diff --git a/include/menu/menu.h b/include/menu/menu.h
index 736e32b1..e0e39cf5 100644
--- a/include/menu/menu.h
+++ b/include/menu/menu.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ struct menuitem {
 	char *text;
 	char *icon_name;
 	const char *arrow;
-	char accelerator;
+	uint32_t accelerator;
 	struct menu *parent;
 	struct menu *submenu;
 	bool selectable;
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ void menu_item_select_previous(void);
  * Return: a boolean value that represents whether the newly selected item
  * needs to be executed.
  */
-bool menu_item_select_by_accelerator(char accelerator);
+bool menu_item_select_by_accelerator(uint32_t accelerator);
 
 void menu_submenu_enter(void);
 void menu_submenu_leave(void);
diff --git a/src/input/keyboard.c b/src/input/keyboard.c
index 0c5bd802..16b51947 100644
--- a/src/input/keyboard.c
+++ b/src/input/keyboard.c
@@ -419,20 +419,6 @@ handle_change_vt_key(struct keyboard *keyboard,
 	return false;
 }
 
-static char
-keysym_to_char(uint32_t keysym)
-{
-	if (keysym >= 0x0020 && keysym <= 0x00FF) {
-		return (char)keysym;
-	}
-
-	if (keysym >= XKB_KEY_KP_0 && keysym <= XKB_KEY_KP_9) {
-		return (char)('0' + (keysym - XKB_KEY_KP_0));
-	}
-
-	return '\0';
-}
-
 static void
 handle_menu_keys(struct keysyms *syms)
 {
@@ -454,15 +440,17 @@ handle_menu_keys(struct keysyms *syms)
 			break;
 		case XKB_KEY_Return:
 		case XKB_KEY_KP_Enter:
-			menu_call_selected_actions();
+			if (!menu_call_selected_actions()) {
+				menu_submenu_enter();
+			};
 			break;
 		case XKB_KEY_Escape:
 			menu_close_root();
 			cursor_update_focus();
 			break;
 		default: {
-			char accelerator = keysym_to_char(syms->syms[i]);
-			if (accelerator == '\0') {
+			uint32_t accelerator = xkb_keysym_to_utf32(syms->syms[i]);
+			if (accelerator == 0) {
 				continue;
 			}
 			if (menu_item_select_by_accelerator(accelerator)) {
diff --git a/src/menu/menu.c b/src/menu/menu.c
index 013ee7af..f56b208f 100644
--- a/src/menu/menu.c
+++ b/src/menu/menu.c
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <strings.h>
+#include <uchar.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <wctype.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_scene.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell.h>
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
@@ -131,7 +133,7 @@ validate(void)
 }
 
 static struct menuitem *
-item_create(struct menu *menu, const char *text, const char *icon_name, bool show_arrow)
+item_create(struct menu *menu, char *text, const char *icon_name, bool show_arrow)
 {
 	assert(menu);
 	assert(text);
@@ -145,26 +147,34 @@ item_create(struct menu *menu, const char *text, const char *icon_name, bool sho
 	menuitem->arrow = show_arrow ? "›" : NULL;
 
 	const char *it = text;
-	/* Skip emojis and whitespace */
-	while (*it != '\0') {
-		unsigned char c = (unsigned char)*it;
-
-		if (isspace(c) || c > 127) {
-			it++;
-		} else {
-			break;
-		}
-	}
-
-	menuitem->accelerator = tolower(*it);
+	uint32_t accelerator = 0;
 	while (*it != '\0') {
 		if (*it == '_') {
-			menuitem->accelerator = tolower(*(it + 1));
+			char32_t codepoint = 0;
+			mbstate_t state = {0};
+			size_t bytes = mbrtoc32(&codepoint, it + 1, MB_CUR_MAX, &state);
+			if (bytes > 0 && bytes <= 4) {
+				accelerator = (uint32_t)towlower((wint_t)codepoint);
+			}
+
 			break;
 		}
 		it++;
 	}
 
+	/* Fallback to the first character of the label */
+	if (accelerator == 0 && text[0] != '\0') {
+		char32_t codepoint = 0;
+		mbstate_t state = {0};
+
+		size_t bytes = mbrtoc32(&codepoint, text, MB_CUR_MAX, &state);
+		if (bytes > 0 && bytes <= 4) {
+			accelerator = (uint32_t)towlower((wint_t)codepoint);
+		}
+	}
+
+	menuitem->accelerator = accelerator;
+
 #if HAVE_LIBSFDO
 	if (rc.menu_show_icons && !string_null_or_empty(icon_name)) {
 		menuitem->icon_name = xstrdup(icon_name);
@@ -1483,7 +1493,7 @@ menu_item_select_previous(void)
 }
 
 bool
-menu_item_select_by_accelerator(char accelerator)
+menu_item_select_by_accelerator(uint32_t accelerator)
 {
 	struct menu *menu = get_selection_leaf();
 	if (!menu || wl_list_empty(&menu->menuitems)) {