diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 8e51b608..69883b68 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -69,6 +69,12 @@ static const char *const binding_action_map[] = {
     [BIND_ACTION_PIPE_SCROLLBACK] = "pipe-scrollback",
     [BIND_ACTION_PIPE_VIEW] = "pipe-visible",
     [BIND_ACTION_PIPE_SELECTED] = "pipe-selected",
+
+    /* Mouse-specific actions */
+    [BIND_ACTION_SELECT_BEGIN] = "select-begin",
+    [BIND_ACTION_SELECT_WORD] = "select-word",
+    [BIND_ACTION_SELECT_WORD_WS] = "select-word-whitespace",
+    [BIND_ACTION_SELECT_EXTEND] = "select-extend",
 };
 
 static_assert(ALEN(binding_action_map) == BIND_ACTION_COUNT,
@@ -643,7 +649,8 @@ parse_section_csd(const char *key, const char *value, struct config *conf,
     }
 
     else {
-        LOG_AND_NOTIFY_ERR("%s:%u: [csd]: %s: invalid key", path, lineno, key);
+        LOG_AND_NOTIFY_ERR("%s:%u: [csd]: %s: invalid action",
+                           path, lineno, key);
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -859,7 +866,7 @@ parse_section_key_bindings(
     }
 
     for (enum bind_action_normal action = 0;
-         action < BIND_ACTION_COUNT;
+         action < BIND_ACTION_KEY_COUNT;
          action++)
     {
         if (binding_action_map[action] == NULL)
@@ -932,7 +939,8 @@ parse_section_key_bindings(
         return true;
     }
 
-    LOG_AND_NOTIFY_ERR("%s:%u: [key-bindings]: %s: invalid key", path, lineno, key);
+    LOG_AND_NOTIFY_ERR("%s:%u: [key-bindings]: %s: invalid action",
+                       path, lineno, key);
     return false;
 
 }
@@ -1121,7 +1129,10 @@ parse_section_mouse_bindings(
     const char *key, const char *value, struct config *conf,
     const char *path, unsigned lineno)
 {
-    for (enum bind_action_normal action = 0; action < BIND_ACTION_COUNT; action++) {
+    for (enum bind_action_normal action = 0;
+         action < BIND_ACTION_COUNT;
+         action++)
+    {
         if (binding_action_map[action] == NULL)
             continue;
 
@@ -1519,8 +1530,13 @@ add_default_mouse_bindings(struct config *conf)
 } while (0)
 
     const struct config_key_modifiers none = {};
+    const struct config_key_modifiers ctrl = {.ctrl = true};
 
     add_binding(BIND_ACTION_PRIMARY_PASTE, none, BTN_MIDDLE, 1);
+    add_binding(BIND_ACTION_SELECT_BEGIN, none, BTN_LEFT, 1);
+    add_binding(BIND_ACTION_SELECT_WORD, none, BTN_LEFT, 2);
+    add_binding(BIND_ACTION_SELECT_WORD_WS, ctrl, BTN_LEFT, 2);
+    add_binding(BIND_ACTION_SELECT_EXTEND, none, BTN_RIGHT, 1);
 
 #undef add_binding
 }
diff --git a/footrc b/footrc
index ec36bbc1..062b9177 100644
--- a/footrc
+++ b/footrc
@@ -93,3 +93,7 @@
 
 [mouse-bindings]
 # primary-paste=BTN_MIDDLE
+# select-begin=BTN_LEFT
+# select-word=BTN_LEFT-2
+# select-word-whitespace=Control+BTN_LEFT-2
+# select-extend=BTN_RIGHT
diff --git a/input.c b/input.c
index b7c5031a..9e260e69 100644
--- a/input.c
+++ b/input.c
@@ -254,6 +254,31 @@ execute_binding(struct seat *seat, struct terminal *term,
         break;
     }
 
+    case BIND_ACTION_SELECT_BEGIN:
+        selection_start(
+            term, seat->mouse.col, seat->mouse.row,
+            seat->kbd.ctrl ? SELECTION_BLOCK : SELECTION_NORMAL);
+        break;
+
+    case BIND_ACTION_SELECT_WORD:
+        selection_mark_word(
+            seat, term, seat->mouse.col, seat->mouse.row, false, serial);
+        break;
+
+    case BIND_ACTION_SELECT_WORD_WS:
+        selection_mark_word(
+            seat, term, seat->mouse.col, seat->mouse.row, true, serial);
+        break;
+
+    case BIND_ACTION_SELECT_EXTEND: {
+        bool cursor_is_on_grid = seat->mouse.col >= 0 && seat->mouse.row >= 0;
+        if (selection_enabled(term, seat) && cursor_is_on_grid) {
+            selection_extend(
+                seat, term, seat->mouse.col, seat->mouse.row, serial);
+        }
+        break;
+    }
+
     case BIND_ACTION_COUNT:
         assert(false);
         break;
@@ -1442,38 +1467,7 @@ wl_pointer_button(void *data, struct wl_pointer *wl_pointer,
 
         switch (state) {
         case WL_POINTER_BUTTON_STATE_PRESSED: {
-            if (button == BTN_LEFT && seat->mouse.count <= 3 && mods == 0) {
-                selection_cancel(term);
-
-                if (selection_enabled(term, seat) && cursor_is_on_grid) {
-                    switch (seat->mouse.count) {
-                    case 1:
-                        selection_start(
-                            term, seat->mouse.col, seat->mouse.row,
-                            seat->kbd.ctrl ? SELECTION_BLOCK : SELECTION_NORMAL);
-                        break;
-
-                    case 2:
-                        selection_mark_word(
-                            seat, term, seat->mouse.col, seat->mouse.row,
-                            seat->kbd.ctrl, serial);
-                        break;
-
-                    case 3:
-                        selection_mark_row(seat, term, seat->mouse.row, serial);
-                        break;
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-
-            else if (button == BTN_RIGHT && seat->mouse.count == 1 && mods == 0) {
-                if (selection_enabled(term, seat) && cursor_is_on_grid) {
-                    selection_extend(
-                        seat, term, seat->mouse.col, seat->mouse.row, serial);
-                }
-            }
-
-            else if (seat->wl_keyboard != NULL) {
+            if (seat->wl_keyboard != NULL) {
                 /* Seat has keyboard - use mouse bindings *with* modifiers */
                 tll_foreach(seat->mouse.bindings, it) {
                     const struct mouse_binding *binding = &it->item;
@@ -1533,8 +1527,7 @@ wl_pointer_button(void *data, struct wl_pointer *wl_pointer,
         }
 
         case WL_POINTER_BUTTON_STATE_RELEASED:
-            if (button == BTN_LEFT && term->selection.end.col != -1)
-                selection_finalize(seat, term, serial);
+            selection_finalize(seat, term, serial);
 
             if (!term_mouse_grabbed(term, seat) && cursor_is_on_grid) {
                 term_mouse_up(
diff --git a/selection.c b/selection.c
index a078a698..3eadf2ea 100644
--- a/selection.c
+++ b/selection.c
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@ selection_start(struct terminal *term, int col, int row,
     term->selection.kind = kind;
     term->selection.start = (struct coord){col, term->grid->view + row};
     term->selection.end = (struct coord){-1, -1};
+    term->selection.ongoing = true;
 }
 
 static bool
@@ -566,6 +567,11 @@ selection_finalize(struct seat *seat, struct terminal *term, uint32_t serial)
     if (term->selection.start.row < 0 || term->selection.end.row < 0)
         return;
 
+    if (!term->selection.ongoing)
+        return;
+
+    term->selection.ongoing = false;
+
     assert(term->selection.start.row != -1);
     assert(term->selection.end.row != -1);
 
@@ -600,6 +606,7 @@ selection_cancel(struct terminal *term)
     term->selection.start = (struct coord){-1, -1};
     term->selection.end = (struct coord){-1, -1};
     term->selection.direction = SELECTION_UNDIR;
+    term->selection.ongoing = false;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/terminal.h b/terminal.h
index 8509634a..2f2d8881 100644
--- a/terminal.h
+++ b/terminal.h
@@ -311,6 +311,7 @@ struct terminal {
         enum selection_direction direction;
         struct coord start;
         struct coord end;
+        bool ongoing;
     } selection;
 
     bool is_searching;
diff --git a/wayland.h b/wayland.h
index b08c25fd..b7528a7f 100644
--- a/wayland.h
+++ b/wayland.h
@@ -42,6 +42,15 @@ enum bind_action_normal {
     BIND_ACTION_PIPE_SCROLLBACK,
     BIND_ACTION_PIPE_VIEW,
     BIND_ACTION_PIPE_SELECTED,
+
+    BIND_ACTION_KEY_COUNT = BIND_ACTION_PIPE_SELECTED,
+
+    /* Mouse specific actions - i.e. they require a mouse coordinate */
+    BIND_ACTION_SELECT_BEGIN,
+    BIND_ACTION_SELECT_WORD,
+    BIND_ACTION_SELECT_WORD_WS,
+    BIND_ACTION_SELECT_EXTEND,
+
     BIND_ACTION_COUNT,
 };