diff --git a/src/edit_mode/base.rs b/src/edit_mode/base.rs
index 455e2c80e..408098b32 100644
--- a/src/edit_mode/base.rs
+++ b/src/edit_mode/base.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::{
-    enums::{ReedlineEvent, ReedlineRawEvent},
+    enums::{EventStatus, ReedlineEvent, ReedlineRawEvent},
     PromptEditMode,
 };
 
@@ -13,4 +13,9 @@ pub trait EditMode: Send {
 
     /// What to display in the prompt indicator
     fn edit_mode(&self) -> PromptEditMode;
+
+    /// Handles events that apply only to specific edit modes (e.g changing vi mode)
+    fn handle_mode_specific_event(&mut self, _event: ReedlineEvent) -> EventStatus {
+        EventStatus::Inapplicable
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/edit_mode/vi/mod.rs b/src/edit_mode/vi/mod.rs
index 8d92c5e7d..de6bf7227 100644
--- a/src/edit_mode/vi/mod.rs
+++ b/src/edit_mode/vi/mod.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ mod motion;
 mod parser;
 mod vi_keybindings;
 
+use std::str::FromStr;
+
 use crossterm::event::{Event, KeyCode, KeyEvent, KeyModifiers};
 pub use vi_keybindings::{default_vi_insert_keybindings, default_vi_normal_keybindings};
 
@@ -11,7 +13,7 @@ use self::motion::ViCharSearch;
 use super::EditMode;
 use crate::{
     edit_mode::{keybindings::Keybindings, vi::parser::parse},
-    enums::{EditCommand, ReedlineEvent, ReedlineRawEvent},
+    enums::{EditCommand, EventStatus, ReedlineEvent, ReedlineRawEvent},
     PromptEditMode, PromptViMode,
 };
 
@@ -22,6 +24,19 @@ enum ViMode {
     Visual,
 }
 
+impl FromStr for ViMode {
+    type Err = ();
+
+    fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
+        match s {
+            "normal" => Ok(ViMode::Normal),
+            "insert" => Ok(ViMode::Insert),
+            "visual" => Ok(ViMode::Visual),
+            _ => Err(()),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// This parses incoming input `Event`s like a Vi-Style editor
 pub struct Vi {
     cache: Vec<char>,
@@ -174,6 +189,19 @@ impl EditMode for Vi {
             ViMode::Insert => PromptEditMode::Vi(PromptViMode::Insert),
         }
     }
+
+    fn handle_mode_specific_event(&mut self, event: ReedlineEvent) -> EventStatus {
+        match event {
+            ReedlineEvent::ViChangeMode(mode_str) => match ViMode::from_str(&mode_str) {
+                Ok(mode) => {
+                    self.mode = mode;
+                    EventStatus::Handled
+                }
+                Err(_) => EventStatus::Inapplicable,
+            },
+            _ => EventStatus::Inapplicable,
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/src/engine.rs b/src/engine.rs
index b5f6958a3..e13e9184e 100644
--- a/src/engine.rs
+++ b/src/engine.rs
@@ -928,7 +928,8 @@ impl Reedline {
             | ReedlineEvent::MenuLeft
             | ReedlineEvent::MenuRight
             | ReedlineEvent::MenuPageNext
-            | ReedlineEvent::MenuPagePrevious => Ok(EventStatus::Inapplicable),
+            | ReedlineEvent::MenuPagePrevious
+            | ReedlineEvent::ViChangeMode(_) => Ok(EventStatus::Inapplicable),
         }
     }
 
@@ -1273,6 +1274,7 @@ impl Reedline {
                 // Exhausting the event handlers is still considered handled
                 Ok(EventStatus::Inapplicable)
             }
+            ReedlineEvent::ViChangeMode(_) => Ok(self.edit_mode.handle_mode_specific_event(event)),
             ReedlineEvent::None | ReedlineEvent::Mouse => Ok(EventStatus::Inapplicable),
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/enums.rs b/src/enums.rs
index 643afb485..f03ae301e 100644
--- a/src/enums.rs
+++ b/src/enums.rs
@@ -758,6 +758,9 @@ pub enum ReedlineEvent {
 
     /// Open text editor
     OpenEditor,
+
+    /// Change mode (vi mode only)
+    ViChangeMode(String),
 }
 
 impl Display for ReedlineEvent {
@@ -801,11 +804,12 @@ impl Display for ReedlineEvent {
             ReedlineEvent::MenuPagePrevious => write!(f, "MenuPagePrevious"),
             ReedlineEvent::ExecuteHostCommand(_) => write!(f, "ExecuteHostCommand"),
             ReedlineEvent::OpenEditor => write!(f, "OpenEditor"),
+            ReedlineEvent::ViChangeMode(_) => write!(f, "ViChangeMode mode: <string>"),
         }
     }
 }
 
-pub(crate) enum EventStatus {
+pub enum EventStatus {
     Handled,
     Inapplicable,
     Exits(Signal),