diff --git a/include/sway/config.h b/include/sway/config.h
index ebf16e6a..29c21afe 100644
--- a/include/sway/config.h
+++ b/include/sway/config.h
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ struct sway_variable {
 enum binding_input_type {
 	BINDING_KEYCODE,
 	BINDING_KEYSYM,
-	BINDING_MOUSE,
+	BINDING_MOUSECODE,
+	BINDING_MOUSESYM,
 };
 
 enum binding_flags {
diff --git a/include/sway/input/cursor.h b/include/sway/input/cursor.h
index 22e278b0..4636bf6b 100644
--- a/include/sway/input/cursor.h
+++ b/include/sway/input/cursor.h
@@ -86,4 +86,12 @@ void cursor_warp_to_container(struct sway_cursor *cursor,
 
 void cursor_warp_to_workspace(struct sway_cursor *cursor,
 		struct sway_workspace *workspace);
+
+uint32_t get_mouse_bindsym(const char *name, char **error);
+
+uint32_t get_mouse_bindcode(const char *name, char **error);
+
+// Considers both bindsym and bindcode
+uint32_t get_mouse_button(const char *name, char **error);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/sway/commands/bind.c b/sway/commands/bind.c
index 4fceaf8c..be47d412 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bind.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bind.c
@@ -85,69 +85,91 @@ static int key_qsort_cmp(const void *keyp_a, const void *keyp_b) {
  */
 static struct cmd_results *identify_key(const char* name, bool first_key,
 		uint32_t* key_val, enum binding_input_type* type) {
-	if (*type == BINDING_KEYCODE) {
-		// check for keycode
+	if (*type == BINDING_MOUSECODE) {
+		// check for mouse bindcodes
+		char *message = NULL;
+		uint32_t button = get_mouse_bindcode(name, &message);
+		if (!button) {
+			if (message) {
+				struct cmd_results *error =
+					cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindcode", message);
+				free(message);
+				return error;
+			} else {
+				return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindcode",
+						"Unknown button code %s", name);
+			}
+		}
+		*key_val = button;
+	} else if (*type == BINDING_MOUSESYM) {
+		// check for mouse bindsyms (x11 buttons or event names)
+		char *message = NULL;
+		uint32_t button = get_mouse_bindsym(name, &message);
+		if (!button) {
+			if (message) {
+				struct cmd_results *error =
+					cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindsym", message);
+				free(message);
+				return error;
+			} else if (!button) {
+				return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindsym",
+						"Unknown button %s", name);
+			}
+		}
+		*key_val = button;
+	} else if (*type == BINDING_KEYCODE) {
+		// check for keycode. If it is the first key, allow mouse bindcodes
+		if (first_key) {
+			char *message = NULL;
+			uint32_t button = get_mouse_bindcode(name, &message);
+			free(message);
+			if (button) {
+				*type = BINDING_MOUSECODE;
+				*key_val = button;
+				return NULL;
+			}
+		}
+
 		xkb_keycode_t keycode = strtol(name, NULL, 10);
 		if (!xkb_keycode_is_legal_ext(keycode)) {
-			return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindcode",
-					"Invalid keycode '%s'", name);
+			if (first_key) {
+				return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindcode",
+						"Invalid keycode or button code '%s'", name);
+			} else {
+				return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindcode",
+						"Invalid keycode '%s'", name);
+			}
 		}
 		*key_val = keycode;
 	} else {
-		// check for keysym
+		// check for keysym. If it is the first key, allow mouse bindsyms
+		if (first_key) {
+			char *message = NULL;
+			uint32_t button = get_mouse_bindsym(name, &message);
+			if (message) {
+				struct cmd_results *error =
+					cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindsym", message);
+				free(message);
+				return error;
+			} else if (button) {
+				*type = BINDING_MOUSESYM;
+				*key_val = button;
+				return NULL;
+			}
+		}
+
 		xkb_keysym_t keysym = xkb_keysym_from_name(name,
 				XKB_KEYSYM_CASE_INSENSITIVE);
-
-		// Check for mouse binding
-		uint32_t button = 0;
-		if (strncasecmp(name, "button", strlen("button")) == 0) {
-			// Map to x11 mouse buttons
-			button = name[strlen("button")] - '0';
-			if (button < 1 || button > 9 || strlen(name) > strlen("button0")) {
+		if (!keysym) {
+			if (first_key) {
 				return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindsym",
-						"Only buttons 1-9 are supported. For other mouse "
-						"buttons, use the name of the event code.");
-			}
-			uint32_t buttons[] = {BTN_LEFT, BTN_MIDDLE, BTN_RIGHT,
-				SWAY_SCROLL_UP, SWAY_SCROLL_DOWN, SWAY_SCROLL_LEFT,
-				SWAY_SCROLL_RIGHT, BTN_SIDE, BTN_EXTRA};
-			button = buttons[button - 1];
-		} else if (strncmp(name, "BTN_", strlen("BTN_")) == 0) {
-			// Get event code
-			int code = libevdev_event_code_from_name(EV_KEY, name);
-			if (code == -1) {
-				return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindsym",
-						"Invalid event code name %s", name);
-			}
-			button = code;
-		}
-
-		if (*type == BINDING_KEYSYM) {
-			if (button) {
-				if (first_key) {
-					*type = BINDING_MOUSE;
-					*key_val = button;
-				} else {
-					return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindsym",
-							"Mixed button '%s' into key sequence", name);
-				}
-			} else if (keysym) {
-				*key_val = keysym;
+						"Unknown key or button '%s'", name);
 			} else {
 				return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindsym",
-						"Unknown key '%s'", name);
-			}
-		} else {
-			if (button) {
-				*key_val = button;
-			} else if (keysym) {
-				return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindsym",
-						"Mixed keysym '%s' into button sequence", name);
-			} else {
-				return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "bindsym",
-						"Unknown button '%s'", name);
+					"Unknown key '%s'", name);
 			}
 		}
+		*key_val = keysym;
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -201,7 +223,8 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_bindsym_or_bindcode(int argc, char **argv,
 	}
 	if (binding->flags & (BINDING_BORDER | BINDING_CONTENTS | BINDING_TITLEBAR)
 			|| exclude_titlebar) {
-		binding->type = BINDING_MOUSE;
+		binding->type = binding->type == BINDING_KEYCODE ?
+			BINDING_MOUSECODE : BINDING_MOUSESYM;
 	}
 
 	if (argc < 2) {
@@ -249,7 +272,8 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_bindsym_or_bindcode(int argc, char **argv,
 	// that this is one
 	if (exclude_titlebar) {
 		binding->flags &= ~BINDING_TITLEBAR;
-	} else if (binding->type == BINDING_MOUSE) {
+	} else if (binding->type == BINDING_MOUSECODE
+			|| binding->type == BINDING_MOUSESYM) {
 		binding->flags |= BINDING_TITLEBAR;
 	}
 
diff --git a/sway/input/cursor.c b/sway/input/cursor.c
index 409e7b12..9af7ef57 100644
--- a/sway/input/cursor.c
+++ b/sway/input/cursor.c
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@
 #include <math.h>
 #include <libevdev/libevdev.h>
 #include <linux/input-event-codes.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <float.h>
 #include <limits.h>
+#include <strings.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_cursor.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_xcursor_manager.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_idle.h>
@@ -1533,3 +1535,66 @@ void cursor_warp_to_workspace(struct sway_cursor *cursor,
 
 	wlr_cursor_warp(cursor->cursor, NULL, x, y);
 }
+
+uint32_t get_mouse_bindsym(const char *name, char **error) {
+	if (strncasecmp(name, "button", strlen("button")) == 0) {
+		// Map to x11 mouse buttons
+		int number = name[strlen("button")] - '0';
+		if (number < 1 || number > 9 || strlen(name) > strlen("button0")) {
+			*error = strdup("Only buttons 1-9 are supported. For other mouse "
+					"buttons, use the name of the event code.");
+			return 0;
+		}
+		static const uint32_t buttons[] = {BTN_LEFT, BTN_MIDDLE, BTN_RIGHT,
+			SWAY_SCROLL_UP, SWAY_SCROLL_DOWN, SWAY_SCROLL_LEFT,
+			SWAY_SCROLL_RIGHT, BTN_SIDE, BTN_EXTRA};
+		return buttons[number - 1];
+	} else if (strncmp(name, "BTN_", strlen("BTN_")) == 0) {
+		// Get event code from name
+		int code = libevdev_event_code_from_name(EV_KEY, name);
+		if (code == -1) {
+			size_t len = snprintf(NULL, 0, "Unknown event %s", name) + 1;
+			*error = malloc(len);
+			if (*error) {
+				snprintf(*error, len, "Unknown event %s", name);
+			}
+			return 0;
+		}
+		return code;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+uint32_t get_mouse_bindcode(const char *name, char **error) {
+	// Validate event code
+	errno = 0;
+	char *endptr;
+	int code = strtol(name, &endptr, 10);
+	if (endptr == name && code <= 0) {
+		*error = strdup("Button event code must be a positive integer.");
+		return 0;
+	} else if (errno == ERANGE) {
+		*error = strdup("Button event code out of range.");
+		return 0;
+	}
+	const char *event = libevdev_event_code_get_name(EV_KEY, code);
+	if (!event || strncmp(event, "BTN_", strlen("BTN_")) != 0) {
+		size_t len = snprintf(NULL, 0, "Event code %d (%s) is not a button",
+				code, event) + 1;
+		*error = malloc(len);
+		if (*error) {
+			snprintf(*error, len, "Event code %d (%s) is not a button",
+					code, event);
+		}
+		return 0;
+	}
+	return code;
+}
+
+uint32_t get_mouse_button(const char *name, char **error) {
+	uint32_t button = get_mouse_bindsym(name, error);
+	if (!button && !error) {
+		button = get_mouse_bindcode(name, error);
+	}
+	return button;
+}
diff --git a/sway/ipc-server.c b/sway/ipc-server.c
index 456db866..ff1bc89f 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-server.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-server.c
@@ -445,8 +445,12 @@ void ipc_event_binding(struct sway_binding *binding) {
 	json_object_object_add(json_binding, "input_code", json_object_new_int(input_code));
 	json_object_object_add(json_binding, "symbols", symbols);
 	json_object_object_add(json_binding, "symbol", symbol);
-	json_object_object_add(json_binding, "input_type", binding->type == BINDING_MOUSE ?
-			json_object_new_string("mouse") : json_object_new_string("keyboard"));
+
+	bool mouse = binding->type == BINDING_MOUSECODE ||
+		binding->type == BINDING_MOUSESYM;
+	json_object_object_add(json_binding, "input_type", mouse
+			? json_object_new_string("mouse")
+			: json_object_new_string("keyboard"));
 
 	json_object *json = json_object_new_object();
 	json_object_object_add(json, "change", json_object_new_string("run"));
diff --git a/sway/sway.5.scd b/sway/sway.5.scd
index 3757a097..3398ad58 100644
--- a/sway/sway.5.scd
+++ b/sway/sway.5.scd
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ runtime.
 ```
 
 	*bindcode* [--release|--locked] [--input-device=<device>] [--no-warn] <code> <command>
-	is also available for binding with key codes instead of key names.
+	is also available for binding with key/button codes instead of key/button names.
 
 *client.<class>* <border> <background> <text> <indicator> <child\_border>
 	Configures the color of window borders and title bars. All 5 colors are