"
+        "        key events.\n"
+        "        This avoids issues when combining multiple keys to enter a\n"
+        "        special character, but breaks the expected behavior of alpha\n"
+        "        keys in games (typically WASD).\n"
+        "\n"
         "    --push-target path\n"
         "        Set the target directory for pushing files to the device by\n"
         "        drag & drop. It is passed as-is to \"adb push\".\n"
@@ -300,6 +307,7 @@ guess_record_format(const char *filename) {
 #define OPT_ALWAYS_ON_TOP         1003
 #define OPT_CROP                  1004
 #define OPT_RECORD_FORMAT         1005
+#define OPT_PREFER_TEXT           1006
 
 static bool
 parse_args(struct args *args, int argc, char *argv[]) {
@@ -321,6 +329,7 @@ parse_args(struct args *args, int argc, char *argv[]) {
         {"serial",                required_argument, NULL, 's'},
         {"show-touches",          no_argument,       NULL, 't'},
         {"turn-screen-off",       no_argument,       NULL, 'S'},
+        {"prefer-text",           no_argument,       NULL, OPT_PREFER_TEXT},
         {"version",               no_argument,       NULL, 'v'},
         {"window-title",          required_argument, NULL,
                                                      OPT_WINDOW_TITLE},
@@ -404,6 +413,9 @@ parse_args(struct args *args, int argc, char *argv[]) {
             case OPT_PUSH_TARGET:
                 opts->push_target = optarg;
                 break;
+            case OPT_PREFER_TEXT:
+                opts->prefer_text = true;
+                break;
             default:
                 // getopt prints the error message on stderr
                 return false;
diff --git a/app/src/scrcpy.c b/app/src/scrcpy.c
index c219c9e5..16f1b4f7 100644
--- a/app/src/scrcpy.c
+++ b/app/src/scrcpy.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ static struct input_manager input_manager = {
     .controller = &controller,
     .video_buffer = &video_buffer,
     .screen = &screen,
+    .prefer_text = false, // initialized later
 };
 
 // init SDL and set appropriate hints
@@ -414,6 +415,8 @@ scrcpy(const struct scrcpy_options *options) {
         show_touches_waited = true;
     }
 
+    input_manager.prefer_text = options->prefer_text;
+
     ret = event_loop(options->display, options->control);
     LOGD("quit...");
 
diff --git a/app/src/scrcpy.h b/app/src/scrcpy.h
index 4bc24742..70a41ec1 100644
--- a/app/src/scrcpy.h
+++ b/app/src/scrcpy.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 #include "config.h"
+#include "input_manager.h"
 #include "recorder.h"
 
 struct scrcpy_options {
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ struct scrcpy_options {
     bool display;
     bool turn_screen_off;
     bool render_expired_frames;
+    bool prefer_text;
 };
 
 #define SCRCPY_OPTIONS_DEFAULT { \
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ struct scrcpy_options {
     .display = true, \
     .turn_screen_off = false, \
     .render_expired_frames = false, \
+    .prefer_text = false, \
 }
 
 bool