diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 9c556b0e0..447fd5846 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ option(enable-swaybar "Enables the swaybar utility" YES)
 option(enable-swaygrab "Enables the swaygrab utility" YES)
 option(enable-swaymsg "Enables the swaymsg utility" YES)
 option(enable-gdk-pixbuf "Use Pixbuf to support more image formats" YES)
+option(enable-binding-event "Enables binding event subscription" YES)
 
 find_package(JsonC REQUIRED)
 find_package(PCRE REQUIRED)
@@ -112,6 +113,9 @@ if(enable-swaylock)
 		message(WARNING "Not building swaylock - cairo, pango, and PAM are required.")
 	endif()
 endif()
+if(enable-binding-event)
+	add_definitions(-DSWAY_BINDING_EVENT=1)
+endif()
 
 install(
 	FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/sway.desktop
diff --git a/sway/handlers.c b/sway/handlers.c
index a298ff3e2..76778450f 100644
--- a/sway/handlers.c
+++ b/sway/handlers.c
@@ -337,14 +337,26 @@ static void handle_view_state_request(wlc_handle view, enum wlc_view_state_bit s
 }
 
 static void handle_binding_command(struct sway_binding *binding) {
-		struct sway_binding *binding_copy = sway_binding_dup(binding);
-		struct cmd_results *res = handle_command(binding->command);
-		if (res->status != CMD_SUCCESS) {
-			sway_log(L_ERROR, "Command '%s' failed: %s", res->input, res->error);
-		}
-		ipc_event_binding_keyboard(binding_copy);
-		free_cmd_results(res);
+	struct sway_binding *binding_copy = binding;
+	bool reload = false;
+	// if this is a reload command we need to make a duplicate of the
+	// binding since it will be gone after the reload has completed.
+	if (strcasecmp(binding->command, "reload") == 0) {
+		binding_copy = sway_binding_dup(binding);
+		reload = true;
+	}
+
+	struct cmd_results *res = handle_command(binding->command);
+	if (res->status != CMD_SUCCESS) {
+		sway_log(L_ERROR, "Command '%s' failed: %s", res->input, res->error);
+	}
+	ipc_event_binding_keyboard(binding_copy);
+
+	if (reload) { // free the binding if we made a copy
 		free_sway_binding(binding_copy);
+	}
+
+	free_cmd_results(res);
 }
 
 static bool handle_bindsym(struct sway_binding *binding) {
diff --git a/sway/ipc-server.c b/sway/ipc-server.c
index d8d8434c0..bde209312 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-server.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-server.c
@@ -298,8 +298,10 @@ void ipc_client_handle_command(struct ipc_client *client) {
 				client->subscribed_events |= IPC_EVENT_MODE;
 			} else if (strcmp(event_type, "modifier") == 0) {
 				client->subscribed_events |= IPC_EVENT_MODIFIER;
+#if SWAY_BINDING_EVENT
 			} else if (strcmp(event_type, "binding") == 0) {
 				client->subscribed_events |= IPC_EVENT_BINDING;
+#endif
 			} else {
 				ipc_send_reply(client, "{\"success\": false}", 18);
 				ipc_client_disconnect(client);
@@ -636,6 +638,7 @@ void ipc_event_modifier(uint32_t modifier, const char *state) {
 	json_object_put(obj); // free
 }
 
+#if SWAY_BINDING_EVENT
 static void ipc_event_binding(json_object *sb_obj) {
 	json_object *obj = json_object_new_object();
 	json_object_object_add(obj, "change", json_object_new_string("run"));
@@ -646,8 +649,10 @@ static void ipc_event_binding(json_object *sb_obj) {
 
 	json_object_put(obj); // free
 }
+#endif
 
 void ipc_event_binding_keyboard(struct sway_binding *sb) {
+#if SWAY_BINDING_EVENT
 	json_object *sb_obj = json_object_new_object();
 	json_object_object_add(sb_obj, "command", json_object_new_string(sb->command));
 
@@ -679,4 +684,5 @@ void ipc_event_binding_keyboard(struct sway_binding *sb) {
 	json_object_object_add(sb_obj, "input_type", json_object_new_string("keyboard"));
 
 	ipc_event_binding(sb_obj);
+#endif
 }