diff --git a/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/debug.rs b/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/debug.rs
index 2074528..4d43e65 100644
--- a/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/debug.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/debug.rs
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ pub fn create_match_paste_active_config_info() -> BuiltInMatch {
         force_mode: None,
       })
     },
+    ..Default::default()
   }
 }
 
@@ -62,5 +63,6 @@ pub fn create_match_paste_active_app_info() -> BuiltInMatch {
         force_mode: None,
       })
     },
+    ..Default::default()
   }
 }
diff --git a/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/mod.rs b/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/mod.rs
index d2f7bf9..a27b457 100644
--- a/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/mod.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/mod.rs
@@ -34,17 +34,33 @@ pub struct BuiltInMatch {
   pub id: i32,
   pub label: &'static str,
   pub triggers: Vec<String>,
+  pub hotkey: Option<String>,
   pub action: fn(context: &dyn Context) -> EventType,
 }
 
+impl Default for BuiltInMatch {
+  fn default() -> Self {
+    Self {
+      id: 0,
+      label: "",
+      triggers: Vec::new(),
+      hotkey: None,
+      action: |_| EventType::NOOP,
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 pub fn get_builtin_matches(config: &dyn Config) -> Vec<BuiltInMatch> {
   let mut matches = vec![
     debug::create_match_paste_active_config_info(),
     debug::create_match_paste_active_app_info(),
   ];
 
-  if let Some(search_trigger) = config.search_trigger() {
-    matches.push(search::create_match_trigger_search_bar(&search_trigger));
+  if config.search_trigger().is_some() || config.search_shortcut().is_some() {
+    matches.push(search::create_match_trigger_search_bar(
+      config.search_trigger(),
+      config.search_shortcut(),
+    ));
   }
 
   matches
diff --git a/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/search.rs b/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/search.rs
index 296540d..8443bce 100644
--- a/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/search.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/cli/worker/builtin/search.rs
@@ -21,13 +21,15 @@ use crate::{cli::worker::builtin::generate_next_builtin_id, engine::event::{Even
 
 use super::BuiltInMatch;
 
-pub fn create_match_trigger_search_bar(shortcut: &str) -> BuiltInMatch {
+pub fn create_match_trigger_search_bar(trigger: Option<String>, hotkey: Option<String>) -> BuiltInMatch {
   BuiltInMatch {
     id: generate_next_builtin_id(),
     label: "Open search bar",
-    triggers: vec![shortcut.to_string()],
+    triggers: trigger.map(|trigger| vec![trigger]).unwrap_or_default(),
+    hotkey,
     action: |_| {
       EventType::ShowSearchBar
     },
+    ..Default::default()
   }
 }
diff --git a/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/funnel/detect.rs b/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/funnel/detect.rs
index b4a77ed..035612e 100644
--- a/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/funnel/detect.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/funnel/detect.rs
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@
  */
 
 use crossbeam::channel::{Receiver, Select, SelectedOperation};
-use espanso_detect::event::InputEvent;
+use espanso_detect::event::{InputEvent};
 
-use crate::engine::{event::{Event, EventType, SourceId, input::{Key, KeyboardEvent, MouseButton, MouseEvent, Status, Variant}}, funnel};
+use crate::engine::{event::{Event, EventType, SourceId, input::{HotKeyEvent, Key, KeyboardEvent, MouseButton, MouseEvent, Status, Variant}}, funnel};
 
 pub struct DetectSource {
   pub receiver: Receiver<(InputEvent, SourceId)>,
@@ -52,7 +52,12 @@ impl<'a> funnel::Source<'a> for DetectSource {
           button: mouse_event.button.into(),
         }),
       },
-      InputEvent::HotKey(_) => todo!(), // TODO
+      InputEvent::HotKey(hotkey_event) => Event {
+        source_id,
+        etype: EventType::HotKey(HotKeyEvent {
+          hotkey_id: hotkey_event.hotkey_id,
+        })
+      }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/mod.rs b/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/mod.rs
index bdb6653..5a1bf19 100644
--- a/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/mod.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/mod.rs
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ pub fn initialize_and_spawn(
         super::engine::funnel::init_and_spawn(SourceCreationOptions {
           use_evdev: use_evdev_backend,
           evdev_keyboard_rmlvo: keyboard_layout_util::generate_detect_rmlvo(&*config_manager.default()),
-          ..Default::default()
+          hotkeys: match_converter.get_hotkeys(),
         })
         .expect("failed to initialize detector module");
       let exit_source = super::engine::funnel::exit::ExitSource::new(exit_signal, &sequencer);
diff --git a/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/process/middleware/matcher/convert.rs b/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/process/middleware/matcher/convert.rs
index 24bad2b..3652e13 100644
--- a/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/process/middleware/matcher/convert.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/cli/worker/engine/process/middleware/matcher/convert.rs
@@ -24,10 +24,12 @@ use espanso_config::{
     MatchCause,
   },
 };
+use espanso_detect::hotkey::HotKey;
 use espanso_match::{
   regex::RegexMatch,
   rolling::{RollingMatch, StringMatchOptions},
 };
+use log::error;
 use std::iter::FromIterator;
 
 use crate::cli::worker::builtin::BuiltInMatch;
@@ -79,7 +81,7 @@ impl<'a> MatchConverter<'a> {
         matches.push(RollingMatch::from_string(
           m.id,
           &trigger,
-          &StringMatchOptions::default()
+          &StringMatchOptions::default(),
         ))
       }
     }
@@ -101,6 +103,26 @@ impl<'a> MatchConverter<'a> {
     matches
   }
 
+  pub fn get_hotkeys(&self) -> Vec<HotKey> {
+    let mut hotkeys = Vec::new();
+
+    // TODO: read user-defined matches
+
+    // Then convert built-in ones
+    for m in self.builtin_matches {
+      if let Some(hotkey) = &m.hotkey {
+        match HotKey::new(m.id, hotkey) {
+          Ok(hotkey) => hotkeys.push(hotkey),
+          Err(err) => {
+            error!("unable to register hotkey: {}, with error: {}", hotkey, err);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    hotkeys
+  }
+
   fn global_match_set(&self) -> MatchSet {
     let paths = self.config_store.get_all_match_paths();
     self.match_store.query(&Vec::from_iter(paths.into_iter()))
diff --git a/espanso/src/engine/event/input.rs b/espanso/src/engine/event/input.rs
index b667837..b0f9f21 100644
--- a/espanso/src/engine/event/input.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/engine/event/input.rs
@@ -115,4 +115,9 @@ pub enum Key {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
 pub struct ContextMenuClickedEvent {
   pub context_item_id: u32,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
+pub struct HotKeyEvent {
+  pub hotkey_id: i32,
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/espanso/src/engine/event/internal.rs b/espanso/src/engine/event/internal.rs
index 642a0b1..a35acad 100644
--- a/espanso/src/engine/event/internal.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/engine/event/internal.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ pub struct MatchesDetectedEvent {
   pub matches: Vec<DetectedMatch>,
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Default)]
 pub struct DetectedMatch {
   pub id: i32,
   pub trigger: Option<String>,
diff --git a/espanso/src/engine/event/mod.rs b/espanso/src/engine/event/mod.rs
index c0b1c9b..7e642bc 100644
--- a/espanso/src/engine/event/mod.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/engine/event/mod.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ pub enum EventType {
   // Inputs
   Keyboard(input::KeyboardEvent),
   Mouse(input::MouseEvent),
-  // TODO: hotkeys
+  HotKey(input::HotKeyEvent),
   TrayIconClicked,
   ContextMenuClicked(input::ContextMenuClickedEvent),
 
diff --git a/espanso/src/engine/process/default.rs b/espanso/src/engine/process/default.rs
index 967ec6a..6af7f0f 100644
--- a/espanso/src/engine/process/default.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/engine/process/default.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ use super::{DisableOptions, MatchFilter, MatchInfoProvider, MatchProvider, Match
     delay_modifiers::{DelayForModifierReleaseMiddleware, ModifierStatusProvider}, markdown::MarkdownMiddleware,
     past_discard::PastEventsDiscardMiddleware,
   }};
-use crate::engine::{event::{Event, EventType}, process::middleware::{context_menu::ContextMenuMiddleware, disable::DisableMiddleware, exit::ExitMiddleware, icon_status::IconStatusMiddleware, image_resolve::ImageResolverMiddleware, search::SearchMiddleware}};
+use crate::engine::{event::{Event, EventType}, process::middleware::{context_menu::ContextMenuMiddleware, disable::DisableMiddleware, exit::ExitMiddleware, hotkey::HotKeyMiddleware, icon_status::IconStatusMiddleware, image_resolve::ImageResolverMiddleware, search::SearchMiddleware}};
 use std::collections::VecDeque;
 
 pub struct DefaultProcessor<'a> {
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ impl<'a> DefaultProcessor<'a> {
         Box::new(IconStatusMiddleware::new()),
         Box::new(MatcherMiddleware::new(matchers, matcher_options_provider)),
         Box::new(ContextMenuMiddleware::new()),
+        Box::new(HotKeyMiddleware::new()),
         Box::new(MatchSelectMiddleware::new(match_filter, match_selector)),
         Box::new(CauseCompensateMiddleware::new()),
         Box::new(MultiplexMiddleware::new(multiplexer)),
diff --git a/espanso/src/engine/process/middleware/cause.rs b/espanso/src/engine/process/middleware/cause.rs
index 521ef22..cb1f357 100644
--- a/espanso/src/engine/process/middleware/cause.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/engine/process/middleware/cause.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ impl CauseCompensateMiddleware {
 
 impl Middleware for CauseCompensateMiddleware {
   fn name(&self) -> &'static str {
-    "discard"
+    "cause_compensate"
   }
 
   fn next(&self, event: Event, dispatch: &mut dyn FnMut(Event)) -> Event {
diff --git a/espanso/src/engine/process/middleware/hotkey.rs b/espanso/src/engine/process/middleware/hotkey.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1a42d80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/espanso/src/engine/process/middleware/hotkey.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of espanso id: (), trigger: (), trigger: (), left_separator: (), right_separator: (), args: () left_separator: (), right_separator: (), args: () id: (), trigger: (), left_separator: (), right_separator: (), args: ().
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2019-2021 Federico Terzi
+ *
+ * espanso is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * espanso is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with espanso.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+use super::super::Middleware;
+use crate::engine::{event::{Event, EventType, internal::{DetectedMatch, MatchesDetectedEvent}}};
+
+pub struct HotKeyMiddleware {}
+
+impl HotKeyMiddleware {
+  pub fn new() -> Self {
+    Self {}
+  }
+}
+
+impl Middleware for HotKeyMiddleware {
+  fn name(&self) -> &'static str {
+    "hotkey"
+  }
+
+  fn next(&self, event: Event, _: &mut dyn FnMut(Event)) -> Event {
+    if let EventType::HotKey(m_event) = &event.etype {
+      return Event::caused_by(event.source_id, EventType::MatchesDetected(MatchesDetectedEvent {
+          matches: vec![
+            DetectedMatch {
+              id: m_event.hotkey_id,
+              ..Default::default()
+            }
+          ],
+      }));
+    }
+
+    event
+  }
+}
+
+// TODO: test
diff --git a/espanso/src/engine/process/middleware/mod.rs b/espanso/src/engine/process/middleware/mod.rs
index 1c7a9b4..d585c07 100644
--- a/espanso/src/engine/process/middleware/mod.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/engine/process/middleware/mod.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ pub mod cursor_hint;
 pub mod delay_modifiers;
 pub mod disable;
 pub mod exit;
+pub mod hotkey;
 pub mod icon_status;
 pub mod image_resolve;
 pub mod match_select;
diff --git a/espanso/src/patch/patches/macros.rs b/espanso/src/patch/patches/macros.rs
index 5a41fd3..05d0943 100644
--- a/espanso/src/patch/patches/macros.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/patch/patches/macros.rs
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ macro_rules! generate_patchable_config {
         fn search_trigger(&self) -> Option<String> {
           self.base.search_trigger()
         }
+
+        fn search_shortcut(&self) -> Option<String> {
+          self.base.search_shortcut()
+        }
       }
   };
 }
\ No newline at end of file