diff --git a/.changeset/0350b4af.md b/.changeset/0350b4af.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c4300e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/0350b4af.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+bump: patch
+---
+
+More reliable cmd-cmd chord detection via a session event tap.
diff --git a/Sources/cmdcmd/CmdChord.swift b/Sources/cmdcmd/CmdChord.swift
index ae5dafc..80f09ad 100644
--- a/Sources/cmdcmd/CmdChord.swift
+++ b/Sources/cmdcmd/CmdChord.swift
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import Carbon.HIToolbox
 /// with no other key pressed during the chord.
 final class CmdChord {
     private var monitors: [Any] = []
+    private var eventTap: CFMachPort?
+    private var eventTapRunLoopSource: CFRunLoopSource?
     private var leftDown = false
     private var rightDown = false
     private var contaminated = false
@@ -29,10 +31,50 @@ final class CmdChord {
             return e
         }
         monitors = [global, local, globalKey, localKey].compactMap { $0 }
+        installEventTap()
     }
 
     deinit {
         for m in monitors { NSEvent.removeMonitor(m) }
+        if let eventTap { CGEvent.tapEnable(tap: eventTap, enable: false) }
+        if let eventTapRunLoopSource {
+            CFRunLoopRemoveSource(CFRunLoopGetMain(), eventTapRunLoopSource, .commonModes)
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func installEventTap() {
+        let mask = (1 << CGEventType.flagsChanged.rawValue) | (1 << CGEventType.keyDown.rawValue)
+        let callback: CGEventTapCallBack = { _, type, event, userInfo in
+            guard let userInfo else { return Unmanaged.passUnretained(event) }
+            let chord = Unmanaged<CmdChord>.fromOpaque(userInfo).takeUnretainedValue()
+            let keyCode = Int(event.getIntegerValueField(.keyboardEventKeycode))
+            let flags = event.flags
+            DispatchQueue.main.async {
+                if type == .keyDown {
+                    chord.markContaminated()
+                } else if type == .flagsChanged {
+                    chord.handleFlags(keyCode: keyCode, flags: flags)
+                }
+            }
+            return Unmanaged.passUnretained(event)
+        }
+        let ref = Unmanaged.passUnretained(self).toOpaque()
+        guard let tap = CGEvent.tapCreate(
+            tap: .cgSessionEventTap,
+            place: .headInsertEventTap,
+            options: .listenOnly,
+            eventsOfInterest: CGEventMask(mask),
+            callback: callback,
+            userInfo: ref
+        ) else {
+            Log.write("cmd-cmd event tap unavailable")
+            return
+        }
+        eventTap = tap
+        let source = CFMachPortCreateRunLoopSource(kCFAllocatorDefault, tap, 0)
+        eventTapRunLoopSource = source
+        CFRunLoopAddSource(CFRunLoopGetMain(), source, .commonModes)
+        CGEvent.tapEnable(tap: tap, enable: true)
     }
 
     private func markContaminated() {
@@ -40,12 +82,17 @@ final class CmdChord {
     }
 
     private func handleFlags(_ event: NSEvent) {
-        let cmd = event.modifierFlags.contains(.command)
-        switch Int(event.keyCode) {
+        let raw = event.cgEvent?.flags ?? CGEventFlags(rawValue: UInt64(event.modifierFlags.rawValue))
+        handleFlags(keyCode: Int(event.keyCode), flags: raw)
+    }
+
+    private func handleFlags(keyCode: Int, flags: CGEventFlags) {
+        let raw = flags.rawValue
+        switch keyCode {
         case kVK_Command:
-            leftDown = cmd && event.modifierFlags.rawValue & 0x8 != 0
+            leftDown = raw & CGEventFlags.maskCommand.rawValue != 0 && raw & 0x8 != 0
         case kVK_RightCommand:
-            rightDown = cmd && event.modifierFlags.rawValue & 0x10 != 0
+            rightDown = raw & CGEventFlags.maskCommand.rawValue != 0 && raw & 0x10 != 0
         default:
             return
         }