diff --git a/pynput_service.py b/pynput_service.py
index 90b8741ce..14a8f1793 100644
--- a/pynput_service.py
+++ b/pynput_service.py
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 from pynput.keyboard import Key, Controller
 from pynput.keyboard._xorg import KeyCode
 from pynput._util.xorg import display_manager
+import Xlib
 import os
 import sys
 import socket
-from Xlib.ext.xtest import fake_input
-from Xlib import X
-import Xlib
 
 KeyCode._from_symbol("\0")  # test
 
@@ -17,15 +15,52 @@ class MyController(Controller):
         :param event: The *X* keyboard event.
         :param int keysym: The keysym to handle.
         """
+        event = Xlib.display.event.KeyPress if is_press \
+            else Xlib.display.event.KeyRelease
         keysym = self._keysym(key)
-        keycode = self._display.keysym_to_keycode(keysym)
 
-        with display_manager(self._display) as dm:
-            Xlib.ext.xtest.fake_input(
-                dm,
-                Xlib.X.KeyPress if is_press else Xlib.X.KeyRelease,
-                keycode)
+        # Make sure to verify that the key was resolved
+        if keysym is None:
+            raise self.InvalidKeyException(key)
 
+        # If the key has a virtual key code, use that immediately with
+        # fake_input; fake input,being an X server extension, has access to
+        # more internal state that we do
+        if key.vk is not None:
+            with display_manager(self._display) as dm:
+                Xlib.ext.xtest.fake_input(
+                    dm,
+                    Xlib.X.KeyPress if is_press else Xlib.X.KeyRelease,
+                    dm.keysym_to_keycode(key.vk))
+
+        # Otherwise use XSendEvent; we need to use this in the general case to
+        # work around problems with keyboard layouts
+        else:
+            try:
+                keycode = self._display.keysym_to_keycode(keysym)
+                with self.modifiers as modifiers:
+                    alt_gr = Key.alt_gr in modifiers
+                if alt_gr:
+                    keycode, shift_state = self.keyboard_mapping[keysym]
+                    self._send_key(event, keycode, shift_state)
+                else:
+                    with display_manager(self._display) as dm:
+                        Xlib.ext.xtest.fake_input(
+                            dm,
+                            Xlib.X.KeyPress if is_press else Xlib.X.KeyRelease,
+                            keycode)
+            except KeyError:
+                with self._borrow_lock:
+                    keycode, index, count = self._borrows[keysym]
+                    self._send_key(
+                        event,
+                        keycode,
+                        index_to_shift(self._display, index))
+                    count += 1 if is_press else -1
+                    self._borrows[keysym] = (keycode, index, count)
+
+        # Notify any running listeners
+        self._emit('_on_fake_event', key, is_press)
 
 
 keyboard = MyController()