diff --git a/qe.c b/qe.c
index df1bb8d..58b04f2 100644
--- a/qe.c
+++ b/qe.c
@@ -1349,9 +1349,12 @@ void do_quote(EditState *s, int argval)
     put_status(s, "Quote: ");
 }
 
-void do_insert(EditState *s)
+void do_overwrite_mode(EditState *s, int argval)
 {
-    s->insert = !s->insert;
+    if (argval == NO_ARG)
+        s->insert = !s->insert;
+    else
+        s->insert = !argval;
 }
 
 void do_tab(EditState *s, int argval)
diff --git a/qe.h b/qe.h
index a6d263c..3d3bb04 100644
--- a/qe.h
+++ b/qe.h
@@ -1668,7 +1668,7 @@ void do_scroll_up_down(EditState *s, int dir);
 void perform_scroll_up_down(EditState *s, int h);
 void do_center_cursor(EditState *s);
 void do_quote(EditState *s, int argval);
-void do_insert(EditState *s);
+void do_overwrite_mode(EditState *s, int argval);
 // should take argval
 void do_set_mark(EditState *s);
 void do_mark_whole_buffer(EditState *s);
diff --git a/qeconfig.h b/qeconfig.h
index 6e848fd..afe135d 100644
--- a/qeconfig.h
+++ b/qeconfig.h
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * QEmacs, tiny but powerful multimode editor
  *
  * Copyright (c) 2000,2001 Fabrice Bellard.
- * Copyright (c) 2000-2008 Charlie Gordon.
+ * Copyright (c) 2000-2014 Charlie Gordon.
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -56,8 +56,10 @@ static CmdDef basic_commands[] = {
           "beginning-of-line", do_bol)
     CMD0( KEY_CTRL('e'), KEY_END,
           "end-of-line", do_eol)
-    CMD0( KEY_INSERT, KEY_NONE,
-          "overwrite-mode", do_insert)
+    CMD2( KEY_INSERT, KEY_NONE,
+          "overwrite-mode", do_overwrite_mode, ESi, "ui")
+    CMD3( KEY_NONE, KEY_NONE,
+          "insert-mode", do_overwrite_mode, ESi, 0, "v")
     /* deletion commands should be allowed in read only buffers,
      * they should merely copy the data to the kill ring */
     CMD2( KEY_CTRL('d'), KEY_DELETE,