diff --git a/vis-core.h b/vis-core.h
index 5939115d5..dab22a0bc 100644
--- a/vis-core.h
+++ b/vis-core.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
  */
 typedef struct Mode Mode;
 struct Mode {
+	enum VisMode id;
 	Mode *parent;                       /* if no match is found in this mode, search will continue there */
 	Map *bindings;
 	const char *name;                   /* descriptive, user facing name of the mode */
diff --git a/vis-modes.c b/vis-modes.c
index 858e427c0..f519b5bd0 100644
--- a/vis-modes.c
+++ b/vis-modes.c
@@ -140,16 +140,19 @@ static void vis_mode_replace_input(Vis *vis, const char *str, size_t len) {
 
 Mode vis_modes[] = {
 	[VIS_MODE_OPERATOR_PENDING] = {
+		.id = VIS_MODE_OPERATOR_PENDING,
 		.name = "OPERATOR-PENDING",
 		.input = vis_mode_operator_input,
 		.help = "",
 	},
 	[VIS_MODE_NORMAL] = {
+		.id = VIS_MODE_NORMAL,
 		.name = "NORMAL",
 		.status = "",
 		.help = "",
 	},
 	[VIS_MODE_VISUAL] = {
+		.id = VIS_MODE_VISUAL,
 		.name = "VISUAL",
 		.status = "--VISUAL--",
 		.help = "",
@@ -158,6 +161,7 @@ Mode vis_modes[] = {
 		.visual = true,
 	},
 	[VIS_MODE_VISUAL_LINE] = {
+		.id = VIS_MODE_VISUAL_LINE,
 		.name = "VISUAL LINE",
 		.parent = &vis_modes[VIS_MODE_VISUAL],
 		.status = "--VISUAL LINE--",
@@ -167,6 +171,7 @@ Mode vis_modes[] = {
 		.visual = true,
 	},
 	[VIS_MODE_INSERT] = {
+		.id = VIS_MODE_INSERT,
 		.name = "INSERT",
 		.status = "--INSERT--",
 		.help = "",
@@ -177,6 +182,7 @@ Mode vis_modes[] = {
 		.idle_timeout = 3,
 	},
 	[VIS_MODE_REPLACE] = {
+		.id = VIS_MODE_REPLACE,
 		.name = "REPLACE",
 		.parent = &vis_modes[VIS_MODE_INSERT],
 		.status = "--REPLACE--",
diff --git a/vis.c b/vis.c
index 489957a2d..1138dd7a8 100644
--- a/vis.c
+++ b/vis.c
@@ -670,25 +670,19 @@ static const char *vis_keys_raw(Vis *vis, Buffer *buf, const char *input) {
 		prefix = false;
 		binding = NULL;
 
-		Mode *mode = vis->mode;
-		for (size_t i = 0; i < LENGTH(vis->win->modes); i++) {
-			if (mode == &vis_modes[i]) {
-				if (vis->win->modes[i].bindings)
-					mode = &vis->win->modes[i];
-				break;
+		for (Mode *mode = vis->mode; mode && !binding && !prefix; mode = mode->parent) {
+			for (int global = 0; global < 2 && !binding && !prefix; global++) {
+				Mode *mode_local = global ? mode : &vis->win->modes[mode->id];
+				if (!mode_local->bindings)
+					continue;
+				binding = map_get(mode_local->bindings, start);
+				/* "<" is never treated as a prefix because it is used to denote
+				 * special key symbols */
+				if (strcmp(cur, "<"))
+					prefix = !binding && map_contains(mode_local->bindings, start);
 			}
 		}
 
-		for (; mode && !binding && !prefix; mode = mode->parent) {
-			if (!mode->bindings)
-				continue;
-			binding = map_get(mode->bindings, start);
-			/* "<" is never treated as a prefix because it is used to denote
-			 * special key symbols */
-			if (strcmp(cur, "<"))
-				prefix = !binding && map_contains(mode->bindings, start);
-		}
-
 		*end = tmp;
 		vis->keys = buf;