diff -up a/dwmblocks.c b/dwmblocks.c
--- a/dwmblocks.c	2020-12-22 14:25:05.289247774 +0200
+++ b/dwmblocks.c	2020-12-22 14:29:39.744943965 +0200
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ typedef struct {
 void dummysighandler(int num);
 #endif
 void sighandler(int num);
+void buttonhandler(int sig, siginfo_t *si, void *ucontext);
 void getcmds(int time);
 void getsigcmds(unsigned int signal);
 void setupsignals();
@@ -105,9 +123,15 @@ void setupsignals()
         signal(i, dummysighandler);
 #endif
 
+	struct sigaction sa;
 	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < LENGTH(blocks); i++) {
-		if (blocks[i].signal > 0)
+		if (blocks[i].signal > 0) {
 			signal(SIGMINUS+blocks[i].signal, sighandler);
+			sigaddset(&sa.sa_mask, SIGRTMIN+blocks[i].signal); // ignore signal when handling SIGUSR1
+		}
+	sa.sa_sigaction = buttonhandler;
+	sa.sa_flags = SA_SIGINFO;
+	sigaction(SIGUSR1, &sa, NULL);
 	}
 
 }
@@ -173,6 +197,13 @@ void dummysighandler(int signum)
 {
     return;
 }
+
+void buttonhandler(int sig, siginfo_t *si, void *ucontext)
+{
+	*button = '0' + si->si_value.sival_int & 0xff;
+	getsigcmds(si->si_value.sival_int >> 8);
+	writestatus();
+}
 #endif
 
 void sighandler(int signum)