diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1904fd5d..9a972955 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
   CSI codes in the Kitty keyboard protocol.
 * Assertion in `shm.c:buffer_release()`
   (https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/844).
+* Crash when setting a key- or mouse binding to the empty string
+  (https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/851).
 
 
 ### Security
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 50fb74e6..2b7ad378 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -1726,6 +1726,12 @@ value_to_key_combos(struct context *ctx, int action, struct argv *argv,
 
     }
 
+    if (idx == 0) {
+        LOG_CONTEXTUAL_ERR(
+            "empty binding not allowed (set to 'none' to unmap)");
+        goto err;
+    }
+
     remove_from_key_bindings_list(bindings, action, argv);
 
     bindings->arr = xrealloc(