diff --git a/src/config/ConfigDescriptions.hpp b/src/config/ConfigDescriptions.hpp
index f2d384b2..a3a6e1b0 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigDescriptions.hpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigDescriptions.hpp
@@ -683,9 +683,9 @@ inline static const std::vector<SConfigOptionDescription> CONFIG_OPTIONS = {
 
     SConfigOptionDescription{
         .value       = "input:virtualkeyboard:share_states",
-        .description = "Unify key down states and modifier states with other keyboards",
-        .type        = CONFIG_OPTION_BOOL,
-        .data        = SConfigOptionDescription::SBoolData{false},
+        .description = "Unify key down states and modifier states with other keyboards. 0 -> no, 1 -> yes, 2 -> yes unless IME client",
+        .type        = CONFIG_OPTION_INT,
+        .data        = SConfigOptionDescription::SRangeData{2, 0, 2},
     },
     SConfigOptionDescription{
         .value       = "input:virtualkeyboard:release_pressed_on_close",
diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
index bf94152d..db0dd596 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
@@ -690,7 +690,7 @@ CConfigManager::CConfigManager() {
     registerConfigVar("input:touchdevice:transform", Hyprlang::INT{-1});
     registerConfigVar("input:touchdevice:output", {"[[Auto]]"});
     registerConfigVar("input:touchdevice:enabled", Hyprlang::INT{1});
-    registerConfigVar("input:virtualkeyboard:share_states", Hyprlang::INT{0});
+    registerConfigVar("input:virtualkeyboard:share_states", Hyprlang::INT{2});
     registerConfigVar("input:virtualkeyboard:release_pressed_on_close", Hyprlang::INT{0});
     registerConfigVar("input:tablet:transform", Hyprlang::INT{0});
     registerConfigVar("input:tablet:output", {STRVAL_EMPTY});
diff --git a/src/devices/IKeyboard.cpp b/src/devices/IKeyboard.cpp
index 7e6320e2..20292176 100644
--- a/src/devices/IKeyboard.cpp
+++ b/src/devices/IKeyboard.cpp
@@ -447,3 +447,8 @@ bool IKeyboard::getPressed(uint32_t key) {
 bool IKeyboard::shareStates() {
     return m_shareStates;
 }
+
+void IKeyboard::setShareStatesAuto(bool shareStates) {
+    if (m_shareStatesAuto)
+        m_shareStates = shareStates;
+}
diff --git a/src/devices/IKeyboard.hpp b/src/devices/IKeyboard.hpp
index eb213254..6f34063a 100644
--- a/src/devices/IKeyboard.hpp
+++ b/src/devices/IKeyboard.hpp
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ class IKeyboard : public IHID {
     void                              updateKeymapFD();
     bool                              getPressed(uint32_t key);
     bool                              shareStates();
+    void                              setShareStatesAuto(bool shareStates);
 
     bool                              m_active     = false;
     bool                              m_enabled    = true;
@@ -131,5 +132,6 @@ class IKeyboard : public IHID {
 
   protected:
     bool updatePressed(uint32_t key, bool pressed);
-    bool m_shareStates = true;
+    bool m_shareStates     = true;
+    bool m_shareStatesAuto = true;
 };
diff --git a/src/devices/VirtualKeyboard.cpp b/src/devices/VirtualKeyboard.cpp
index 97b7626a..2951f36a 100644
--- a/src/devices/VirtualKeyboard.cpp
+++ b/src/devices/VirtualKeyboard.cpp
@@ -44,8 +44,11 @@ CVirtualKeyboard::CVirtualKeyboard(SP<CVirtualKeyboardV1Resource> keeb_) : m_key
         m_keyboardEvents.keymap.emit(event);
     });
 
-    m_deviceName  = keeb_->m_name;
-    m_shareStates = g_pConfigManager->getDeviceInt(m_deviceName, "share_states", "input:virtualkeyboard:share_states");
+    m_deviceName = keeb_->m_name;
+
+    const auto SHARESTATES = g_pConfigManager->getDeviceInt(m_deviceName, "share_states", "input:virtualkeyboard:share_states");
+    m_shareStates          = SHARESTATES != 0;
+    m_shareStatesAuto      = SHARESTATES == 2;
 }
 
 bool CVirtualKeyboard::isVirtual() {
diff --git a/src/managers/input/InputManager.cpp b/src/managers/input/InputManager.cpp
index ea164842..fa7efb6a 100644
--- a/src/managers/input/InputManager.cpp
+++ b/src/managers/input/InputManager.cpp
@@ -1479,6 +1479,7 @@ void CInputManager::onKeyboardMod(SP<IKeyboard> pKeyboard) {
     auto       MODS    = pKeyboard->m_modifiersState;
     const auto ALLMODS = shareModsFromAllKBs(MODS.depressed);
     MODS.depressed     = ALLMODS;
+    m_lastMods         = MODS.depressed;
 
     const auto IME = m_relay.m_inputMethod.lock();
 
@@ -1488,7 +1489,6 @@ void CInputManager::onKeyboardMod(SP<IKeyboard> pKeyboard) {
     } else {
         g_pSeatManager->setKeyboard(pKeyboard);
         g_pSeatManager->sendKeyboardMods(MODS.depressed, MODS.latched, MODS.locked, MODS.group);
-        m_lastMods = MODS.depressed;
     }
 
     updateKeyboardsLeds(pKeyboard);
@@ -1506,12 +1506,20 @@ void CInputManager::onKeyboardMod(SP<IKeyboard> pKeyboard) {
 }
 
 bool CInputManager::shouldIgnoreVirtualKeyboard(SP<IKeyboard> pKeyboard) {
+    if (!pKeyboard)
+        return true;
+
     if (!pKeyboard->isVirtual())
         return false;
 
-    auto client = pKeyboard->getClient();
+    const auto CLIENT = pKeyboard->getClient();
 
-    return !pKeyboard || (client && !m_relay.m_inputMethod.expired() && m_relay.m_inputMethod->grabClient() == client);
+    const auto DISALLOWACTION = CLIENT && !m_relay.m_inputMethod.expired() && m_relay.m_inputMethod->grabClient() == CLIENT;
+
+    if (DISALLOWACTION)
+        pKeyboard->setShareStatesAuto(false);
+
+    return DISALLOWACTION;
 }
 
 void CInputManager::refocus(std::optional<Vector2D> overridePos) {