diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 81687c3..13ad28e 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ typedef void (*keyfunc)(keycode, bool);
 // globals
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+// state of key presses
 static bool	_kb_is_pressed[KB_ROWS][KB_COLUMNS];
 static bool	(*kb_is_pressed)[KB_ROWS][KB_COLUMNS] = &_kb_is_pressed;
 
@@ -66,17 +67,24 @@ static bool	(*kb_was_pressed)[KB_ROWS][KB_COLUMNS] = &_kb_was_pressed;
 
 static layer	layers_pressed[KB_ROWS][KB_COLUMNS];
 
+// layer state
 static i8   	layers_active[KB_LAYERS];
 static layer	layers_top;
-static u8   	layers_state;
 
+// sticky states
 static bool	layer_sticky_on;
 static bool	layer_sticky[KB_LAYERS];
 static bool	layer_sticky_done;
 static u8  	mod_sticky;
 static bool	mod_sticky_done;
 
+// key repeat config
+static const millis	repeat_delay	= 300;	// ms before key repeat kicks in
+static const millis	repeat_rate 	= 13; 	// send 1 / RATE key press
+
+// key repeat state
 static millis	time_pressed[KB_ROWS][KB_COLUMNS];
+static bool  	repeating[KB_ROWS][KB_COLUMNS];
 
 // TODO this only exists as a workaround until we handle our own key repeats
 static const keyfunc _kb_layer_funcs[] = {
@@ -139,26 +147,12 @@ void main_key_loop() {
         bool is_pressed 	= (*kb_is_pressed)[row][col];
         bool was_pressed	= (*kb_was_pressed)[row][col];
 
-        if (is_pressed != was_pressed) {
-          layer layer;
-          if (is_pressed) {
-            layer = layers_top;
-            layers_pressed[row][col] = layer;
-
-            if (!was_pressed) {
-              time_pressed[row][col] = now();
-            } else {
-              // repeat
-            }
-          } else {
-            layer = layers_pressed[row][col];
-            layers_pressed[row][col] = 0;
-
-            /* debug_printf("ms: %lu\n", now() - time_pressed[row][col]); */
-          }
-
-          // set remaining vars, and "execute" key
-          exec_key(layer, row, col, is_pressed);
+        if (is_pressed) {
+          if (!was_pressed)	{ main_key_down_new(row, col); }
+          else             	{ main_key_down_repeat(row, col); }
+        } else {
+          if (!was_pressed)	{ continue; } // no change
+          else             	{ main_key_up(row, col); }
         }
       }
     }
@@ -191,6 +185,45 @@ void main_key_loop() {
   }
 }
 
+void main_key_up(u8 row, u8 col) {
+  layer layer = layers_pressed[row][col];
+  layers_pressed[row][col] = 0;
+
+  // stop key repeat
+  if (repeating[row][col]) {
+    repeating[row][col] = false;
+    debug_printf("stop: %lu\n", now() - time_pressed[row][col]);
+  }
+
+  exec_key(layer, row, col, false);
+}
+
+void main_key_down_new(u8 row, u8 col) {
+  layer layer = layers_top;
+  layers_pressed[row][col] = layer;
+
+  time_pressed[row][col] = now();
+  debug_printf("down: %lu\n", time_pressed[row][col]);
+
+  exec_key(layer, row, col, true);
+}
+
+void main_key_down_repeat(u8 row, u8 col) {
+  millis t = now(); // consistency!
+  millis diff = t - time_pressed[row][col];
+
+  if (!repeating[row][col] && diff >= repeat_delay) { // start repeat
+    repeating[row][col] = true;
+    time_pressed[row][col] = t;
+
+    debug_printf("start: %lu\n", diff);
+  } else if (repeating[row][col] && diff >= repeat_rate) { // continue repeat
+    time_pressed[row][col] = t;
+
+    debug_printf("cont: %lu\n", diff);
+  }
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // init functions
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -217,7 +250,6 @@ void init_layers() {
   }
   layers_active[0]	= 1;
   layers_top      	= 0;
-  layers_state    	= 1;
 
   for (u8 row=0; row<KB_ROWS; row++) {
     for (u8 col=0; col<KB_COLUMNS; col++) {
@@ -230,6 +262,7 @@ void init_timer() {
   for (u8 row=0; row<KB_ROWS; row++) {
     for (u8 col=0; col<KB_COLUMNS; col++) {
       time_pressed[row][col] = 0;
+      repeating[row][col] = false;
     }
   }
 }
@@ -242,7 +275,6 @@ void init_timer() {
 layer highest_active_layer() {
   for (layer l = KB_LAYERS - 1; l > 0; l--) {
     if (layers_active[l] > 0) { return l; }
-    /* if (is_set(layers_state, l)) { return l; } */
   }
 
   // the base layer is always active
@@ -254,7 +286,6 @@ void layer_enable(layer l) {
   if (l >= KB_LAYERS || l == 0) { return; }
 
   layers_active[l] += 1;
-  set_layer(layers_state, l);
 
   if (l > layers_top) {
     layers_top = l;
@@ -269,9 +300,6 @@ void layer_disable(layer l) {
   if (layers_active[l] > 0) {
     layers_active[l] -= 1;
   }
-  if (layers_active[l] == 0) {
-    unset_layer(layers_state, l);
-  }
 
   if (l == layers_top) {
     layers_top = highest_active_layer();
diff --git a/src/main.h b/src/main.h
index bf1391a..347f739 100644
--- a/src/main.h
+++ b/src/main.h
@@ -27,8 +27,11 @@ bool is_layer_keyfunc(keyfunc f);
 keyfunc kb_keyfunc(layer l,u8 row,u8 col);
 void layer_enable(layer l);
 layer highest_active_layer();
-void layer_disable(layer l);
 void exec_key(layer layer,u8 row,u8 col,bool is_pressed);
+void layer_disable(layer l);
+void main_key_up(u8 row,u8 col);
+void main_key_down_repeat(u8 row,u8 col);
+void main_key_down_new(u8 row,u8 col);
 void main_key_loop();
 void init_timer();
 void init_sticky();