diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+5.7
+  - Mouse and paste modes are now off by default.
+  - The Config type got new fields: mouseMode and bracketedPasteMode.  These
+    determine whether these modes are enabled initially (for terminals
+    that support them).
+  - Added a Mode type for modal terminal features (mouse events, bracketed
+    paste mode) that is used with new Output interface functions:
+    * supportsMode :: Mode -> Bool tells whether the device supports a
+      mode
+    * setMode :: Mode -> Bool -> IO () turns a mode on or off
+    * getModeStatus :: Mode -> IO Bool tells you whether a mode is on or
+      off
+  - Added a new demo program, ModeDemo.hs, to demonstrate usage of modes
+
 5.6
   - Added support for normal and extended mouse modes in Xterm-like
     terminals via the MouseDown and MouseUp Event constructors
diff --git a/ModeDemo.hs b/ModeDemo.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ModeDemo.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+module Main where
+
+import Data.Monoid
+
+import Graphics.Vty
+
+mkUI :: (Bool, Bool, Bool, Bool) -> Maybe Event -> Image
+mkUI (m, ms, p, ps) e =
+    vertCat [ string defAttr $ "Mouse mode supported: " <> show m
+            , string defAttr $ "Mouse mode status: " <> show ms
+            , string defAttr " "
+            , string defAttr $ "Paste mode supported: " <> show p
+            , string defAttr $ "Paste mode status: " <> show ps
+            , string defAttr " "
+            , string defAttr $ "Last event: " <> show e
+            , string defAttr " "
+            , string defAttr "Press 'm' to toggle mouse mode, 'p' to toggle paste mode, and 'q' to quit."
+            ]
+
+main :: IO ()
+main = do
+    cfg <- standardIOConfig
+    vty <- mkVty cfg
+
+    let renderUI lastE = do
+          let output = outputIface vty
+          info <- (,,,) <$> (pure $ supportsMode output Mouse)
+                        <*> getModeStatus output Mouse
+                        <*> (pure $ supportsMode output BracketedPaste)
+                        <*> getModeStatus output BracketedPaste
+          return $ picForImage $ mkUI info lastE
+
+    let go lastE = do
+          pic <- renderUI lastE
+          update vty pic
+          e <- nextEvent vty
+          case e of
+              EvKey (KChar 'q') [] -> return ()
+              EvKey (KChar 'm') [] -> do
+                  let output = outputIface vty
+                  enabled <- getModeStatus output Mouse
+                  setMode output Mouse (not enabled)
+                  go (Just e)
+              EvKey (KChar 'p') [] -> do
+                  let output = outputIface vty
+                  enabled <- getModeStatus output BracketedPaste
+                  setMode output BracketedPaste (not enabled)
+                  go (Just e)
+              _ -> go (Just e)
+
+    go Nothing
+    shutdown vty
diff --git a/src/Graphics/Vty.hs b/src/Graphics/Vty.hs
--- a/src/Graphics/Vty.hs
+++ b/src/Graphics/Vty.hs
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
                     , module Graphics.Vty.Output
                     , module Graphics.Vty.Picture
                     , DisplayRegion
+                    , Mode(..)
                     ) 
     where
 
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@
 import Graphics.Vty.Config
 import Graphics.Vty.Input
 import Graphics.Vty.Output
+import Graphics.Vty.Output.Interface
 import Graphics.Vty.Picture
 
 import Control.Concurrent.STM
diff --git a/src/Graphics/Vty/Config.hs b/src/Graphics/Vty/Config.hs
--- a/src/Graphics/Vty/Config.hs
+++ b/src/Graphics/Vty/Config.hs
@@ -104,6 +104,10 @@
       vmin  :: Maybe Int
     -- | The default is 100 milliseconds, 0.1 seconds.
     , vtime :: Maybe Int
+    -- | The default is False.
+    , mouseMode :: Maybe Bool
+    -- | The default is False.
+    , bracketedPasteMode :: Maybe Bool
     -- | Debug information is appended to this file if not Nothing.
     , debugLog           :: Maybe FilePath
     -- | The (input byte, output event) pairs extend the internal input table of VTY and the table
@@ -127,6 +131,8 @@
     mempty = Config
         { vmin         = Nothing
         , vtime        = Nothing
+        , mouseMode    = Nothing
+        , bracketedPasteMode = Nothing
         , debugLog     = mempty
         , inputMap     = mempty
         , inputFd     = Nothing
@@ -137,6 +143,8 @@
         -- latter config takes priority for everything but inputMap
         { vmin          = vmin c1     <|> vmin c0
         , vtime         = vtime c1    <|> vtime c0
+        , mouseMode     = mouseMode c1
+        , bracketedPasteMode = bracketedPasteMode c1
         , debugLog      = debugLog c1 <|> debugLog c0
         , inputMap      = inputMap c0 <>  inputMap c1
         , inputFd      = inputFd c1 <|> inputFd c0
@@ -163,6 +171,8 @@
 standardIOConfig = do
     Just t <- getEnv "TERM"
     return $ def { vmin = Just 1
+                 , mouseMode = Just False
+                 , bracketedPasteMode = Just False
                  , vtime = Just 100
                  , inputFd = Just stdInput
                  , outputFd = Just stdOutput
diff --git a/src/Graphics/Vty/Output.hs b/src/Graphics/Vty/Output.hs
--- a/src/Graphics/Vty/Output.hs
+++ b/src/Graphics/Vty/Output.hs
@@ -65,6 +65,15 @@
         then XTermColor.reserveTerminal termName fd
         -- Not an xterm-like terminal. try for generic terminfo.
         else TerminfoBased.reserveTerminal termName fd
+
+    case mouseMode of
+        Just s -> setMode t Mouse s
+        Nothing -> return ()
+
+    case bracketedPasteMode of
+        Just s -> setMode t BracketedPaste s
+        Nothing -> return ()
+
     return t
 outputForConfig config = (<> config) <$> standardIOConfig >>= outputForConfig
 
diff --git a/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/Interface.hs b/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/Interface.hs
--- a/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/Interface.hs
+++ b/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/Interface.hs
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@
 import Data.Monoid (mempty, mappend)
 #endif
 
+-- | Modal terminal features that can be enabled and disabled.
+data Mode = Mouse
+          | BracketedPaste
+          deriving (Eq, Read, Show)
+
 data Output = Output
     { -- | Text identifier for the output device. Used for debugging. 
       terminalID :: String
@@ -67,6 +72,12 @@
     , contextColorCount :: Int
     -- | if the cursor can be shown / hidden
     , supportsCursorVisibility :: Bool
+    -- | Indicates support for terminal modes for this output device
+    , supportsMode :: Mode -> Bool
+    -- | Enables or disables a mode (does nothing if the mode is unsupported)
+    , setMode :: forall m. MonadIO m => Mode -> Bool -> m ()
+    -- | Returns whether a mode is enabled
+    , getModeStatus :: forall m. MonadIO m => Mode -> m Bool
     , assumedStateRef :: IORef AssumedState
     -- | Acquire display access to the given region of the display.
     -- Currently all regions have the upper left corner of (0,0) and the lower right corner at 
diff --git a/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/Mock.hs b/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/Mock.hs
--- a/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/Mock.hs
+++ b/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/Mock.hs
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@
                 writeIORef outRef $ UTF8.fromRep bytes
             , contextColorCount = 16
             , supportsCursorVisibility = True
+            , supportsMode = const False
+            , setMode = const $ const $ return ()
+            , getModeStatus = const $ return False
             , assumedStateRef = newAssumedStateRef
             , mkDisplayContext = \tActual rActual -> return $ DisplayContext
                 { contextRegion = rActual
diff --git a/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/TerminfoBased.hs b/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/TerminfoBased.hs
--- a/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/TerminfoBased.hs
+++ b/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/TerminfoBased.hs
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@
                         Just v -> toEnum v
                     True -> 1
             , supportsCursorVisibility = isJust $ civis terminfoCaps
+            , supportsMode = const False
+            , setMode = const $ const $ return ()
+            , getModeStatus = const $ return False
             , assumedStateRef = newAssumedStateRef
             -- I think fix would help assure tActual is the only reference. I was having issues
             -- tho.
diff --git a/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/XTermColor.hs b/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/XTermColor.hs
--- a/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/XTermColor.hs
+++ b/src/Graphics/Vty/Output/XTermColor.hs
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@
 import Blaze.ByteString.Builder (writeToByteString)
 import Blaze.ByteString.Builder.Word (writeWord8)
 
-import Control.Monad (void)
+import Control.Monad (void, when)
 import Control.Monad.Trans
+import Data.IORef
 
 import System.Posix.IO (fdWrite)
 import System.Posix.Types (Fd)
@@ -34,19 +35,42 @@
     -- xterm-color is broken.
     let variant' = if variant == "xterm-color" then "xterm" else variant
     flushedPut setUtf8CharSet
-    flushedPut enableBracketedPastes
-    flushedPut requestMouseEvents
     t <- TerminfoBased.reserveTerminal variant' outFd
+
+    mouseModeStatus <- newIORef False
+    pasteModeStatus <- newIORef False
+
+    let xtermSetMode t' m newStatus = do
+          curStatus <- getModeStatus t' m
+          when (newStatus /= curStatus) $
+              case m of
+                  Mouse -> liftIO $ do
+                      case newStatus of
+                          True -> flushedPut requestMouseEvents
+                          False -> flushedPut disableMouseEvents
+                      writeIORef mouseModeStatus newStatus
+                  BracketedPaste -> liftIO $ do
+                      case newStatus of
+                          True -> flushedPut enableBracketedPastes
+                          False -> flushedPut disableBracketedPastes
+                      writeIORef pasteModeStatus newStatus
+
+        xtermGetMode Mouse = liftIO $ readIORef mouseModeStatus
+        xtermGetMode BracketedPaste = liftIO $ readIORef pasteModeStatus
+
     let t' = t
              { terminalID = terminalID t ++ " (xterm-color)"
              , releaseTerminal = do
                  liftIO $ flushedPut setDefaultCharSet
-                 liftIO $ flushedPut disableBracketedPastes
-                 liftIO $ flushedPut disableMouseEvents
+                 setMode t' BracketedPaste False
+                 setMode t' Mouse False
                  releaseTerminal t
              , mkDisplayContext = \tActual r -> do
                 dc <- mkDisplayContext t tActual r
                 return $ dc { inlineHack = xtermInlineHack t' }
+             , supportsMode = const True
+             , getModeStatus = xtermGetMode
+             , setMode = xtermSetMode t'
              }
     return t'
 
diff --git a/vty.cabal b/vty.cabal
--- a/vty.cabal
+++ b/vty.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                vty
-version:             5.6
+version:             5.7
 license:             BSD3
 license-file:        LICENSE
 author:              AUTHORS
@@ -128,6 +128,21 @@
   ghc-prof-options:    -O2 -funbox-strict-fields -caf-all -Wall -fspec-constr -fspec-constr-count=10
 
   cc-options:          -O2
+
+executable vty-mode-demo
+  main-is:             ModeDemo.hs
+
+  default-language:    Haskell2010
+  default-extensions:  ScopedTypeVariables
+  ghc-options:         -threaded
+
+  build-depends:       vty,
+                       base >= 4 && < 5,
+                       containers,
+                       data-default >= 0.5.3,
+                       microlens,
+                       microlens-mtl,
+                       mtl >= 1.1.1.0 && < 2.3
 
 executable vty-demo
   main-is:             Demo.hs