diff --git a/input.cpp b/input.cpp
index 49d1d44a8b..75631c864c 100644
--- a/input.cpp
+++ b/input.cpp
@@ -2263,7 +2263,7 @@ void InputRedirection::reconfigure()
         const auto config = inputConfig->group(QStringLiteral("Keyboard"));
         const int delay = config.readEntry("RepeatDelay", 660);
         const int rate = config.readEntry("RepeatRate", 25);
-        const QString repeatMode = config.readEntry("KeyRepeat", "accent");
+        const QString repeatMode = config.readEntry("KeyRepeat", "repeat");
         // when the clients will repeat the character or turn repeat key events into an accent character selection, we want
         // to tell the clients that we are indeed repeating keys.
         const bool enabled = repeatMode == QLatin1String("accent") || repeatMode == QLatin1String("repeat");