diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aa96a99..394f82b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -253,6 +253,23 @@ using the synergy key IDs might make sense in an `id-keymap` section:
 with actual values based on the above process, using the `id` parameter in the
 server log instead of `button`.
 
+#### Button map
+
+This should not be necessary in 99.9% of situations, but if you want to change 
+the  default mouse button behavior you can include a section redefining the 
+button map in use:
+```
+[button-map]
+0 = 0 # No button
+1 = 0x110 # BTN_LEFT
+2 = 0x112 # BTN_MIDDLE
+3 = 0x111 # BTN_RIGHT
+4 = 0x113 # BTN_SIDE
+5 = 0x114 # BTN_EXTRA
+```
+Given here is the default; each of 6 protocol possibilities is mapped to a
+value based on `/usr/include/linux/input-event-keycodes.h`. 
+
 #### Screensaver
 
 `screensaver/start` should contain a command to be run when the screensaver is
diff --git a/include/wayland.h b/include/wayland.h
index b54dd91..9eeecd2 100644
--- a/include/wayland.h
+++ b/include/wayland.h
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ struct wlOutput
 	struct wlOutput *next;
 };
 
+#define WL_INPUT_BUTTON_COUNT 6
+
 struct wlInput {
 	/* module-specific state */
 	void *state;
@@ -56,6 +58,8 @@ struct wlInput {
 	int *id_keymap;
 	/* whether or not a given id entry should be used */
 	bool *id_keymap_valid;
+	/* mouse button map */
+	int button_map[WL_INPUT_BUTTON_COUNT];
 	/* wayland context */
 	struct wlContext *wl_ctx;
 	/* actual functions */
@@ -107,6 +111,8 @@ struct wlContext {
 /* (re)set the keyboard layout according to the configuration
  * probably not useful outside wlSetup*/
 extern int wlKeySetConfigLayout(struct wlContext *ctx);
+/* load button map */
+extern void wlLoadButtonMap(struct wlContext *ctx);
 /* set up the wayland context */
 extern bool wlSetup(struct wlContext *context, int width, int height, char *backend);
 
diff --git a/src/wl_input.c b/src/wl_input.c
index 018a119..f76367f 100644
--- a/src/wl_input.c
+++ b/src/wl_input.c
@@ -1,10 +1,33 @@
 #include "wayland.h"
+#include <assert.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include "log.h"
 #include "fdio_full.h"
 #include <xkbcommon/xkbcommon.h>
 
 
+/* handle button maps */
+
+void wlLoadButtonMap(struct wlContext *ctx)
+{
+	int i;
+	char *key;
+	int default_map[] = {
+		0,
+		0x110, /*BTN_LEFT*/
+		0x112, /*BTN_MIDDLE*/
+		0x111, /*BTN_RIGHT*/
+		0x113, /*BTN_SIDE*/
+		0x114, /*BTN_EXTRA*/
+	};
+	static_assert(sizeof(default_map)/sizeof(*default_map) == WL_INPUT_BUTTON_COUNT, "button map size mismatch");
+	for (i = 0; i < WL_INPUT_BUTTON_COUNT; ++i) {
+		xasprintf(&key, "button-map/%d", i);
+		ctx->input.button_map[i] = configTryLong(key, default_map[i]);
+		logDbg("Set button mapping: %d -> %d", i, ctx->input.button_map[i]);
+	}
+};
+
 
 /* Code to track keyboard state for modifier masks
  * because the synergy protocol is less than ideal at sending us modifiers
@@ -243,8 +266,8 @@ void wlMouseMotion(struct wlContext *ctx, int x, int y)
 }
 void wlMouseButton(struct wlContext *ctx, int button, int state)
 {
-	logDbg("Mouse button: %d, state: %d", button, state);
-	ctx->input.mouse_button(&ctx->input, button, state);
+	logDbg("Mouse button: %d (mapped to %d), state: %d", button, ctx->input.button_map[button], state);
+	ctx->input.mouse_button(&ctx->input, ctx->input.button_map[button], state);
 }
 void wlMouseWheel(struct wlContext *ctx, signed short dx, signed short dy)
 {
diff --git a/src/wl_input_kde.c b/src/wl_input_kde.c
index ca2217d..57d73bc 100644
--- a/src/wl_input_kde.c
+++ b/src/wl_input_kde.c
@@ -28,21 +28,10 @@ static void mouse_motion(struct wlInput *input, int x, int y)
 	wl_display_flush(input->wl_ctx->display);
 }
 
-static int button_map[] = {
-	0,
-	0x110,
-	0x112,
-	0x111,
-	0x150,
-	0x151,
-};
-
-
 static void mouse_button(struct wlInput *input, int button, int state)
 {
 	struct org_kde_kwin_fake_input *fake = input->state;
-	logDbg("mouse: button %d (mapped to %x) %s", button, button_map[button], state ? "down": "up");
-	org_kde_kwin_fake_input_button(fake, button_map[button], state);
+	org_kde_kwin_fake_input_button(fake, button, state);
 	wl_display_flush(input->wl_ctx->display);
 }
 
@@ -80,6 +69,7 @@ bool wlInputInitKde(struct wlContext *ctx)
 		.key = key,
 		.key_map = key_map,
 	};
+	wlLoadButtonMap(ctx);
 	logInfo("Using KDE fake input protocol");
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/wl_input_uinput.c b/src/wl_input_uinput.c
index 6ca8913..bfad498 100644
--- a/src/wl_input_uinput.c
+++ b/src/wl_input_uinput.c
@@ -27,15 +27,6 @@ struct state_uinput {
 
 #define UINPUT_KEY_MAX 256
 
-static int button_map[] = {
-	0,
-	0x110,
-	0x112,
-	0x111,
-	0x150,
-	0x151,
-};
-
 static void emit(int fd, int type, int code, int val)
 {
 	struct input_event ie = {
@@ -69,7 +60,7 @@ static void mouse_button(struct wlInput *input, int button, int state)
 {
 	struct state_uinput *ui = input->state;
 
-	emit(ui->mouse_fd, EV_KEY, button_map[button], state);
+	emit(ui->mouse_fd, EV_KEY, button, state);
 	emit(ui->mouse_fd, EV_SYN, SYN_REPORT, 0);
 }
 
@@ -147,7 +138,7 @@ static bool init_key(struct state_uinput *ui)
 	return true;
 }
 
-static bool init_mouse(struct state_uinput *ui, int max_x, int max_y)
+static bool init_mouse(struct wlContext *ctx, struct state_uinput *ui, int max_x, int max_y)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -172,8 +163,8 @@ static bool init_mouse(struct state_uinput *ui, int max_x, int max_y)
 
 	TRY_IOCTL(ui->mouse_fd, UI_SET_EVBIT, EV_SYN);
 	TRY_IOCTL(ui->mouse_fd, UI_SET_EVBIT, EV_KEY);
-	for (i = 0; i < (sizeof(button_map)/sizeof(*button_map)); ++i) {
-		TRY_IOCTL(ui->mouse_fd, UI_SET_KEYBIT, button_map[i]);
+	for (i = 0; i < WL_INPUT_BUTTON_COUNT; ++i) {
+		TRY_IOCTL(ui->mouse_fd, UI_SET_KEYBIT, ctx->input.button_map[i]);
 	}
 
 	TRY_IOCTL(ui->mouse_fd, UI_SET_EVBIT, EV_REL);
@@ -211,11 +202,8 @@ bool wlInputInitUinput(struct wlContext *ctx)
 	ctx->uinput_fd[0] = -1;
 	ctx->uinput_fd[1] = -1;
 
-	if (!init_key(ui))
-		goto error;
-	if (!init_mouse(ui, ctx->width, ctx->height))
-		goto error;
-
+	/* because we need to know the button map ahead of time, we need
+	 * to initialize this first */
 	ctx->input = (struct wlInput) {
 		.state = ui,
 		.wl_ctx = ctx,
@@ -226,6 +214,13 @@ bool wlInputInitUinput(struct wlContext *ctx)
 		.key = key,
 		.key_map = key_map,
 	};
+	wlLoadButtonMap(ctx);
+
+	if (!init_key(ui))
+		goto error;
+	if (!init_mouse(ctx, ui, ctx->width, ctx->height))
+		goto error;
+
 	logInfo("Using uinput");
 	return true;
 error:
diff --git a/src/wl_input_wlr.c b/src/wl_input_wlr.c
index ee89f2c..8a8a74d 100644
--- a/src/wl_input_wlr.c
+++ b/src/wl_input_wlr.c
@@ -43,16 +43,6 @@ static void key(struct wlInput *input, int key, int state)
 	wl_display_flush(input->wl_ctx->display);
 }
 
-static int button_map[] = {
-	0,
-	0x110,
-	0x112,
-	0x111,
-	0x150,
-	0x151,
-	-1
-};
-
 static void mouse_rel_motion(struct wlInput *input, int dx, int dy)
 {
 	struct state_wlr *wlr = input->state;
@@ -70,8 +60,7 @@ static void mouse_motion(struct wlInput *input, int x, int y)
 static void mouse_button(struct wlInput *input, int button, int state)
 {
 	struct state_wlr *wlr = input->state;
-	logDbg("mouse: button %d (mapped to %x) %s", button, button_map[button], state ? "down": "up");
-	zwlr_virtual_pointer_v1_button(wlr->pointer, wlTS(input->wl_ctx), button_map[button], state);
+	zwlr_virtual_pointer_v1_button(wlr->pointer, wlTS(input->wl_ctx), button, state);
 	zwlr_virtual_pointer_v1_frame(wlr->pointer);
 	wl_display_flush(input->wl_ctx->display);
 }
@@ -269,6 +258,7 @@ bool wlInputInitWlr(struct wlContext *ctx)
 		.key = key,
 		.key_map = key_map,
 	};
+	wlLoadButtonMap(ctx);
 	logInfo("Using wlroots virtual input protocols");
 	return true;
 }