diff --git a/src/lib/platform/OSXKeyState.cpp b/src/lib/platform/OSXKeyState.cpp
index 270ed854..7bf258c9 100644
--- a/src/lib/platform/OSXKeyState.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/platform/OSXKeyState.cpp
@@ -181,15 +181,13 @@ static const CKeyEntry	s_controlKeys[] = {
 //
 
 COSXKeyState::COSXKeyState(IEventQueue* events) :
-	CKeyState(events),
-	m_deadKeyState(0)
+	CKeyState(events)
 {
 	init();
 }
 
 COSXKeyState::COSXKeyState(IEventQueue* events, CKeyMap& keyMap) :
-	CKeyState(events, keyMap),
-	m_deadKeyState(0)
+	CKeyState(events, keyMap)
 {
 	init();
 }
@@ -201,16 +199,17 @@ COSXKeyState::~COSXKeyState()
 void
 COSXKeyState::init()
 {
-	// initialize modifier key values
-	shiftPressed = false;
-	controlPressed = false;
-	altPressed = false;
-	superPressed = false;
-	capsPressed = false;
+	m_deadKeyState = 0;
+	m_shiftPressed = false;
+	m_controlPressed = false;
+	m_altPressed = false;
+	m_superPressed = false;
+	m_capsPressed = false;
 
 	// build virtual key map
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(s_controlKeys) /
-								sizeof(s_controlKeys[0]); ++i) {
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(s_controlKeys) / sizeof(s_controlKeys[0]);
+		++i) {
+		
 		m_virtualKeyMap[s_controlKeys[i].m_virtualKey] =
 			s_controlKeys[i].m_keyID;
 	}
@@ -483,63 +482,97 @@ COSXKeyState::getKeyMap(CKeyMap& keyMap)
 void
 COSXKeyState::fakeKey(const Keystroke& keystroke)
 {
-	CGEventRef ref;
-
 	switch (keystroke.m_type) {
-	case Keystroke::kButton:
-		{
-			LOG((CLOG_DEBUG1 "  %03x (%08x) %s", keystroke.m_data.m_button.m_button, keystroke.m_data.m_button.m_client, keystroke.m_data.m_button.m_press ? "down" : "up"));
+	case Keystroke::kButton: {
+		
+		KeyButton button = keystroke.m_data.m_button.m_button;
+		bool keyDown = keystroke.m_data.m_button.m_press;
+		UInt32 client = keystroke.m_data.m_button.m_client;
+		CGEventSourceRef source = 0;
+		CGKeyCode virtualKey = mapKeyButtonToVirtualKey(button);
+		
+		LOG((CLOG_DEBUG1
+			"  button=0x%04x virtualKey=0x%04x keyDown=%s client=0x%04x",
+			button, virtualKey, keyDown ? "down" : "up", client));
 
-		// let system figure out character for us
-		ref = CGEventCreateKeyboardEvent(0, mapKeyButtonToVirtualKey(
-									keystroke.m_data.m_button.m_button),
-								keystroke.m_data.m_button.m_press);
+		CGEventRef ref = CGEventCreateKeyboardEvent(
+			source, virtualKey, keyDown);
+		
 		if (ref == NULL) {
 			LOG((CLOG_CRIT "unable to create keyboard event for keystroke"));
+			return;
 		}
 
-			UInt32 vk = mapKeyButtonToVirtualKey(keystroke.m_data.m_button.m_button);
-			UInt32 modifierDown = keystroke.m_data.m_button.m_press;
+		// persist modifier state.
+		if (virtualKey == s_shiftVK) {
+			m_shiftPressed = keyDown;
+		}
+		
+		if (virtualKey == s_controlVK) {
+			m_controlPressed = keyDown;
+		}
+		
+		if (virtualKey == s_altVK) {
+			m_altPressed = keyDown;
+		}
+		
+		if (virtualKey == s_superVK) {
+			m_superPressed = keyDown;
+		}
+		
+		if (virtualKey == s_capsLockVK) {
+			m_capsPressed = keyDown;
+		}
 
-			// check the key for specials and store the value (persistent until changed)
-			if (vk == s_shiftVK)    shiftPressed=modifierDown;
-			if (vk == s_controlVK)  controlPressed=modifierDown;
-			if (vk == s_altVK)      altPressed=modifierDown;
-			if (vk == s_superVK)    superPressed=modifierDown;
-			if (vk == s_capsLockVK) capsPressed=modifierDown;
+		// set the event flags for special keys
+		// http://tinyurl.com/pxl742y
+		CGEventFlags modifiers = 0;
+		
+		if (m_shiftPressed) {
+			modifiers |= kCGEventFlagMaskShift;
+		}
+		
+		if (m_controlPressed) {
+			modifiers |= kCGEventFlagMaskControl;
+		}
+		
+		if (m_altPressed) {
+			modifiers |= kCGEventFlagMaskAlternate;
+		}
+		
+		if (m_superPressed) {
+			modifiers |= kCGEventFlagMaskCommand;
+		}
+		
+		if (m_capsPressed) {
+			modifiers |= kCGEventFlagMaskAlphaShift;
+		}
+		
+		CGEventSetFlags(ref, modifiers);
+		CGEventPost(kCGHIDEventTap, ref);
+		CFRelease(ref);
 
-			//Set the event flags for special keys - see following link:
-			//http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2008126/cgeventpost-possible-bug-when-simulating-keyboard-events
-			CGEventFlags modifiers = 0;
-			if (shiftPressed)   modifiers |= kCGEventFlagMaskShift;
-			if (controlPressed) modifiers |= kCGEventFlagMaskControl;
-			if (altPressed)     modifiers |= kCGEventFlagMaskAlternate;
-			if (superPressed)   modifiers |= kCGEventFlagMaskCommand;
-			if (capsPressed)    modifiers |= kCGEventFlagMaskAlphaShift;
-			
-			CGEventSetFlags(ref, modifiers);
-			
-			CGEventPost(kCGHIDEventTap, ref);
-
-			// add a delay if client data isn't zero
-			if (keystroke.m_data.m_button.m_client) {
-				ARCH->sleep(0.01);
-			}
+		// add a delay if client data isn't zero
+		// FIXME -- why?
+		if (client != 0) {
+			ARCH->sleep(0.01);
 		}
 		break;
+	}
 
-	case Keystroke::kGroup:
+	case Keystroke::kGroup: {
+		SInt32 group = keystroke.m_data.m_group.m_group;
 		if (keystroke.m_data.m_group.m_absolute) {
-			LOG((CLOG_DEBUG1 "  group %d", keystroke.m_data.m_group.m_group));
-			setGroup(keystroke.m_data.m_group.m_group);
+			LOG((CLOG_DEBUG1 "  group %d", group));
+			setGroup(group);
 		}
 		else {
-			LOG((CLOG_DEBUG1 "  group %+d", keystroke.m_data.m_group.m_group));
-			setGroup(getEffectiveGroup(pollActiveGroup(),
-									keystroke.m_data.m_group.m_group));
+			LOG((CLOG_DEBUG1 "  group %+d", group));
+			setGroup(getEffectiveGroup(pollActiveGroup(), group));
 		}
 		break;
 	}
+	}
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/lib/platform/OSXKeyState.h b/src/lib/platform/OSXKeyState.h
index c10833fd..fad80701 100644
--- a/src/lib/platform/OSXKeyState.h
+++ b/src/lib/platform/OSXKeyState.h
@@ -214,11 +214,9 @@ private:
 	mutable UInt32		m_deadKeyState;
 	GroupList			m_groups;
 	GroupMap			m_groupMap;
-	
-	// Hold the current state of modifier keys
-	bool shiftPressed;
-	bool controlPressed;
-	bool altPressed;
-	bool superPressed;
-	bool capsPressed;
+	bool				m_shiftPressed;
+	bool				m_controlPressed;
+	bool				m_altPressed;
+	bool				m_superPressed;
+	bool				m_capsPressed;
 };