diff --git a/js/ui/sessionMode.js b/js/ui/sessionMode.js
index feca51ee0..47b1bbffb 100644
--- a/js/ui/sessionMode.js
+++ b/js/ui/sessionMode.js
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ const _modes = {
         showCalendarEvents: false,
         allowSettings: false,
         allowExtensions: false,
-        allowKeybindingsWhenModal: false,
         hasRunDialog: false,
         hasWorkspaces: false,
         hasWindows: false,
@@ -32,7 +31,6 @@ const _modes = {
     },
 
     'gdm': {
-        allowKeybindingsWhenModal: true,
         hasNotifications: true,
         isGreeter: true,
         isPrimary: true,
diff --git a/js/ui/windowManager.js b/js/ui/windowManager.js
index 4e3467d5a..c4896eea8 100644
--- a/js/ui/windowManager.js
+++ b/js/ui/windowManager.js
@@ -474,10 +474,8 @@ const WindowManager = new Lang.Class({
     },
 
     _filterKeybinding: function(shellwm, binding) {
-        if (!Main.sessionMode.allowKeybindingsWhenModal) {
-            if (Main.modalCount > (Main.overview.visible ? 1 : 0))
-                return true;
-        }
+        if (Main.keybindingMode == Main.KeybindingMode.NONE)
+            return true;
 
         // There's little sense in implementing a keybinding in mutter and
         // not having it work in NORMAL mode; handle this case generically