diff --git a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/cli/main.cpp b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/cli/main.cpp
index f748233c2..b61844763 100644
--- a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/cli/main.cpp
+++ b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/cli/main.cpp
@@ -526,10 +526,8 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv) {
   /* Initialize joysticks */
   if(!init_joy()) return 1;
   /* Load keyboard and joystick configuration */
-  keyfile = desmume_config_read_file(cli_kb_cfg);
+  keyfile = desmume_config_read_file(cli_kb_cfg, "SDLKEYS");
   desmume_config_dispose(keyfile);
-  /* Since gtk has a different mapping the keys stop to work with the saved configuration :| */
-  load_default_config(cli_kb_cfg);
 
   if(my_config.load_slot != -1){
     loadstate_slot(my_config.load_slot);
diff --git a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk2/main.cpp b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk2/main.cpp
index d04a47d8c..82e4af39d 100644
--- a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk2/main.cpp
+++ b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk2/main.cpp
@@ -2194,13 +2194,19 @@ static void Modify_Key(GtkWidget* widget, gpointer data)
 
 }
 
+#include "../shared/gdksdl.cpp"
+
 static void Edit_Controls()
 {
     GtkWidget *ecDialog;
     GtkWidget *ecKey;
     gchar *Key_Label;
+    u32 keyboard_cfg_sdl[NB_KEYS];
     int i;
 
+    g_assert(sizeof(Keypad_Temp) == sizeof(keyboard_cfg) &&
+        sizeof(keyboard_cfg) == sizeof(keyboard_cfg_sdl));
+
     memcpy(&Keypad_Temp, &keyboard_cfg, sizeof(keyboard_cfg));
 
     ecDialog = gtk_dialog_new_with_buttons("Edit controls",
@@ -2222,8 +2228,17 @@ static void Edit_Controls()
 
     switch (gtk_dialog_run(GTK_DIALOG(ecDialog))) {
     case GTK_RESPONSE_OK:
-        memcpy(&keyboard_cfg, &Keypad_Temp, sizeof(keyboard_cfg));
-        desmume_config_update_keys(keyfile);
+        /* convert keycodes to SDL for the cli frontend, since it has no config menu */
+        for (i = 0; i < NB_KEYS; ++i) {
+            int sk = gdk_to_sdl_keycode(Keypad_Temp[i]);
+            /* if we don't know the keycode, chances are that SDL knows it anyways */
+            if (sk == -1) sk = (u32) Keypad_Temp[i];
+            keyboard_cfg_sdl[i] = sk;
+        }
+        memcpy(keyboard_cfg, keyboard_cfg_sdl, sizeof(keyboard_cfg));
+        desmume_config_update_keys(keyfile, "SDLKEYS");
+        memcpy(keyboard_cfg, Keypad_Temp, sizeof(keyboard_cfg));
+        desmume_config_update_keys(keyfile, "KEYS");
         break;
     case GTK_RESPONSE_CANCEL:
     case GTK_RESPONSE_NONE:
diff --git a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/shared/desmume_config.cpp b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/shared/desmume_config.cpp
index c1e14b8ed..d47c95c63 100644
--- a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/shared/desmume_config.cpp
+++ b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/shared/desmume_config.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ static const gchar *desmume_old_config_file = ".desmume.ini";
 static const gchar *desmume_config_dir = "desmume";
 static const gchar *desmume_config_file = "config";
 
-GKeyFile *desmume_config_read_file(const u32 *kb_cfg)
+GKeyFile *desmume_config_read_file(const u32 *kb_cfg, const char* keysection)
 {
     gchar *config_file, *config_dir, *old_config_file;
     GKeyFile *keyfile;
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ GKeyFile *desmume_config_read_file(const u32 *kb_cfg)
     g_free(old_config_file);
 
     load_default_config(kb_cfg);
-    desmume_config_read_keys(keyfile);
+    desmume_config_read_keys(keyfile, keysection);
     desmume_config_read_joykeys(keyfile);
 
     return keyfile;
@@ -92,10 +92,10 @@ static gboolean desmume_config_write_file(GKeyFile *keyfile)
     return ret;
 }
 
-gboolean desmume_config_update_keys(GKeyFile *keyfile)
+gboolean desmume_config_update_keys(GKeyFile *keyfile, const char *section)
 {
     for(int i = 0; i < NB_KEYS; i++) {
-        g_key_file_set_integer(keyfile, "KEYS", key_names[i], keyboard_cfg[i]);
+        g_key_file_set_integer(keyfile, section, key_names[i], keyboard_cfg[i]);
     }
 
     return desmume_config_write_file(keyfile);
@@ -110,15 +110,15 @@ gboolean desmume_config_update_joykeys(GKeyFile *keyfile)
     return desmume_config_write_file(keyfile);
 }
 
-gboolean desmume_config_read_keys(GKeyFile *keyfile)
+gboolean desmume_config_read_keys(GKeyFile *keyfile, const char *section)
 {
     GError *error = NULL;
 
-    if (!g_key_file_has_group(keyfile, "KEYS"))
+    if (!g_key_file_has_group(keyfile, section))
         return TRUE;
 
     for (int i = 0; i < NB_KEYS; i++) {
-        keyboard_cfg[i] = g_key_file_get_integer(keyfile, "KEYS", key_names[i], &error);
+        keyboard_cfg[i] = g_key_file_get_integer(keyfile, section, key_names[i], &error);
         if (error != NULL) {
             g_error_free(error);
             return FALSE;
diff --git a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/shared/desmume_config.h b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/shared/desmume_config.h
index 314b5be5d..6d22ecd39 100644
--- a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/shared/desmume_config.h
+++ b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/shared/desmume_config.h
@@ -18,12 +18,18 @@
 #ifndef _DESMUME_GTK_CONFIG
 #define _DESMUME_GTK_CONFIG
 
-GKeyFile *desmume_config_read_file(const u32 *);
+GKeyFile *desmume_config_read_file(const u32 *, const char *keysection = "KEYS");
 void desmume_config_dispose(GKeyFile *);
 
-gboolean desmume_config_update_keys(GKeyFile*);
+/* since GTK uses GDK keysymbols, not SDL2 ones, we need
+  different sections for cli/gtk frontends.
+  KEYS = gtk keys,
+  SDLKEYS = sdl2 keys
+*/
+gboolean desmume_config_update_keys(GKeyFile*, const char *section = "KEYS");
+gboolean desmume_config_read_keys(GKeyFile*, const char *section = "KEYS");
+
 gboolean desmume_config_update_joykeys(GKeyFile*);
-gboolean desmume_config_read_keys(GKeyFile*);
 gboolean desmume_config_read_joykeys(GKeyFile*);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/shared/gdksdl.cpp b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/shared/gdksdl.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e6f771ecb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/shared/gdksdl.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,278 @@
+#include <gdk/gdkkeysyms.h>
+#include <SDL.h>
+
+int gdk_to_sdl_keycode(int gdk_key)
+{
+ switch (gdk_key)
+ {
+  case GDK_BackSpace:
+   return SDLK_BACKSPACE;
+  case GDK_Tab:
+   return SDLK_TAB;
+  case GDK_Clear:
+   return SDLK_CLEAR;
+  case GDK_Return:
+   return SDLK_RETURN;
+  case GDK_Pause:
+   return SDLK_PAUSE;
+  case GDK_Escape:
+   return SDLK_ESCAPE;
+  case GDK_KP_Space:
+   return SDLK_SPACE;
+  case GDK_exclamdown:
+   return SDLK_EXCLAIM;
+  case GDK_quotedbl:
+   return SDLK_QUOTEDBL;
+  case GDK_numbersign:
+   return SDLK_HASH;
+  case GDK_dollar:
+   return SDLK_DOLLAR;
+  case GDK_ampersand:
+   return SDLK_AMPERSAND;
+  case GDK_quoteright:
+   return SDLK_QUOTE;
+  case GDK_parenleft:
+   return SDLK_LEFTPAREN;
+  case GDK_parenright:
+   return SDLK_RIGHTPAREN;
+  case GDK_asterisk:
+   return SDLK_ASTERISK;
+  case GDK_plus:
+   return SDLK_PLUS;
+  case GDK_comma:
+   return SDLK_COMMA;
+  case GDK_minus:
+   return SDLK_MINUS;
+  case GDK_period:
+   return SDLK_PERIOD;
+  case GDK_slash:
+   return SDLK_SLASH;
+  case GDK_0:
+   return SDLK_0;
+  case GDK_1:
+   return SDLK_1;
+  case GDK_2:
+   return SDLK_2;
+  case GDK_3:
+   return SDLK_3;
+  case GDK_4:
+   return SDLK_4;
+  case GDK_5:
+   return SDLK_5;
+  case GDK_6:
+   return SDLK_6;
+  case GDK_7:
+   return SDLK_7;
+  case GDK_8:
+   return SDLK_8;
+  case GDK_9:
+   return SDLK_9;
+  case GDK_colon:
+   return SDLK_COLON;
+  case GDK_semicolon:
+   return SDLK_SEMICOLON;
+  case GDK_less:
+   return SDLK_LESS;
+  case GDK_equal:
+   return SDLK_EQUALS;
+  case GDK_greater:
+   return SDLK_GREATER;
+  case GDK_question:
+   return SDLK_QUESTION;
+  case GDK_at:
+   return SDLK_AT;
+  case GDK_bracketleft:
+   return SDLK_LEFTBRACKET;
+  case GDK_backslash:
+   return SDLK_BACKSLASH;
+  case GDK_bracketright:
+   return SDLK_RIGHTBRACKET;
+  case GDK_asciicircum:
+   return SDLK_CARET;
+  case GDK_underscore:
+   return SDLK_UNDERSCORE;
+  case GDK_quoteleft:
+   return SDLK_BACKQUOTE;
+  case GDK_a:
+   return SDLK_a;
+  case GDK_b:
+   return SDLK_b;
+  case GDK_c:
+   return SDLK_c;
+  case GDK_d:
+   return SDLK_d;
+  case GDK_e:
+   return SDLK_e;
+  case GDK_f:
+   return SDLK_f;
+  case GDK_g:
+   return SDLK_g;
+  case GDK_h:
+   return SDLK_h;
+  case GDK_i:
+   return SDLK_i;
+  case GDK_j:
+   return SDLK_j;
+  case GDK_k:
+   return SDLK_k;
+  case GDK_l:
+   return SDLK_l;
+  case GDK_m:
+   return SDLK_m;
+  case GDK_n:
+   return SDLK_n;
+  case GDK_o:
+   return SDLK_o;
+  case GDK_p:
+   return SDLK_p;
+  case GDK_q:
+   return SDLK_q;
+  case GDK_r:
+   return SDLK_r;
+  case GDK_s:
+   return SDLK_s;
+  case GDK_t:
+   return SDLK_t;
+  case GDK_u:
+   return SDLK_u;
+  case GDK_v:
+   return SDLK_v;
+  case GDK_w:
+   return SDLK_w;
+  case GDK_x:
+   return SDLK_x;
+  case GDK_y:
+   return SDLK_y;
+  case GDK_z:
+   return SDLK_z;
+  case GDK_Delete:
+   return SDLK_DELETE;
+  case GDK_KP_0:
+   return SDLK_KP_0;
+  case GDK_KP_1:
+   return SDLK_KP_1;
+  case GDK_KP_2:
+   return SDLK_KP_2;
+  case GDK_KP_3:
+   return SDLK_KP_3;
+  case GDK_KP_4:
+   return SDLK_KP_4;
+  case GDK_KP_5:
+   return SDLK_KP_5;
+  case GDK_KP_6:
+   return SDLK_KP_6;
+  case GDK_KP_7:
+   return SDLK_KP_7;
+  case GDK_KP_8:
+   return SDLK_KP_8;
+  case GDK_KP_9:
+   return SDLK_KP_9;
+  case GDK_KP_Decimal:
+   return SDLK_KP_PERIOD;
+  case GDK_KP_Divide:
+   return SDLK_KP_DIVIDE;
+  case GDK_KP_Multiply:
+   return SDLK_KP_MULTIPLY;
+  case GDK_KP_Subtract:
+   return SDLK_KP_MINUS;
+  case GDK_KP_Add:
+   return SDLK_KP_PLUS;
+  case GDK_KP_Enter:
+   return SDLK_KP_ENTER;
+  case GDK_KP_Equal:
+   return SDLK_KP_EQUALS;
+  case GDK_Up:
+   return SDLK_UP;
+  case GDK_Down:
+   return SDLK_DOWN;
+  case GDK_Right:
+   return SDLK_RIGHT;
+  case GDK_Left:
+   return SDLK_LEFT;
+  case GDK_Insert:
+   return SDLK_INSERT;
+  case GDK_Home:
+   return SDLK_HOME;
+  case GDK_End:
+   return SDLK_END;
+  case GDK_Page_Up:
+   return SDLK_PAGEUP;
+  case GDK_Page_Down:
+   return SDLK_PAGEDOWN;
+  case GDK_F1:
+   return SDLK_F1;
+  case GDK_F2:
+   return SDLK_F2;
+  case GDK_F3:
+   return SDLK_F3;
+  case GDK_F4:
+   return SDLK_F4;
+  case GDK_F5:
+   return SDLK_F5;
+  case GDK_F6:
+   return SDLK_F6;
+  case GDK_F7:
+   return SDLK_F7;
+  case GDK_F8:
+   return SDLK_F8;
+  case GDK_F9:
+   return SDLK_F9;
+  case GDK_F10:
+   return SDLK_F10;
+  case GDK_F11:
+   return SDLK_F11;
+  case GDK_F12:
+   return SDLK_F12;
+  case GDK_F13:
+   return SDLK_F13;
+  case GDK_F14:
+   return SDLK_F14;
+  case GDK_F15:
+   return SDLK_F15;
+  case GDK_Num_Lock:
+   return SDLK_NUMLOCKCLEAR;
+  case GDK_Caps_Lock:
+   return SDLK_CAPSLOCK;
+  case GDK_Scroll_Lock:
+   return SDLK_SCROLLLOCK;
+  case GDK_Shift_R:
+   return SDLK_RSHIFT;
+  case GDK_Shift_L:
+   return SDLK_LSHIFT;
+  case GDK_Control_R:
+   return SDLK_RCTRL;
+  case GDK_Control_L:
+   return SDLK_LCTRL;
+  case GDK_Alt_R:
+   return SDLK_RALT;
+  case GDK_Alt_L:
+   return SDLK_LALT;
+  case GDK_Meta_R:
+   return SDLK_RGUI;
+  case GDK_Meta_L:
+   return SDLK_LGUI;
+  case GDK_Super_L:
+   return SDLK_LGUI;
+  case GDK_Super_R:
+   return SDLK_RGUI;
+  case GDK_Mode_switch:
+   return SDLK_MODE;
+
+
+  case GDK_Help:
+   return SDLK_HELP;
+  case GDK_Print:
+   return SDLK_PRINTSCREEN;
+  case GDK_Sys_Req:
+   return SDLK_SYSREQ;
+  case GDK_Break:
+   return SDLK_PAUSE;
+  case GDK_Menu:
+   return SDLK_MENU;
+
+  default:
+
+   return -1;
+ }
+}
+