diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 023f308..a2f0b71 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -329,6 +329,14 @@ yes = true
 ; Be quiet, suppress all notices/warnings, default: no
 quiet = true
 
+; Define hotkey for pausing recording (suspending capture of output),
+; default: C-\
+pause_key = C-p
+
+; Define hotkey prefix key - when defined other recording hotkeys must
+; be preceeded by it, default: no prefix
+prefix_key = C-a
+
 [play]
 
 ; Playback speed (can be fractional), default: 1
diff --git a/asciinema/commands/record.py b/asciinema/commands/record.py
index 904ba5a..b91d472 100644
--- a/asciinema/commands/record.py
+++ b/asciinema/commands/record.py
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ class RecordCommand(Command):
         self.writer = raw.writer if args.raw else v2.writer
         self.notifier = notifier.get_notifier(config.notifications_enabled, config.notifications_command)
         self.env = env
+        self.key_bindings = {
+            'prefix': config.record_prefix_key,
+            'pause': config.record_pause_key
+        }
 
     def execute(self):
         upload = False
@@ -78,7 +82,8 @@ class RecordCommand(Command):
                 capture_env=vars,
                 rec_stdin=self.rec_stdin,
                 writer=self.writer,
-                notifier=self.notifier
+                notifier=self.notifier,
+                key_bindings=self.key_bindings
             )
         except v2.LoadError:
             self.print_error("can only append to asciicast v2 format recordings")
diff --git a/asciinema/config.py b/asciinema/config.py
index 3121a49..a7ae0b5 100644
--- a/asciinema/config.py
+++ b/asciinema/config.py
@@ -109,6 +109,14 @@ class Config:
     def record_quiet(self):
         return self.config.getboolean('record', 'quiet', fallback=False)
 
+    @property
+    def record_prefix_key(self):
+        return self.__get_key('record', 'prefix')
+
+    @property
+    def record_pause_key(self):
+        return self.__get_key('record', 'pause', 'C-\\')
+
     @property
     def play_idle_time_limit(self):
         fallback = self.config.getfloat('play', 'maxwait', fallback=None)  # pre 2.0
@@ -126,6 +134,20 @@ class Config:
     def notifications_command(self):
         return self.config.get('notifications', 'command', fallback=None)
 
+    def __get_key(self, section, name, default=None):
+        key = self.config.get(section, f'{name}_key', fallback=default)
+
+        if key:
+            if len(key) == 3:
+                upper_key = key.upper()
+
+                if upper_key[0] == 'C' and upper_key[1] == '-':
+                    return bytes([ord(upper_key[2]) - 0x40])
+                else:
+                    raise ConfigError(f'invalid {name} key definition \'{key}\' - use: {name}_key = C-x (with control key modifier), or {name}_key = x (with no modifier)')
+            else:
+                return key.encode('utf-8')
+
 
 def get_config_home(env=os.environ):
     env_asciinema_config_home = env.get("ASCIINEMA_CONFIG_HOME")
diff --git a/asciinema/pty.py b/asciinema/pty.py
index 8489bab..e5d66a6 100644
--- a/asciinema/pty.py
+++ b/asciinema/pty.py
@@ -15,10 +15,13 @@ import time
 from asciinema.term import raw
 
 
-def record(command, writer, env=os.environ, rec_stdin=False, time_offset=0, notifier=None):
+def record(command, writer, env=os.environ, rec_stdin=False, time_offset=0, notifier=None, key_bindings={}):
     master_fd = None
     start_time = None
     pause_time = None
+    prefix_mode = False
+    prefix_key = key_bindings.get('prefix')
+    pause_key = key_bindings.get('pause')
 
     def _notify(text):
         if notifier:
@@ -64,20 +67,30 @@ def record(command, writer, env=os.environ, rec_stdin=False, time_offset=0, noti
 
         nonlocal pause_time
         nonlocal start_time
+        nonlocal prefix_mode
 
-        if data == b'\x10':  # ctrl+p
-            if pause_time:
-                start_time = start_time + (time.time() - pause_time)
-                pause_time = None
-                _notify('Resumed recording')
-            else:
-                pause_time = time.time()
-                _notify('Paused recording')
-        else:
-            _write_master(data)
+        if not prefix_mode and prefix_key and data == prefix_key:
+            prefix_mode = True
+            return
 
-            if rec_stdin and not pause_time:
-                writer.write_stdin(time.time() - start_time, data)
+        if prefix_mode or (not prefix_key and data in [pause_key]):
+            prefix_mode = False
+
+            if data == pause_key:
+                if pause_time:
+                    start_time = start_time + (time.time() - pause_time)
+                    pause_time = None
+                    _notify('Resumed recording')
+                else:
+                    pause_time = time.time()
+                    _notify('Paused recording')
+
+            return
+
+        _write_master(data)
+
+        if rec_stdin and not pause_time:
+            writer.write_stdin(time.time() - start_time, data)
 
     def _signals(signal_list):
         old_handlers = []
diff --git a/asciinema/recorder.py b/asciinema/recorder.py
index 41a5202..1c02d49 100644
--- a/asciinema/recorder.py
+++ b/asciinema/recorder.py
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ from asciinema.async_worker import async_worker
 
 def record(path, command=None, append=False, idle_time_limit=None,
            rec_stdin=False, title=None, metadata=None, command_env=None,
-           capture_env=None, writer=v2.writer, record=pty.record, notifier=None):
+           capture_env=None, writer=v2.writer, record=pty.record, notifier=None,
+           key_bindings={}):
     if command is None:
         command = os.environ.get('SHELL') or 'sh'
 
@@ -53,7 +54,8 @@ def record(path, command=None, append=False, idle_time_limit=None,
                 command_env,
                 rec_stdin,
                 time_offset,
-                n
+                n,
+                key_bindings
             )