diff --git a/src/WindowMaker.h b/src/WindowMaker.h
index 75464fdf..dea943b9 100644
--- a/src/WindowMaker.h
+++ b/src/WindowMaker.h
@@ -393,6 +393,7 @@ extern struct WPreferences {
 	signed char workspace_name_display_position;
 	unsigned int modifier_mask;        /* mask to use as kbd modifier */
 	char *modifier_labels[7];          /* Names of the modifiers */
+	char *modifier_short_labels[9];    /* Short names of the modifiers */
 
 	unsigned int supports_tiff;        /* Use tiff files */
 
diff --git a/src/defaults.c b/src/defaults.c
index 43860599..6b6bc4c3 100644
--- a/src/defaults.c
+++ b/src/defaults.c
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ static WDECallbackUpdate setSwPOptions;
 static WDECallbackUpdate updateUsableArea;
 
 static WDECallbackUpdate setModifierKeyLabels;
+static WDECallbackUpdate setModifierShortKeyLabels;
 static WDECallbackUpdate setHotCornerActions;
 
 static WDECallbackConvert getCursor;
@@ -624,6 +625,8 @@ WDefaultEntry optionList[] = {
 	    NULL, getPropList, setSwPOptions, NULL, NULL},
 	{"ModifierKeyLabels", "(\"Shift+\", \"Control+\", \"Mod1+\", \"Mod2+\", \"Mod3+\", \"Mod4+\", \"Mod5+\")", &wPreferences,
 	    NULL, getPropList, setModifierKeyLabels, NULL, NULL},
+	{"ModifierKeyShortLabels", "(\"Sh+\", \"^\", \"M1+\", \"M2+\", \"M3+\", \"M4+\", \"M5+\", \"M+\", \"A+\")", &wPreferences,
+	    NULL, getPropList, setModifierShortKeyLabels, NULL, NULL},
 	{"FrameBorderWidth", "1", NULL,
 	    NULL, getInt, setFrameBorderWidth, NULL, NULL},
 	{"FrameBorderColor", "black", NULL,
@@ -3499,6 +3502,42 @@ static int setModifierKeyLabels(WScreen * scr, WDefaultEntry * entry, void *tdat
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int setModifierShortKeyLabels(WScreen * scr, WDefaultEntry * entry, void *tdata, void *foo)
+{
+	WMPropList *array = tdata;
+	int i;
+	struct WPreferences *prefs = foo;
+
+	if (!WMIsPLArray(array) || WMGetPropListItemCount(array) != 9) {
+		wwarning(_("Value for option \"%s\" must be an array of 9 strings"), entry->key);
+		WMReleasePropList(array);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	DestroyWindowMenu(scr);
+
+	for (i = 0; i < 9; i++) {
+		if (prefs->modifier_short_labels[i])
+			wfree(prefs->modifier_short_labels[i]);
+
+		if (WMIsPLString(WMGetFromPLArray(array, i))) {
+			prefs->modifier_short_labels[i] = wstrdup(WMGetFromPLString(WMGetFromPLArray(array, i)));
+			if (prefs->modifier_short_labels[i][0] == '\0') {
+				wwarning(_("Invalid argument for option \"%s\" item %d, cannot be empty"), entry->key, i);
+				wfree(prefs->modifier_short_labels[i]);
+				prefs->modifier_short_labels[i] = NULL;
+			}
+		} else {
+			wwarning(_("Invalid argument for option \"%s\" item %d"), entry->key, i);
+			prefs->modifier_short_labels[i] = NULL;
+		}
+	}
+
+	WMReleasePropList(array);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int setHotCornerActions(WScreen * scr, WDefaultEntry * entry, void *tdata, void *foo)
 {
 	WMPropList *array = tdata;
diff --git a/src/xmodifier.c b/src/xmodifier.c
index e2c0fa2a..f4bdd0d0 100644
--- a/src/xmodifier.c
+++ b/src/xmodifier.c
@@ -280,24 +280,30 @@ const char *wXModifierToShortcutLabel(int mask)
 	if (mask < 0)
 		return NULL;
 
-	if (mask == ShiftMask)
-		return "Sh+";
-	if (mask ==  ControlMask)
-		return "^";
-	if (mask ==  AltMask)
-		return "A+";
-	if (mask ==  Mod1Mask)
-		return "M1+";
-	if (mask ==  Mod2Mask)
-		return "M2+";
-	if (mask ==  Mod3Mask)
-		return "M3+";
-	if (mask ==  Mod4Mask)
-		return "M4+";
-	if (mask ==  Mod5Mask)
-		return "M5+";
-	if (mask ==  MetaMask)
-		return "M+";
+	struct map_entry {
+		int mask;
+		int label_index;
+		const char *def;
+	} maps[] = {
+		{ ShiftMask,   0, "Sh+"},
+		{ ControlMask, 1, "^"  },
+		{ AltMask,     8, "A+" },
+		{ Mod1Mask,    2, "M1+"},
+		{ Mod2Mask,    3, "M2+"},
+		{ Mod3Mask,    4, "M3+"},
+		{ Mod4Mask,    5, "M4+"},
+		{ Mod5Mask,    6, "M5+"},
+		{ MetaMask,    7, "M+" }
+	};
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(maps)/sizeof(maps[0]); i++) {
+		if (mask == maps[i].mask) {
+			int idx = maps[i].label_index;
+			if (idx >= 0 && idx < 9 && wPreferences.modifier_short_labels[idx])
+				return wPreferences.modifier_short_labels[idx];
+			return maps[i].def;
+		}
+	}
 
 	wwarning(_("Can't convert keymask 0x%04X to a shortcut label"), mask);
 	return NULL;