diff --git a/event.c b/event.c
index 920a1a459..8a5dd830c 100644
--- a/event.c
+++ b/event.c
@@ -63,40 +63,17 @@
             } \
         for(; item_matching > 0; item_matching--) \
         { \
-            type *item = luaL_checkudata(globalconf.L, -1, #prefix); \
             switch(ev->response_type) \
             { \
               case xcbeventprefix##_PRESS: \
-                if(item->press) \
-                { \
-                    for(int i = 0; i < nargs; i++) \
-                        lua_pushvalue(globalconf.L, - nargs - item_matching); \
-                    if(oud) \
-                    { \
-                        luaA_object_push_item(globalconf.L, abs_oud, item); \
-                        luaA_object_push_item(globalconf.L,  -1, item->press); \
-                        lua_remove(globalconf.L, -2); \
-                    } \
-                    else \
-                        prefix##_push_item(globalconf.L, item, item->press); \
-                    luaA_dofunction(globalconf.L, nargs, 0); \
-                } \
+                for(int i = 0; i < nargs; i++) \
+                    lua_pushvalue(globalconf.L, - nargs - item_matching); \
+                luaA_object_emit_signal(globalconf.L, - nargs - 1, "press", nargs); \
                 break; \
               case xcbeventprefix##_RELEASE: \
-                if(item->release) \
-                { \
-                    for(int i = 0; i < nargs; i++) \
-                        lua_pushvalue(globalconf.L, - nargs - item_matching); \
-                    if(oud) \
-                    { \
-                        luaA_object_push_item(globalconf.L, abs_oud, item); \
-                        luaA_object_push_item(globalconf.L,  -1, item->release); \
-                        lua_remove(globalconf.L, -2); \
-                    } \
-                    else \
-                        prefix##_push_item(globalconf.L, item, item->release); \
-                    luaA_dofunction(globalconf.L, nargs, 0); \
-                } \
+                for(int i = 0; i < nargs; i++) \
+                    lua_pushvalue(globalconf.L, - nargs - item_matching); \
+                luaA_object_emit_signal(globalconf.L, - nargs - 1, "release", nargs); \
                 break; \
             } \
             lua_pop(globalconf.L, 1); \
diff --git a/key.c b/key.c
index 81d3ee0d1..d0c5f3e72 100644
--- a/key.c
+++ b/key.c
@@ -1023,8 +1023,6 @@ luaA_key_new(lua_State *L)
             luaA_checkfunction(L, 5);
 
         k = key_new(L);
-        k->press = luaA_object_ref_item(L, -1, 4);
-        k->release = luaA_object_ref_item(L, -1, 4);
         luaA_keystore(L, -1, key, len);
         k->modifiers = luaA_tomodifiers(L, 2);
 
diff --git a/key.h b/key.h
index 52791409a..7d8ede975 100644
--- a/key.h
+++ b/key.h
@@ -33,10 +33,6 @@ typedef struct keyb_t
     xcb_keysym_t keysym;
     /** Keycode */
     xcb_keycode_t keycode;
-    /** Lua function to execute on press */
-    void *press;
-    /** Lua function to execute on release */
-    void *release;
 } keyb_t;
 
 lua_class_t key_class;
diff --git a/lib/awful/key.lua.in b/lib/awful/key.lua.in
index 4747dd547..251433de7 100644
--- a/lib/awful/key.lua.in
+++ b/lib/awful/key.lua.in
@@ -26,11 +26,18 @@ ignore_modifiers = { "Lock", "Mod2" }
 -- CapsLock off.
 -- @see capi.key
 -- @return A table with one or several key objects.
-function new(mod, ...)
+function new(mod, key, press, release)
     local ret = {}
     local subsets = util.subsets(ignore_modifiers)
     for _, set in ipairs(subsets) do
-        ret[#ret + 1] = capi.key(util.table.join(mod, set), ...)
+        ret[#ret + 1] = capi.key({ modifiers = util.table.join(mod, set),
+                                   key = key })
+        if press then
+            ret[#ret]:add_signal("press", function(kobj, ...) press(...) end)
+        end
+        if release then
+            ret[#ret]:add_signal("release", function(kobj, ...) release(...) end)
+        end
     end
     return ret
 end