diff --git a/keymapper/dev/macros.py b/keymapper/dev/macros.py
index 852ce6d7..47d082ee 100644
--- a/keymapper/dev/macros.py
+++ b/keymapper/dev/macros.py
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ def is_this_a_macro(output):
     if not isinstance(output, str):
         return False
 
+    if '+' in output.strip():
+        # for example "a + b"
+        return True
+
     return '(' in output and ')' in output and len(output) >= 4
 
 
@@ -441,6 +445,34 @@ def _parse_recurse(macro, mapping, macro_instance=None, depth=0):
     return macro
 
 
+def handle_plus_syntax(macro):
+    """transform a + b + c to m(a, m(b, m(c, h())))"""
+    if '+' not in macro:
+        return macro
+
+    if '(' in macro or ')' in macro:
+        logger.error('Mixing "+" and macros is unsupported: "%s"', macro)
+        return macro
+
+    chunks = [chunk.strip() for chunk in macro.split('+')]
+    output = ''
+    depth = 0
+    for chunk in chunks:
+        if chunk == '':
+            # invalid syntax
+            logger.error('Invalid syntax for "%s"', macro)
+            return macro
+
+        depth += 1
+        output += f'm({chunk},'
+
+    output += 'h()'
+    output += depth * ')'
+
+    logger.debug('Transformed "%s" to "%s"', macro, output)
+    return output
+
+
 def parse(macro, mapping, return_errors=False):
     """parse and generate a _Macro that can be run as often as you want.
 
@@ -460,6 +492,8 @@ def parse(macro, mapping, return_errors=False):
         If True, returns errors as a string or None if parsing worked.
         If False, returns the parsed macro.
     """
+    macro = handle_plus_syntax(macro)
+
     # whitespaces, tabs, newlines and such don't serve a purpose. make
     # the log output clearer and the parsing easier.
     macro = re.sub(r'\s', '', macro)
diff --git a/readme/development.md b/readme/development.md
index c43e80f7..e104e38d 100644
--- a/readme/development.md
+++ b/readme/development.md
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ requests.
 - [x] mapping joystick directions as buttons, making it act like a D-Pad
 - [x] mapping mouse wheel events to buttons
 - [x] automatically load presets when devices get plugged in after login (udev)
-- [ ] map keys using a `modifier + modifier + ... + key` syntax
+- [x] map keys using a `modifier + modifier + ... + key` syntax
 - [ ] injecting keys that aren't available in the systems keyboard layout
 
 ## Tests
diff --git a/readme/plus.png b/readme/plus.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2d44daa3
Binary files /dev/null and b/readme/plus.png differ
diff --git a/readme/screenshot.png b/readme/screenshot.png
index f7edc586..61b5b42f 100644
Binary files a/readme/screenshot.png and b/readme/screenshot.png differ
diff --git a/readme/usage.md b/readme/usage.md
index 3e5b6047..25a35268 100644
--- a/readme/usage.md
+++ b/readme/usage.md
@@ -60,6 +60,16 @@ your focused application.
   <img src="combination.png"/>
 </p>
 
+## Writing Combinations
+
+You can write `control_l + a` as mapping, which will inject those two
+keycodes into your system on a single key press. An arbitrary number of
+names can be chained using ` + `.
+
+<p align="center">
+  <img src="plus.png"/>
+</p>
+
 ## Macros
 
 It is possible to write timed macros into the center column:
diff --git a/tests/test.py b/tests/test.py
index a1b6341f..3a798ab7 100644
--- a/tests/test.py
+++ b/tests/test.py
@@ -411,9 +411,11 @@ _fixture_copy = copy.deepcopy(fixtures)
 environ_copy = copy.deepcopy(os.environ)
 
 
-def cleanup():
+def quick_cleanup(log=True):
     """Reset the applications state."""
-    print('cleanup')
+    if log:
+        print('quick cleanup')
+
     keycode_reader.stop_reading()
     keycode_reader.__init__()
 
@@ -421,10 +423,6 @@ def cleanup():
         for task in asyncio.all_tasks():
             task.cancel()
 
-    os.system('pkill -f key-mapper-service')
-
-    time.sleep(0.05)
-
     if os.path.exists(tmp):
         shutil.rmtree(tmp)
 
@@ -459,6 +457,20 @@ def cleanup():
         if key not in environ_copy:
             del os.environ[key]
 
+
+def cleanup():
+    """Reset the applications state.
+
+    Using this is very slow, usually quick_cleanup() is sufficient.
+    """
+    print('cleanup')
+
+    os.system('pkill -f key-mapper-service')
+
+    time.sleep(0.05)
+
+    quick_cleanup(log=False)
+
     refresh_devices()
 
 
diff --git a/tests/testcases/test_config.py b/tests/testcases/test_config.py
index 848970aa..052834b6 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/testcases/test_config.py
@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@ import unittest
 from keymapper.config import config, GlobalConfig
 from keymapper.paths import touch, CONFIG_PATH
 
-from tests.test import cleanup, tmp
+from tests.test import quick_cleanup, tmp
 
 
 class TestConfig(unittest.TestCase):
     def tearDown(self):
-        cleanup()
+        quick_cleanup()
         self.assertEqual(len(config.iterate_autoload_presets()), 0)
 
     def test_migrate(self):
diff --git a/tests/testcases/test_control.py b/tests/testcases/test_control.py
index a38fe13c..216d9cdf 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/test_control.py
+++ b/tests/testcases/test_control.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from keymapper.daemon import Daemon
 from keymapper.mapping import Mapping
 from keymapper.paths import get_preset_path
 
-from tests.test import cleanup, tmp
+from tests.test import quick_cleanup, tmp
 
 
 def import_control():
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ options = collections.namedtuple(
 
 class TestControl(unittest.TestCase):
     def tearDown(self):
-        cleanup()
+        quick_cleanup()
 
     def test_autoload(self):
         devices = ['device 1', 'device 2']
diff --git a/tests/testcases/test_event_producer.py b/tests/testcases/test_event_producer.py
index 9dd518d4..85f84371 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/test_event_producer.py
+++ b/tests/testcases/test_event_producer.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from keymapper.mapping import Mapping
 from keymapper.dev.event_producer import EventProducer, MOUSE, WHEEL
 
 from tests.test import InputDevice, UInput, MAX_ABS, clear_write_history, \
-    uinput_write_history, cleanup, new_event
+    uinput_write_history, quick_cleanup, new_event
 
 
 abs_state = [0, 0, 0, 0]
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ class TestEventProducer(unittest.TestCase):
         config.set('gamepad.joystick.y_scroll_speed', 1)
 
     def tearDown(self):
-        cleanup()
+        quick_cleanup()
 
     def test_debounce_1(self):
         loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
diff --git a/tests/testcases/test_injector.py b/tests/testcases/test_injector.py
index 510bbf93..d605a7b0 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/test_injector.py
+++ b/tests/testcases/test_injector.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ from keymapper.getdevices import get_devices, is_gamepad
 
 from tests.test import new_event, pending_events, fixtures, \
     EVENT_READ_TIMEOUT, uinput_write_history_pipe, \
-    MAX_ABS, cleanup, read_write_history_pipe, InputDevice
+    MAX_ABS, quick_cleanup, read_write_history_pipe, InputDevice
 
 
 original_smeab = utils.should_map_event_as_btn
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class TestInjector(unittest.TestCase):
             self.injector = None
         evdev.InputDevice.grab = self.grab
 
-        cleanup()
+        quick_cleanup()
 
     def test_grab(self):
         # path is from the fixtures
@@ -827,7 +827,7 @@ class TestModifyCapabilities(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertNotIn(DISABLE_CODE, keys)
 
     def tearDown(self):
-        cleanup()
+        quick_cleanup()
 
     def test_modify_capabilities(self):
         self.injector = Injector('foo', self.mapping)
diff --git a/tests/testcases/test_keycode_mapper.py b/tests/testcases/test_keycode_mapper.py
index 9cc2cd9f..f15a2c39 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/test_keycode_mapper.py
+++ b/tests/testcases/test_keycode_mapper.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ from keymapper.config import config, BUTTONS
 from keymapper.mapping import Mapping, DISABLE_CODE
 
 from tests.test import new_event, UInput, uinput_write_history, \
-    cleanup, InputDevice, MAX_ABS
+    quick_cleanup, InputDevice, MAX_ABS
 
 
 def wait(func, timeout=1.0):
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class TestKeycodeMapper(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertFalse(macro.is_holding())
             self.assertFalse(macro.running)
 
-        cleanup()
+        quick_cleanup()
 
     def test_subsets(self):
         a = subsets(((1,), (2,), (3,)))
diff --git a/tests/testcases/test_macros.py b/tests/testcases/test_macros.py
index 1656e84b..eff79620 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/test_macros.py
+++ b/tests/testcases/test_macros.py
@@ -24,11 +24,13 @@ import unittest
 import asyncio
 
 from keymapper.dev.macros import parse, _Macro, _extract_params, \
-    is_this_a_macro, _parse_recurse
+    is_this_a_macro, _parse_recurse, handle_plus_syntax
 from keymapper.config import config
 from keymapper.mapping import Mapping
 from keymapper.state import system_mapping
 
+from tests.test import quick_cleanup
+
 
 class TestMacros(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ class TestMacros(unittest.TestCase):
     def tearDown(self):
         self.result = []
         self.mapping.clear_config()
+        quick_cleanup()
 
     def handler(self, code, value):
         """Where macros should write codes to."""
@@ -55,6 +58,58 @@ class TestMacros(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertFalse(is_this_a_macro('minus'))
         self.assertFalse(is_this_a_macro('k'))
 
+        self.assertTrue(is_this_a_macro('a+b'))
+        self.assertTrue(is_this_a_macro('a+b+c'))
+        self.assertTrue(is_this_a_macro('a + b'))
+        self.assertTrue(is_this_a_macro('a + b + c'))
+
+    def test_handle_plus_syntax(self):
+        self.assertEqual(handle_plus_syntax('a + b'), 'm(a,m(b,h()))')
+        self.assertEqual(handle_plus_syntax('a + b + c'), 'm(a,m(b,m(c,h())))')
+        self.assertEqual(handle_plus_syntax(' a+b+c '), 'm(a,m(b,m(c,h())))')
+
+        # invalid
+        self.assertEqual(handle_plus_syntax('+'), '+')
+        self.assertEqual(handle_plus_syntax('a+'), 'a+')
+        self.assertEqual(handle_plus_syntax('+b'), '+b')
+        self.assertEqual(handle_plus_syntax('k(a + b)'), 'k(a + b)')
+        self.assertEqual(handle_plus_syntax('a'), 'a')
+        self.assertEqual(handle_plus_syntax('k(a)'), 'k(a)')
+        self.assertEqual(handle_plus_syntax(''), '')
+
+    def test_run_plus_syntax(self):
+        macro = parse('a + b + c + d', self.mapping)
+        macro.set_handler(self.handler)
+        self.assertSetEqual(macro.get_capabilities(), {
+            system_mapping.get('a'),
+            system_mapping.get('b'),
+            system_mapping.get('c'),
+            system_mapping.get('d')
+        })
+
+        macro.press_key()
+        asyncio.ensure_future(macro.run())
+        self.loop.run_until_complete(asyncio.sleep(0.2))
+        self.assertTrue(macro.is_holding())
+        print(self.mapping.get('macros.keystroke_sleep_ms'))
+        print(self.result)
+
+        # starting from the left, presses each one down
+        self.assertEqual(self.result[0], (system_mapping.get('a'), 1))
+        self.assertEqual(self.result[1], (system_mapping.get('b'), 1))
+        self.assertEqual(self.result[2], (system_mapping.get('c'), 1))
+        self.assertEqual(self.result[3], (system_mapping.get('d'), 1))
+
+        # and then releases starting with the previously pressed key
+        macro.release_key()
+        self.loop.run_until_complete(asyncio.sleep(0.2))
+        self.assertFalse(macro.is_holding())
+        print(self.result)
+        self.assertEqual(self.result[4], (system_mapping.get('d'), 0))
+        self.assertEqual(self.result[5], (system_mapping.get('c'), 0))
+        self.assertEqual(self.result[6], (system_mapping.get('b'), 0))
+        self.assertEqual(self.result[7], (system_mapping.get('a'), 0))
+
     def test_extract_params(self):
         def expect(raw, expectation):
             self.assertListEqual(_extract_params(raw), expectation)
diff --git a/tests/testcases/test_mapping.py b/tests/testcases/test_mapping.py
index 318a0e28..b3e4e82a 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/test_mapping.py
+++ b/tests/testcases/test_mapping.py
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@ from keymapper.config import config
 from keymapper.paths import get_preset_path
 from keymapper.key import Key
 
-from tests.test import tmp, cleanup
+from tests.test import tmp, quick_cleanup
 
 
 class TestSystemMapping(unittest.TestCase):
     def tearDown(self):
-        cleanup()
+        quick_cleanup()
 
     def test_update(self):
         system_mapping = SystemMapping()
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class TestMapping(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertFalse(self.mapping.changed)
 
     def tearDown(self):
-        cleanup()
+        quick_cleanup()
 
     def test_config(self):
         self.mapping.save(get_preset_path('foo', 'bar2'))
diff --git a/tests/testcases/test_paths.py b/tests/testcases/test_paths.py
index f6d226cb..4a355822 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/test_paths.py
+++ b/tests/testcases/test_paths.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import unittest
 from keymapper.paths import get_user, touch, mkdir, \
     get_preset_path, get_config_path
 
-from tests.test import cleanup, tmp
+from tests.test import quick_cleanup, tmp
 
 
 original_getlogin = os.getlogin()
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def _raise(error):
 
 class TestPaths(unittest.TestCase):
     def tearDown(self):
-        cleanup()
+        quick_cleanup()
         os.getlogin = original_getlogin
 
     def test_get_user(self):
diff --git a/tests/testcases/test_reader.py b/tests/testcases/test_reader.py
index a66c217e..d312b5ec 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/test_reader.py
+++ b/tests/testcases/test_reader.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ from keymapper.config import BUTTONS, MOUSE
 from keymapper.key import Key
 
 from tests.test import new_event, pending_events, EVENT_READ_TIMEOUT, \
-    cleanup, MAX_ABS
+    quick_cleanup, MAX_ABS
 
 
 CODE_1 = 100
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class TestReader(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(keycode_reader.read(), None)
 
     def tearDown(self):
-        cleanup()
+        quick_cleanup()
 
     def test_will_report_up(self):
         self.assertFalse(will_report_up(EV_REL))