diff --git a/content/events.js b/content/events.js
index e6096288..84b9d31b 100644
--- a/content/events.js
+++ b/content/events.js
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ vimperator.Events = function () //{{{
     }, false);
     tabcontainer.addEventListener("TabSelect", function (event)
     {
-        if (vimperator.mode == vimperator.modes.HINTS)
+        if (vimperator.mode == vimperator.modes.HINTS || vimperator.mode == vimperator.modes.CUSTOM )
             vimperator.modes.reset();
 
         vimperator.commandline.clear();
@@ -796,6 +796,7 @@ vimperator.Events = function () //{{{
                 switch (vimperator.mode)
                 {
                     case vimperator.modes.HINTS:
+                    case vimperator.modes.CUSTOM:
                     case vimperator.modes.COMMAND_LINE:
                         vimperator.modes.reset();
                         break;
@@ -957,9 +958,17 @@ vimperator.Events = function () //{{{
         //  } }}}
 
 
-            // if Hit-a-hint mode is on, special handling of keys is required
             if (key != "<Esc>" && key != "<C-[>")
             {
+                // custom mode...
+                if (vimperator.mode == vimperator.modes.CUSTOM)
+                {
+                    vimperator.plugins.onEvent(event);
+                    event.preventDefault();
+                    event.stopPropagation();
+                    return false;
+                }
+                // if Hit-a-hint mode is on, special handling of keys is required
                 if (vimperator.mode == vimperator.modes.HINTS)
                 {
                     vimperator.hints.onEvent(event);
@@ -969,6 +978,16 @@ vimperator.Events = function () //{{{
                 }
             }
 
+            //FIXME (maybe): (is an ESC or C-] here): on HINTS mode, it enters
+            //into 'if (map && !skipMap) below. With that (or however) it
+            //triggers the onEscape part, where it resets mode. Here I just
+            //return true, with the effect that it also gets to there (for
+            //whatever reason).  if that happens to be correct, well..
+            //XXX: why not just do that as well for HINTS mode actually?
+           
+            if (vimperator.mode == vimperator.modes.CUSTOM)
+                return true;
+
             var countStr = vimperator.input.buffer.match(/^[0-9]*/)[0];
             var candidateCommand = (vimperator.input.buffer + key).replace(countStr, "");
             var map;
diff --git a/content/modes.js b/content/modes.js
index 9c4a08da..7b7bcdbf 100644
--- a/content/modes.js
+++ b/content/modes.js
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ vimperator.modes = (function () //{{{
                 return "-- CARET" + ext;
             case vimperator.modes.TEXTAREA:
                 return "-- TEXTAREA" + ext;
+            case vimperator.modes.CUSTOM:
+                return "-- " + vimperator.plugins.mode + ext;
             default: // NORMAL mode
                 if (vimperator.modes.isRecording)
                     return "recording";
@@ -117,6 +119,10 @@ vimperator.modes = (function () //{{{
                     vimperator.editor.unselectText();
                 break;
 
+            case vimperator.modes.CUSTOM:
+                vimperator.plugins.stop();
+                break;
+
             case vimperator.modes.HINTS:
                 vimperator.hints.hide();
                 break;
@@ -153,6 +159,7 @@ vimperator.modes = (function () //{{{
         COMMAND_LINE:     1 << 4,
         CARET:            1 << 5, // text cursor is visible
         TEXTAREA:         1 << 6, // text cursor is in a HTMLTextAreaElement
+        CUSTOM:           1 << 7,
         // extended modes, can include multiple modes, and even main modes
         EX:               1 << 10,
         INPUT_MULTILINE:  1 << 11,
@@ -169,8 +176,8 @@ vimperator.modes = (function () //{{{
 
         __iterator__: function ()
         {
-            var modes = [this.NONE, this.NORMAL, this.INSERT, this.VISUAL,
-                         this.HINTS, this.COMMAND_LINE, this.CARET, this.TEXTAREA];
+            var modes = [this.NONE, this.NORMAL, this.INSERT, this.VISUAL, this.HINTS, 
+                         this.COMMAND_LINE, this.CARET, this.TEXTAREA, this.CUSTOM];
 
             for (var i = 0; i < modes.length; i++)
                 yield modes[i];
@@ -193,7 +200,16 @@ vimperator.modes = (function () //{{{
             if (main == vimperator.modes.COMMAND_LINE)
                 return;
 
-            vimperator.commandline.echo(getModeMessage(), vimperator.commandline.HL_MODEMSG, vimperator.commandline.DISALLOW_MULTILINE);
+            vimperator.commandline.echo(getModeMessage(), vimperator.commandline.HL_MODEMSG, 
+                                        vimperator.commandline.DISALLOW_MULTILINE);
+        },
+
+        setCustomMode: function (modestr, oneventfunc, stopfunc)
+        {
+            // TODO this.plugin[id]... ('id' maybe submode or what..)
+            vimperator.plugins.mode = modestr;
+            vimperator.plugins.onEvent = oneventfunc;
+            vimperator.plugins.stop = stopfunc;
         },
 
         // helper function to set both modes in one go
diff --git a/content/vimperator.js b/content/vimperator.js
index 4b007c10..6a545823 100644
--- a/content/vimperator.js
+++ b/content/vimperator.js
@@ -629,6 +629,12 @@ const vimperator = (function () //{{{
 
             vimperator.globalVariables = {};
 
+            // namespace for plugins/scripts. Actually (only) the active plugin must/can set a
+            // v.plugins.mode = <str> string to show on v.modes.CUSTOM
+            // v.plugins.stop = <func> hooked on a v.modes.reset() 
+            // v.plugins.onEvent = <func> function triggered, on keypresses (unless <esc>) (see events.js)
+            vimperator.plugins = {};
+
             // TODO: move elsewhere
             vimperator.registerCallback("submit", vimperator.modes.EX, function (command) { vimperator.execute(command); });
             vimperator.registerCallback("complete", vimperator.modes.EX, function (str) { return vimperator.completion.exTabCompletion(str); });