diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9de2ca9..6691ff5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -143,6 +143,9 @@ keymap:
           MOD2-KEY_YYY: MOD3-KEY_ZZZ
       # key press (MOD1-KEY_XXX) -> sequence (MOD2-KEY_YYY, MOD3-KEY_ZZZ)
       MOD1-KEY_XXX: [MOD2-KEY_YYY, MOD3-KEY_ZZZ]
+      # execute a command
+      MOD1-KEY_XXX:
+        launch: ["bash", "-c", "echo hello > /tmp/test"]
     application: # Optional
       not: [Application, ...]
       # or
diff --git a/src/config/action.rs b/src/config/action.rs
index 22aa2ef..e343ece 100644
--- a/src/config/action.rs
+++ b/src/config/action.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ pub enum Action {
     KeyPress(KeyPress),
     #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_remap")]
     Remap(HashMap<KeyPress, Vec<Action>>),
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_launch")]
+    Launch(Vec<String>),
 }
 
 fn deserialize_remap<'de, D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<HashMap<KeyPress, Vec<Action>>, D::Error>
@@ -27,6 +29,19 @@ where
     Err(de::Error::custom("not a map with a single \"remap\" key"))
 }
 
+fn deserialize_launch<'de, D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Vec<String>, D::Error>
+where
+    D: Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+    let mut action = HashMap::<String, Vec<String>>::deserialize(deserializer)?;
+    if let Some(launch) = action.remove("launch") {
+        if action.is_empty() {
+            return Ok(launch);
+        }
+    }
+    Err(de::Error::custom("not a map with a single \"launch\" key"))
+}
+
 // Used only for deserializing Vec<Action>
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
 #[serde(untagged)]
diff --git a/src/config/tests.rs b/src/config/tests.rs
index 1337ba6..a0706b8 100644
--- a/src/config/tests.rs
+++ b/src/config/tests.rs
@@ -101,6 +101,19 @@ fn test_keymap_remap() {
     "})
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_keymap_launch() {
+    assert_parse(indoc! {r#"
+    keymap:
+      - remap:
+          KEY_GRAVE:
+            launch:
+              - "/bin/sh"
+              - "-c"
+              - "date > /tmp/hotkey_test"
+    "#})
+}
+
 fn assert_parse(yaml: &str) {
     let result: Result<Config, Error> = serde_yaml::from_str(&yaml);
     if let Err(e) = result {
diff --git a/src/event_handler.rs b/src/event_handler.rs
index 7def18d..3843ca9 100644
--- a/src/event_handler.rs
+++ b/src/event_handler.rs
@@ -7,35 +7,40 @@ use crate::Config;
 use evdev::uinput::VirtualDevice;
 use evdev::{EventType, InputEvent, Key};
 use lazy_static::lazy_static;
-use log::debug;
+use log::{debug, error};
+use nix::sys::signal;
+use nix::sys::signal::{sigaction, SaFlags, SigAction, SigHandler, SigSet};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::error::Error;
+use std::process::{Command, Stdio};
 use std::time::Instant;
 
 pub struct EventHandler {
     device: VirtualDevice,
-    wm_client: WMClient,
-    multi_purpose_keys: HashMap<Key, MultiPurposeKeyState>,
-    override_remap: Option<HashMap<KeyPress, Vec<Action>>>,
-    application_cache: Option<String>,
     shift: PressState,
     control: PressState,
     alt: PressState,
     windows: PressState,
+    wm_client: WMClient,
+    application_cache: Option<String>,
+    multi_purpose_keys: HashMap<Key, MultiPurposeKeyState>,
+    override_remap: Option<HashMap<KeyPress, Vec<Action>>>,
+    sigaction_set: bool,
 }
 
 impl EventHandler {
     pub fn new(device: VirtualDevice) -> EventHandler {
         EventHandler {
             device,
-            wm_client: build_client(),
-            multi_purpose_keys: HashMap::new(),
-            override_remap: None,
-            application_cache: None,
             shift: PressState::new(false),
             control: PressState::new(false),
             alt: PressState::new(false),
             windows: PressState::new(false),
+            wm_client: build_client(),
+            application_cache: None,
+            multi_purpose_keys: HashMap::new(),
+            override_remap: None,
+            sigaction_set: false,
         }
     }
 
@@ -208,10 +213,34 @@ impl EventHandler {
                 }
                 self.override_remap = Some(override_remap)
             }
+            Action::Launch(command) => self.run_command(command.clone()),
         }
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    pub fn run_command(&mut self, command: Vec<String>) {
+        if !self.sigaction_set {
+            // Avoid defunct processes
+            let sig_action = SigAction::new(SigHandler::SigDfl, SaFlags::SA_NOCLDWAIT, SigSet::empty());
+            unsafe {
+                sigaction(signal::SIGCHLD, &sig_action).expect("Failed to register SIGCHLD handler");
+            }
+            self.sigaction_set = true;
+        }
+
+        debug!("Running command: {:?}", command);
+        match Command::new(&command[0])
+            .args(&command[1..])
+            .stdin(Stdio::null())
+            .stdout(Stdio::null())
+            .stderr(Stdio::null())
+            .spawn()
+        {
+            Ok(child) => debug!("Process spawned: {:?}, pid {}", command, child.id()),
+            Err(e) => error!("Error running command: {:?}", e),
+        }
+    }
+
     fn send_modifier(&mut self, modifier: Modifier, desired: &PressState) -> Result<PressState, Box<dyn Error>> {
         let mut current = match modifier {
             Modifier::Shift => &self.shift,