diff --git a/include/sway/config.h b/include/sway/config.h
index db507296b..a0a98fb6f 100644
--- a/include/sway/config.h
+++ b/include/sway/config.h
@@ -577,6 +577,8 @@ void merge_input_config(struct input_config *dst, struct input_config *src);
 
 struct input_config *store_input_config(struct input_config *ic);
 
+struct xkb_rule_names input_config_get_rule_names(struct input_config *ic);
+
 void free_input_config(struct input_config *ic);
 
 int seat_name_cmp(const void *item, const void *data);
@@ -655,7 +657,7 @@ void config_update_font_height(bool recalculate);
  */
 bool translate_binding(struct sway_binding *binding);
 
-void translate_keysyms(const char *layout);
+void translate_keysyms(struct input_config *input_config);
 
 void binding_add_translated(struct sway_binding *binding, list_t *bindings);
 
diff --git a/sway/commands/input.c b/sway/commands/input.c
index 2de07de6e..0195082c3 100644
--- a/sway/commands/input.c
+++ b/sway/commands/input.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ static void retranslate_keysyms(struct input_config *input_config) {
 		if (ic->xkb_layout) {
 			// this is the first config with xkb_layout
 			if (ic->identifier == input_config->identifier) {
-				translate_keysyms(ic->xkb_layout);
+				translate_keysyms(ic);
 			}
 
 			return;
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index 8579e8653..fed01eb43 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -34,16 +34,14 @@
 struct sway_config *config = NULL;
 
 static struct xkb_state *keysym_translation_state_create(
-		const char *layout) {
-	struct xkb_rule_names rules = {
-		.layout = layout,
-	};
-
+		struct xkb_rule_names rules) {
+	struct xkb_context *context = xkb_context_new(XKB_CONTEXT_NO_FLAGS);
 	struct xkb_keymap *xkb_keymap = xkb_keymap_new_from_names(
-		xkb_context_new(XKB_CONTEXT_NO_FLAGS),
+		context,
 		&rules,
 		XKB_KEYMAP_COMPILE_NO_FLAGS);
 
+	xkb_context_unref(context);
 	return xkb_state_new(xkb_keymap);
 }
 
@@ -339,8 +337,9 @@ static void config_defaults(struct sway_config *config) {
 	if (!(config->ipc_policies = create_list())) goto cleanup;
 
 	// The keysym to keycode translation
+	struct xkb_rule_names rules = {};
 	config->keysym_translation_state =
-		keysym_translation_state_create(NULL);
+		keysym_translation_state_create(rules);
 
 	return;
 cleanup:
@@ -987,9 +986,12 @@ static void translate_binding_list(list_t *bindings, list_t *bindsyms,
 	}
 }
 
-void translate_keysyms(const char *layout) {
+void translate_keysyms(struct input_config *input_config) {
 	keysym_translation_state_destroy(config->keysym_translation_state);
-	config->keysym_translation_state = keysym_translation_state_create(layout);
+
+	struct xkb_rule_names rules = input_config_get_rule_names(input_config);
+	config->keysym_translation_state =
+		keysym_translation_state_create(rules);
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < config->modes->length; ++i) {
 		struct sway_mode *mode = config->modes->items[i];
@@ -1007,5 +1009,6 @@ void translate_keysyms(const char *layout) {
 		mode->keycode_bindings = bindcodes;
 	}
 
-	sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Translated keysyms for layout %s", layout);
+	sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Translated keysyms using config for device '%s'",
+			input_config->identifier);
 }
diff --git a/sway/config/input.c b/sway/config/input.c
index aa5814313..595aa029a 100644
--- a/sway/config/input.c
+++ b/sway/config/input.c
@@ -212,6 +212,18 @@ struct input_config *store_input_config(struct input_config *ic) {
 	return ic;
 }
 
+struct xkb_rule_names input_config_get_rule_names(struct input_config *ic) {
+	struct xkb_rule_names rules = {
+		.layout = ic->xkb_layout,
+		.model = ic->xkb_model,
+		.options = ic->xkb_options,
+		.rules = ic->xkb_rules,
+		.variant = ic->xkb_variant,
+	};
+
+	return rules;
+}
+
 void free_input_config(struct input_config *ic) {
 	if (!ic) {
 		return;
diff --git a/sway/input/keyboard.c b/sway/input/keyboard.c
index 5a9651852..04b8b0ce8 100644
--- a/sway/input/keyboard.c
+++ b/sway/input/keyboard.c
@@ -477,39 +477,31 @@ struct sway_keyboard *sway_keyboard_create(struct sway_seat *seat,
 }
 
 void sway_keyboard_configure(struct sway_keyboard *keyboard) {
-	struct xkb_rule_names rules;
-	memset(&rules, 0, sizeof(rules));
 	struct input_config *input_config =
 		input_device_get_config(keyboard->seat_device->input_device);
 	struct wlr_input_device *wlr_device =
 		keyboard->seat_device->input_device->wlr_device;
 
-	if (input_config && input_config->xkb_layout) {
-		rules.layout = input_config->xkb_layout;
+	struct xkb_rule_names rules;
+	if (input_config) {
+		rules = input_config_get_rule_names(input_config);
 	} else {
+		memset(&rules, 0, sizeof(rules));
+	}
+
+	if (!rules.layout) {
 		rules.layout = getenv("XKB_DEFAULT_LAYOUT");
 	}
-	if (input_config && input_config->xkb_model) {
-		rules.model = input_config->xkb_model;
-	} else {
+	if (!rules.model) {
 		rules.model = getenv("XKB_DEFAULT_MODEL");
 	}
-
-	if (input_config && input_config->xkb_options) {
-		rules.options = input_config->xkb_options;
-	} else {
+	if (!rules.options) {
 		rules.options = getenv("XKB_DEFAULT_OPTIONS");
 	}
-
-	if (input_config && input_config->xkb_rules) {
-		rules.rules = input_config->xkb_rules;
-	} else {
+	if (!rules.rules) {
 		rules.rules = getenv("XKB_DEFAULT_RULES");
 	}
-
-	if (input_config && input_config->xkb_variant) {
-		rules.variant = input_config->xkb_variant;
-	} else {
+	if (!rules.variant) {
 		rules.variant = getenv("XKB_DEFAULT_VARIANT");
 	}