diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index 059be861c..f084e6f57 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ As features stabilize some brief notes about them will accumulate here.
 #### Changed
 * Debian packages now register wezterm as an alternative for `x-terminal-emulator`. Thanks to [@xpufx](https://github.com/xpufx)! [#1883](https://github.com/wez/wezterm/pull/1883)
 * Windows: wezterm will now read the default environment variables from the `HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment` and `HKCU\Environment` and apply those to the base environment prior to applying `set_environment_variables`. [#1848](https://github.com/wez/wezterm/issues/1848)
+* [Key Table](config/key-tables.md) lookups will now keep searching the activation stack until a matching assignment is found, allowing for layered key tables. [#993](https://github.com/wez/wezterm/issues/993)
 
 #### Fixed
 * Flush after replying to XTGETTCAP and DECRQM. [#1850](https://github.com/wez/wezterm/issues/1850) [#1950](https://github.com/wez/wezterm/issues/1950)
diff --git a/docs/config/key-tables.md b/docs/config/key-tables.md
index 3f592eef4..8b5b409e2 100644
--- a/docs/config/key-tables.md
+++ b/docs/config/key-tables.md
@@ -119,5 +119,14 @@ The stack is also cleared when the configuration is reloaded, so if you're
 working on a complex key table setup and get stuck, you may be able to unstick
 yourself by re-saving your wezterm configuration to trigger a reload.
 
+*Since: nightly builds only*
 
+When resolving a key assignment, the top of stack is first searched for a match,
+and if one is not found, the next entry on the stack is searched and so on until a match is found.
+
+In previous releases, only a single lookup was performed on the top of the stack.
+
+The new behavior allows key table activations to effectively layer over the top
+of previously activated key assignments, making it a bit easier to compose key
+assignments.
 
diff --git a/wezterm-gui/src/termwindow/keyevent.rs b/wezterm-gui/src/termwindow/keyevent.rs
index 931a6947b..4d5e0fa5b 100644
--- a/wezterm-gui/src/termwindow/keyevent.rs
+++ b/wezterm-gui/src/termwindow/keyevent.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+use crate::termwindow::InputMap;
 use ::window::{DeadKeyStatus, KeyCode, KeyEvent, Modifiers, RawKeyEvent, WindowOps};
 use anyhow::Context;
+use config::keyassignment::KeyTableEntry;
 use mux::pane::Pane;
 use smol::Timer;
 use std::rc::Rc;
@@ -67,6 +69,24 @@ impl KeyTableState {
         self.stack.last().map(|entry| entry.name.as_str())
     }
 
+    pub fn lookup_key(
+        &mut self,
+        input_map: &InputMap,
+        key: &KeyCode,
+        mods: Modifiers,
+    ) -> Option<(KeyTableEntry, Option<&str>)> {
+        while self.process_expiration() {}
+        for entry in self.stack.iter().rev() {
+            let name = entry.name.as_str();
+            if let Some(entry) = input_map.lookup_key(key, mods, Some(name)) {
+                return Some((entry, Some(name)));
+            }
+        }
+        input_map
+            .lookup_key(key, mods, None)
+            .map(|entry| (entry, None))
+    }
+
     pub fn did_process_key(&mut self) {
         let should_pop = self
             .stack
@@ -160,15 +180,15 @@ impl super::TermWindow {
         }
 
         if is_down {
-            let current_table = self.key_table_state.current_table();
-            if let Some(entry) =
-                self.input_map
-                    .lookup_key(&keycode, raw_modifiers | leader_mod, current_table)
-            {
+            if let Some((entry, table_name)) = self.key_table_state.lookup_key(
+                &self.input_map,
+                &keycode,
+                raw_modifiers | leader_mod,
+            ) {
                 if self.config.debug_key_events {
                     log::info!(
                         "{}{:?} {:?} -> perform {:?}",
-                        match current_table {
+                        match table_name {
                             Some(name) => format!("table:{} ", name),
                             None => String::new(),
                         },