diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/usr/lib/dwm/plugins/dmenu.so b/overlay/rootfs/usr/lib/dwm/plugins/dmenu.so
index 1216599..2033225 100755
Binary files a/overlay/rootfs/usr/lib/dwm/plugins/dmenu.so and b/overlay/rootfs/usr/lib/dwm/plugins/dmenu.so differ
diff --git a/prebuilt/sxmo-x11/usr/lib/dwm/plugins/dmenu.so b/prebuilt/sxmo-x11/usr/lib/dwm/plugins/dmenu.so
index 1216599..2033225 100755
Binary files a/prebuilt/sxmo-x11/usr/lib/dwm/plugins/dmenu.so and b/prebuilt/sxmo-x11/usr/lib/dwm/plugins/dmenu.so differ
diff --git a/src/sxmo-dmenu/dmenu.c b/src/sxmo-dmenu/dmenu.c
index e7ce076..21f4e3a 100644
--- a/src/sxmo-dmenu/dmenu.c
+++ b/src/sxmo-dmenu/dmenu.c
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ static size_t items_cap = 0;
 static struct item *matches, *matchend;
 static struct item *prev, *curr, *next, *sel, *nav;
 static int mon = -1, screen;
-static int use_text_input = 0;
+static int use_text_input = 0; /* selection/output mode: with -t, Shift inverts item vs typed text */
+static int engage_ime = 1;     /* engage fcitx (XIM) for text entry by default so the T9 input method activates on dmenu prompts */
 static int initialindex = 0;
 static int managed = 0;
 static int curpos = 0, oldcurlen = 0;
@@ -236,8 +237,7 @@ reset_session_defaults(int case_insensitive, const char *new_prompt)
   free_items();
   topbar = 1;
   centered = 0;
-  lines = default_lines;
-  use_text_input = 0;
+  use_text_input = 0; /* reset selection/output mode; fcitx routing (engage_ime) stays on */
   initialindex = 0;
   fstrncmp = case_insensitive ? strncasecmp : strncmp;
   fstrstr = case_insensitive ? cistrstr : strstr;
@@ -2175,7 +2175,7 @@ show_menu(void)
   }
 
   inputw = MIN(inputw, mw / 3);
-  if (xic && use_text_input) {
+  if (xic && engage_ime) {
     char *r = Xutf8ResetIC(xic);
     if (r)
       XFree(r);
@@ -2216,7 +2216,7 @@ show_menu(void)
     grabkeyboard();
     if (!daemon_mode)
       grabfocus();
-    if (xic && use_text_input)
+    if (xic && engage_ime)
       XSetICFocus(xic);
     XFlush(dpy);
   } else {
@@ -2226,7 +2226,7 @@ show_menu(void)
     initial_released = (query_trigger_keys_down() == 0);
     XRaiseWindow(dpy, win);
     drawmenu();
-    if (xic && use_text_input)
+    if (xic && engage_ime)
       XSetICFocus(xic);
     XFlush(dpy);
   }
@@ -2244,7 +2244,7 @@ hide_menu(void)
   soft_pending = 0;
   soft_deadline = 0;
 
-  if (xic && use_text_input) {
+  if (xic && engage_ime) {
     char *r = Xutf8ResetIC(xic);
     if (r)
       XFree(r);
@@ -2505,12 +2505,12 @@ process_x11_events(void)
         if (!initial_released || dmenu_now_ms() < start_ignore)
           continue;
       }
-      if (use_text_input && !issoftkey(ev.xkey.keycode)) {
+      if (engage_ime && !issoftkey(ev.xkey.keycode) && !(is_enter && items)) {
         ev.xkey.window = win;
         if (XFilterEvent(&ev, None))
           continue;
       }
-    } else if (use_text_input && XFilterEvent(&ev, None)) {
+    } else if (engage_ime && XFilterEvent(&ev, None)) {
       continue;
     }
     switch (ev.type) {
@@ -2533,7 +2533,7 @@ process_x11_events(void)
       if (menu_active || !daemon_mode) {
         if (!daemon_mode && ev.xfocus.window != win)
           grabfocus();
-        if (xic && use_text_input)
+        if (xic && engage_ime)
           XSetICFocus(xic);
       }
       break;