diff --git a/doc/rofi-manpage.markdown b/doc/rofi-manpage.markdown
index 8d3957d4..f0179355 100644
--- a/doc/rofi-manpage.markdown
+++ b/doc/rofi-manpage.markdown
@@ -209,6 +209,10 @@ Select the scrolling method. 0: Per page, 1: continuous.
 
 Hide the indicator that shows what part of the string is matched.
 
+`-lazy-grab`
+
+When fail to grab keyboard, don't block but retry later in background.
+
 ### Theming
 
 All colors are either hex #rrggbb, #aarrggbb or argb:aarrggbbvalues or X11 color names.
@@ -886,6 +890,15 @@ Use `qalc` to get a simple calculator in **rofi**:
 
      rofi -show calc -modi "calc:qalc +u8 -nocurrencies"
 
+## I3
+
+In [I3](http://i3wm.org/) you want to bind rofi to be launched on key-release. Otherwise it cannot grab the keyboard. 
+See also the I3 [manual](http://i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html):
+
+Some tools (such as import or xdotool) might be unable to run upon a KeyPress event, because the keyboard/pointer is
+still grabbed. For these situations, the --release flag can be used, which will execute the command after the keys have
+been released.
+
 ## LICENSE
 
     MIT/X11
diff --git a/doc/rofi.1 b/doc/rofi.1
index 3217a6a2..dea91f1e 100644
--- a/doc/rofi.1
+++ b/doc/rofi.1
@@ -300,6 +300,12 @@ Select the scrolling method\. 0: Per page, 1: continuous\.
 .P
 Hide the indicator that shows what part of the string is matched\.
 .
+.P
+\fB\-lazy\-grab\fR
+.
+.P
+When fail to grab keyboard, don\'t block but retry later in background\.
+.
 .SS "Theming"
 All colors are either hex #rrggbb, #aarrggbb or argb:aarrggbbvalues or X11 color names\.
 .
@@ -1469,6 +1475,12 @@ Use \fBqalc\fR to get a simple calculator in \fBrofi\fR:
 .
 .IP "" 0
 .
+.SH "I3"
+In I3 \fIhttp://i3wm\.org/\fR you want to bind rofi to be launched on key\-release\. Otherwise it cannot grab the keyboard\. See also the I3 manual \fIhttp://i3wm\.org/docs/userguide\.html\fR:
+.
+.P
+Some tools (such as import or xdotool) might be unable to run upon a KeyPress event, because the keyboard/pointer is still grabbed\. For these situations, the \-\-release flag can be used, which will execute the command after the keys have been released\.
+.
 .SH "LICENSE"
 .
 .nf
diff --git a/source/rofi.c b/source/rofi.c
index 2d2e11e7..ebd16168 100644
--- a/source/rofi.c
+++ b/source/rofi.c
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ static void print_main_application_options ( int is_term )
     print_help_msg ( "-markup", "", "Enable pango markup where possible.", NULL, is_term );
     print_help_msg ( "-normal-window", "", "In dmenu mode, behave as a normal window. (experimental)", NULL, is_term );
     print_help_msg ( "-show", "[mode]", "Show the mode 'mode' and exit. The mode has to be enabled.", NULL, is_term );
+    print_help_msg ( "-lazy-grab", "", "When fail to grab keyboard, don't block but retry later.", NULL, is_term );
 }
 static void help ( G_GNUC_UNUSED int argc, char **argv )
 {
@@ -625,11 +626,23 @@ static gboolean startup ( G_GNUC_UNUSED gpointer data )
     // We grab this using the rootwindow (as dmenu does it).
     // this seems to result in the smallest delay for most people.
     if ( ( window_flags & MENU_NORMAL_WINDOW ) == 0 ) {
-        if ( !take_keyboard ( xcb_stuff_get_root_window ( xcb), 0) ){
-            g_timeout_add ( 1,lazy_grab_keyboard, NULL);
-        }
-        if ( !take_pointer ( xcb_stuff_get_root_window ( xcb ), 0 )) {
-            g_timeout_add ( 1,lazy_grab_pointer, NULL);
+        if ( find_arg ( "-lazy-grab") >= 0 ){
+            if ( !take_keyboard ( xcb_stuff_get_root_window ( xcb), 0) ){
+                g_timeout_add ( 1,lazy_grab_keyboard, NULL);
+            }
+            if ( !take_pointer ( xcb_stuff_get_root_window ( xcb ), 0 )) {
+                g_timeout_add ( 1,lazy_grab_pointer, NULL);
+            }
+        } else {
+            if ( !take_keyboard ( xcb_stuff_get_root_window ( xcb), 500) ){
+                fprintf ( stderr, "Failed to grab keyboard, even after %d uS.", 500 * 1000 );
+                g_main_loop_quit ( main_loop );
+                return G_SOURCE_REMOVE;
+            }
+            if ( ! take_pointer ( xcb_stuff_get_root_window ( xcb ), 100 ) ) {
+                fprintf ( stderr, "Failed to grab mouse pointer, even after %d uS.", 100*1000);
+            }
+
         }
     }
     TICK_N ( "Grab keyboard" );