diff --git a/include/config.h b/include/config.h
index c4fe6b08..f05de324 100644
--- a/include/config.h
+++ b/include/config.h
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ void grab_all_keys(xcb_connection_t *conn, bool bind_mode_switch);
  * Switches the key bindings to the given mode, if the mode exists
  *
  */
-void switch_mode(xcb_connection_t *conn, const char *new_mode);
+void switch_mode(const char *new_mode);
 
 /**
  * Returns a pointer to the Binding with the specified modifiers and keycode
diff --git a/src/cmdparse.l b/src/cmdparse.l
index bc83b026..641265e6 100644
--- a/src/cmdparse.l
+++ b/src/cmdparse.l
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ border                          { return TOK_BORDER; }
 normal                          { return TOK_NORMAL; }
 none                            { return TOK_NONE; }
 1pixel                          { return TOK_1PIXEL; }
-mode                            { return TOK_MODE; }
+mode                            { BEGIN(WANT_QSTRING); return TOK_MODE; }
 tiling                          { return TOK_TILING; }
 floating                        { return TOK_FLOATING; }
 toggle                          { return TOK_TOGGLE; }
diff --git a/src/cmdparse.y b/src/cmdparse.y
index a540efed..f86bead9 100644
--- a/src/cmdparse.y
+++ b/src/cmdparse.y
@@ -352,6 +352,7 @@ operation:
     | mark
     | resize
     | nop
+    | mode
     ;
 
 exec:
@@ -784,3 +785,10 @@ direction:
     | TOK_LEFT      { $$ = TOK_LEFT; }
     | TOK_RIGHT     { $$ = TOK_RIGHT; }
     ;
+
+mode:
+    TOK_MODE STR
+    {
+        switch_mode($2);
+    }
+    ;
diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 572b4ab9..98b40dc4 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ void grab_all_keys(xcb_connection_t *conn, bool bind_mode_switch) {
  * Switches the key bindings to the given mode, if the mode exists
  *
  */
-void switch_mode(xcb_connection_t *conn, const char *new_mode) {
+void switch_mode(const char *new_mode) {
         struct Mode *mode;
 
         LOG("Switching to mode %s\n", new_mode);