diff --git a/include/application.h b/include/application.h
index 8dcfca1..648d7ab 100644
--- a/include/application.h
+++ b/include/application.h
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ bool application_init(struct swappy_state *state);
 int application_run(struct swappy_state *state);
 void application_finish(struct swappy_state *state);
 
+void brush_clicked_handler(GtkWidget *widget, struct swappy_state *state);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 0ed0245..567030a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ executable(
 		wayland_client,
 		wayland_cursor,
 	],
+	link_args: '-rdynamic',
 	include_directories: [swappy_inc],
 	install: true,
 )
diff --git a/res/swappy.ui b/res/swappy.ui
index d32828d..fcd96ad 100644
--- a/res/swappy.ui
+++ b/res/swappy.ui
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@
                 <property name="visible">True</property>
                 <property name="can_focus">True</property>
                 <property name="receives_default">True</property>
+                <signal name="clicked" handler="brush_clicked_handler" swapped="no"/>
                 <style>
                   <class name="brush"/>
                 </style>
diff --git a/src/application.c b/src/application.c
index 433e742..6aee5b4 100644
--- a/src/application.c
+++ b/src/application.c
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ static void swappy_overlay_clear(struct swappy_state *state) {
   }
 }
 
+static void switch_mode_to_brush(struct swappy_state *state) {
+  g_debug("switching mode to brush");
+  state->mode = SWAPPY_PAINT_MODE_BRUSH;
+}
+
 void application_finish(struct swappy_state *state) {
   g_debug("application is shutting down");
   swappy_overlay_clear(state);
@@ -29,6 +34,10 @@ void application_finish(struct swappy_state *state) {
   g_object_unref(state->app);
 }
 
+void brush_clicked_handler(GtkWidget *widget, struct swappy_state *state) {
+  switch_mode_to_brush(state);
+}
+
 static gboolean draw_area_handler(GtkWidget *widget, cairo_t *cr,
                                   struct swappy_state *state) {
   cairo_set_source_surface(cr, state->cairo_surface, 0, 0);
@@ -119,12 +128,13 @@ static void tools_menu_button_copy_clicked_handler(GtkToggleButton *source,
 }
 
 static void keypress_handler(GtkWidget *widget, GdkEventKey *event,
-                             gpointer data) {
-  struct swappy_state *state = data;
+                             struct swappy_state *state) {
   g_debug("keypress_handler key pressed: %d\n", event->keyval);
   if (event->keyval == GDK_KEY_Escape) {
     g_debug("keypress_handler: escape key pressed, ciao bye\n");
     gtk_window_close(state->window);
+  } else if (event->keyval == GDK_KEY_B || event->keyval == GDK_KEY_b) {
+    switch_mode_to_brush(state);
   }
 }
 
@@ -232,6 +242,8 @@ static bool load_layout(struct swappy_state *state) {
   area = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "paint_area"));
   popover = GTK_POPOVER(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "popover"));
 
+  gtk_builder_connect_signals(builder, state);
+
   g_signal_connect(G_OBJECT(state->window), "key_press_event",
                    G_CALLBACK(keypress_handler), state);
   g_signal_connect(brush, "toggled",