diff --git a/include/gint/drivers/keydev.h b/include/gint/drivers/keydev.h
index 233d78f..9d68017 100644
--- a/include/gint/drivers/keydev.h
+++ b/include/gint/drivers/keydev.h
@@ -284,8 +284,11 @@ void keydev_set_transform(keydev_t *d, keydev_transform_t tr);
    @next_us   Delay between subsequent repeats (microseconds) */
 void keydev_set_standard_repeats(keydev_t *d, int first_us, int next_us);
 
-/* keydev_read(): Retrieve the next transformed event */
-key_event_t keydev_read(keydev_t *d);
+/* keydev_read(): Retrieve the next transformed event
+   If there is no event, returns an event with type KEYEV_NONE, unless
+   [wait=true], in which case waits for an event to occur or *timeout to
+   become non-zero (if timeout is not NULL), whichever comes first. */
+key_event_t keydev_read(keydev_t *d, bool wait, volatile int *timeout);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/keysc/getkey.c b/src/keysc/getkey.c
index c1a28e4..4912170 100644
--- a/src/keysc/getkey.c
+++ b/src/keysc/getkey.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ key_event_t getkey_opt(int opt, volatile int *timeout)
 
 	while(1)
 	{
-		e = keydev_read(d);
+		e = keydev_read(d, true, timeout);
 		if(e.type == KEYEV_NONE && timeout && *timeout) break;
 
 		/* Skip repeat events that are not enabled by options */
diff --git a/src/keysc/keydev.c b/src/keysc/keydev.c
index d797739..05052ba 100644
--- a/src/keysc/keydev.c
+++ b/src/keysc/keydev.c
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 //---
 
 #include <gint/keyboard.h>
+#include <gint/cpu.h>
 #include <gint/drivers/keydev.h>
 #include <gint/defs/types.h>
 #include <gint/defs/util.h>
@@ -239,7 +240,7 @@ void keydev_set_standard_repeats(keydev_t *d, int first, int next)
 }
 
 /* keydev_read(): Retrieve the next transformed event */
-key_event_t keydev_read(keydev_t *d)
+key_event_t keydev_read(keydev_t *d, bool wait, volatile int *timeout)
 {
 	#define opt(NAME) (d->tr.enabled & KEYDEV_TR_ ## NAME)
 	key_event_t e;
@@ -248,7 +249,12 @@ key_event_t keydev_read(keydev_t *d)
 	{
 		e = keydev_unqueue_event(d);
 		if(e.type == KEYEV_NONE)
-			return e;
+		{
+			if(!wait || (timeout && *timeout))
+				return e;
+			sleep();
+			continue;
+		}
 
 		int k = e.key;
 		e.mod = (opt(ALL_MODS) != 0);