diff --git a/vis-cmds.c b/vis-cmds.c
index a64e5f04f..2f2ecf964 100644
--- a/vis-cmds.c
+++ b/vis-cmds.c
@@ -741,23 +741,6 @@ static bool cmd_help(Vis *vis, Win *win, Command *cmd, const char *argv[], Curso
 	return true;
 }
 
-static enum VisMode str2vismode(const char *mode) {
-	const char *modes[] = {
-		[VIS_MODE_NORMAL] = "normal",
-		[VIS_MODE_OPERATOR_PENDING] = "operator-pending",
-		[VIS_MODE_VISUAL] = "visual",
-		[VIS_MODE_VISUAL_LINE] = "visual-line",
-		[VIS_MODE_INSERT] = "insert",
-		[VIS_MODE_REPLACE] = "replace",
-	};
-
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < LENGTH(modes); i++) {
-		if (mode && modes[i] && strcmp(mode, modes[i]) == 0)
-			return i;
-	}
-	return VIS_MODE_INVALID;
-}
-
 static bool cmd_langmap(Vis *vis, Win *win, Command *cmd, const char *argv[], Cursor *cur, Filerange *range) {
 	const char *nonlatin = argv[1];
 	const char *latin = argv[2];
@@ -792,7 +775,7 @@ static bool cmd_langmap(Vis *vis, Win *win, Command *cmd, const char *argv[], Cu
 static bool cmd_map(Vis *vis, Win *win, Command *cmd, const char *argv[], Cursor *cur, Filerange *range) {
 	bool mapped = false;
 	bool local = strstr(argv[0], "-") != NULL;
-	enum VisMode mode = str2vismode(argv[1]);
+	enum VisMode mode = vis_mode_from(vis, argv[1]);
 
 	if (local && !win)
 		return false;
@@ -820,7 +803,7 @@ static bool cmd_map(Vis *vis, Win *win, Command *cmd, const char *argv[], Cursor
 
 static bool cmd_unmap(Vis *vis, Win *win, Command *cmd, const char *argv[], Cursor *cur, Filerange *range) {
 	bool local = strstr(argv[0], "-") != NULL;
-	enum VisMode mode = str2vismode(argv[1]);
+	enum VisMode mode = vis_mode_from(vis, argv[1]);
 	const char *lhs = argv[2];
 
 	if (local && !win)
diff --git a/vis-modes.c b/vis-modes.c
index 1fe460d42..c4f002703 100644
--- a/vis-modes.c
+++ b/vis-modes.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <string.h>
+#include <strings.h>
 #include "vis-core.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
@@ -86,6 +87,15 @@ void vis_mode_switch(Vis *vis, enum VisMode mode) {
 	mode_set(vis, &vis_modes[mode]);
 }
 
+enum VisMode vis_mode_from(Vis *vis, const char *name) {
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < LENGTH(vis_modes); i++) {
+		Mode *mode = &vis_modes[i];
+		if (!strcasecmp(mode->name, name))
+			return mode->id;
+	}
+	return VIS_MODE_INVALID;
+}
+
 enum VisMode vis_mode_get(Vis *vis) {
 	return vis->mode->id;
 }
@@ -241,7 +251,7 @@ Mode vis_modes[] = {
 	},
 	[VIS_MODE_VISUAL_LINE] = {
 		.id = VIS_MODE_VISUAL_LINE,
-		.name = "VISUAL LINE",
+		.name = "VISUAL-LINE",
 		.parent = &vis_modes[VIS_MODE_VISUAL],
 		.status = "VISUAL-LINE",
 		.help = "",
diff --git a/vis.h b/vis.h
index 8f764051a..7d909b5a8 100644
--- a/vis.h
+++ b/vis.h
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ enum VisMode {
 
 void vis_mode_switch(Vis*, enum VisMode);
 enum VisMode vis_mode_get(Vis*);
+enum VisMode vis_mode_from(Vis*, const char *name);
 /* In the specified mode: map a given key to a binding (binding->key is ignored).
  * Fails if a prefix of `key' is already mapped and `force' is false. Otherwise
  * all such prefixes are unmapped. */