diff --git a/include/ipc-server.h b/include/ipc-server.h
index ab9807efa..049750930 100644
--- a/include/ipc-server.h
+++ b/include/ipc-server.h
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ struct sockaddr_un *ipc_user_sockaddr(void);
 
 void ipc_event_workspace(swayc_t *old, swayc_t *new, const char *change);
 void ipc_event_barconfig_update(struct bar_config *bar);
+/**
+ * Send IPC mode event to all listening clients
+ */
+void ipc_event_mode(const char *mode);
 const char *swayc_type_string(enum swayc_types type);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index 6c24395f7..38019be5f 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -602,6 +602,10 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_mode(int argc, char **argv) {
 	free(mode_name);
 	// Set current mode
 	config->current_mode = mode;
+	if (!mode_make) {
+		// trigger IPC mode event
+		ipc_event_mode(config->current_mode->name);
+	}
 	return cmd_results_new(mode_make ? CMD_BLOCK_MODE : CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
diff --git a/sway/ipc-server.c b/sway/ipc-server.c
index 2bb25202c..ed3977d51 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-server.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-server.c
@@ -293,6 +293,8 @@ void ipc_client_handle_command(struct ipc_client *client) {
 				client->subscribed_events |= IPC_EVENT_WORKSPACE;
 			} else if (strcmp(event_type, "barconfig_update") == 0) {
 				client->subscribed_events |= IPC_EVENT_BARCONFIG_UPDATE;
+			} else if (strcmp(event_type, "mode") == 0) {
+				client->subscribed_events |= IPC_EVENT_MODE;
 			} else {
 				ipc_send_reply(client, "{\"success\": false}", 18);
 				ipc_client_disconnect(client);
@@ -605,3 +607,13 @@ void ipc_event_barconfig_update(struct bar_config *bar) {
 
 	json_object_put(json); // free
 }
+
+void ipc_event_mode(const char *mode) {
+	json_object *obj = json_object_new_object();
+	json_object_object_add(obj, "change", json_object_new_string(mode));
+
+	const char *json_string = json_object_to_json_string(obj);
+	ipc_send_event(json_string, IPC_EVENT_MODE);
+
+	json_object_put(obj); // free
+}
diff --git a/swaybar/main.c b/swaybar/main.c
index 2ee25589f..18283afa8 100644
--- a/swaybar/main.c
+++ b/swaybar/main.c
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ struct registry *registry;
 struct window *window;
 bool dirty = true;
 char *separator_symbol = NULL;
+char *mode = NULL;
+bool binding_mode_indicator = true;
 bool strip_workspace_numbers = false;
 typedef enum {UNDEF, TEXT, I3BAR} command_protocol;
 command_protocol protocol = UNDEF;
@@ -291,7 +293,7 @@ void bar_ipc_init(int outputi, const char *bar_id) {
 	json_object *bar_config = json_tokener_parse(res);
 	json_object *tray_output, *mode, *hidden_state, *position, *_status_command;
 	json_object *font, *bar_height, *workspace_buttons, *_strip_workspace_numbers;
-	json_object *binding_mode_indicator, *verbose, *_colors, *sep_symbol;
+	json_object *_binding_mode_indicator, *verbose, *_colors, *sep_symbol;
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "tray_output", &tray_output);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "mode", &mode);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "hidden_state", &hidden_state);
@@ -301,7 +303,7 @@ void bar_ipc_init(int outputi, const char *bar_id) {
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "bar_height", &bar_height);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "workspace_buttons", &workspace_buttons);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "strip_workspace_numbers", &_strip_workspace_numbers);
-	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "binding_mode_indicator", &binding_mode_indicator);
+	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "binding_mode_indicator", &_binding_mode_indicator);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "verbose", &verbose);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "separator_symbol", &sep_symbol);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "colors", &_colors);
@@ -328,6 +330,10 @@ void bar_ipc_init(int outputi, const char *bar_id) {
 		strip_workspace_numbers = json_object_get_boolean(_strip_workspace_numbers);
 	}
 
+	if (_binding_mode_indicator) {
+		binding_mode_indicator = json_object_get_boolean(_binding_mode_indicator);
+	}
+
 	if (bar_height) {
 		int width, height;
 		get_text_size(window, &width, &height, "Test string for measuring purposes");
@@ -635,6 +641,28 @@ void render_workspace_button(struct workspace *ws, double *x) {
 	free(name);
 }
 
+void render_binding_mode_indicator(double pos) {
+	int width, height;
+	get_text_size(window, &width, &height, "%s", mode);
+
+	// background
+	cairo_set_source_u32(window->cairo, colors.binding_mode.background);
+	cairo_rectangle(window->cairo, pos, 1.5, width + ws_hor_padding * 2 - 1,
+			height + ws_ver_padding * 2);
+	cairo_fill(window->cairo);
+
+	// border
+	cairo_set_source_u32(window->cairo, colors.binding_mode.border);
+	cairo_rectangle(window->cairo, pos, 1.5, width + ws_hor_padding * 2 - 1,
+			height + ws_ver_padding * 2);
+	cairo_stroke(window->cairo);
+
+	// text
+	cairo_set_source_u32(window->cairo, colors.binding_mode.text);
+	cairo_move_to(window->cairo, (int)pos + ws_hor_padding, margin);
+	pango_printf(window, "%s", mode);
+}
+
 void render() {
 	int i;
 
@@ -675,6 +703,11 @@ void render() {
 		struct workspace *ws = workspaces->items[i];
 		render_workspace_button(ws, &x);
 	}
+
+	// binding mode indicator
+	if (mode && binding_mode_indicator) {
+		render_binding_mode_indicator(x);
+	}
 }
 
 void free_status_block(void *item) {
@@ -1034,6 +1067,45 @@ int i3json_handle_fd(int fd) {
 	return i3json_parse();
 }
 
+bool handle_ipc_event() {
+	struct ipc_response *resp = ipc_recv_response(ipc_event_socketfd);
+	switch (resp->type) {
+	case IPC_EVENT_WORKSPACE:
+		ipc_update_workspaces();
+		break;
+	case IPC_EVENT_MODE: {
+		json_object *result = json_tokener_parse(resp->payload);
+		if (!result) {
+			free_ipc_response(resp);
+			sway_log(L_ERROR, "failed to parse payload as json");
+			return false;
+		}
+		json_object *json_change;
+		if (json_object_object_get_ex(result, "change", &json_change)) {
+			const char *change = json_object_get_string(json_change);
+
+			free(mode);
+			if (strcmp(change, "default") == 0) {
+				mode = NULL;
+			} else {
+				mode = strdup(change);
+			}
+		} else {
+			sway_log(L_ERROR, "failed to parse response");
+		}
+
+		json_object_put(result);
+		break;
+	}
+	default:
+		free_ipc_response(resp);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	free_ipc_response(resp);
+	return true;
+}
+
 void poll_for_update() {
 	fd_set readfds;
 	int activity;
@@ -1058,11 +1130,8 @@ void poll_for_update() {
 		}
 
 		if (FD_ISSET(ipc_event_socketfd, &readfds)) {
-			sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Got workspace update.");
-			struct ipc_response *resp = ipc_recv_response(ipc_event_socketfd);
-			free_ipc_response(resp);
-			ipc_update_workspaces();
-			dirty = true;
+			sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Got IPC event.");
+			dirty = handle_ipc_event();
 		}
 
 		if (status_command && FD_ISSET(status_read_fd, &readfds)) {