diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index 9b7e755..485a2eb 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -31,3 +31,6 @@ static XRectangle rectangles[9] = {
 	{ 11,	4,	1,	2 },
 
 };
+
+/* allow control key to trigger fail on clear */
+static const int controlkeyclear = 1;
diff --git a/slock-git-20161012-control-clear.diff b/slock-git-20161012-control-clear.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9634cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/slock-git-20161012-control-clear.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
+index 6fba2b6..933152b 100644
+--- a/config.def.h
++++ b/config.def.h
+@@ -10,3 +10,6 @@ static const char *colorname[NUMCOLS] = {
+ 
+ /* treat a cleared input like a wrong password */
+ static const int failonclear = 1;
++
++/* allow control key to trigger fail on clear */
++static const int controlkeyclear = 0;
+diff --git a/slock.c b/slock.c
+index 4d7f06f..15552ef 100644
+--- a/slock.c
++++ b/slock.c
+@@ -180,8 +180,9 @@ readpw(Display *dpy, struct xrandr *rr, struct lock **locks, int nscreens,
+ 					passwd[len--] = '\0';
+ 				break;
+ 			default:
+-				if (num && !iscntrl((int)buf[0]) &&
+-				    (len + num < sizeof(passwd))) {
++				if (controlkeyclear && iscntrl((int)buf[0]))
++					continue;
++				if (num && (len + num < sizeof(passwd))) {
+ 					memcpy(passwd + len, buf, num);
+ 					len += num;
+ 				}
diff --git a/slock.c b/slock.c
index c38c15d..77f21ac 100644
--- a/slock.c
+++ b/slock.c
@@ -216,8 +216,9 @@ readpw(Display *dpy, struct xrandr *rr, struct lock **locks, int nscreens,
 					passwd[--len] = '\0';
 				break;
 			default:
-				if (num && !iscntrl((int)buf[0]) &&
-				    (len + num < sizeof(passwd))) {
+				if (controlkeyclear && iscntrl((int)buf[0]))
+					continue;
+				if (num && (len + num < sizeof(passwd))) {
 					memcpy(passwd + len, buf, num);
 					len += num;
 				}