diff --git a/KeyboardioFirmware.h b/KeyboardioFirmware.h
index abef7126..6ffac297 100644
--- a/KeyboardioFirmware.h
+++ b/KeyboardioFirmware.h
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ void setup();
 
 extern HARDWARE_IMPLEMENTATION KeyboardHardware;
 
-extern uint8_t matrixState[ROWS][COLS];
 extern const Key keymaps[KEYMAPS][ROWS][COLS];
 extern uint8_t primary_keymap;
 extern uint8_t temporary_keymap;
diff --git a/KeyboardioFirmware.ino b/KeyboardioFirmware.ino
index 297e4312..54fec12b 100644
--- a/KeyboardioFirmware.ino
+++ b/KeyboardioFirmware.ino
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 #include "KeyboardioHID.h"
 
 
-uint8_t matrixState[ROWS][COLS] = {0};
 const Key keymaps[KEYMAPS][ROWS][COLS] = { KEYMAP_LIST };
 uint8_t primary_keymap = 0;
 uint8_t temporary_keymap = 0;
diff --git a/implementation/Model01.cpp b/implementation/Model01.cpp
index 43d1b979..f0dc6b7a 100644
--- a/implementation/Model01.cpp
+++ b/implementation/Model01.cpp
@@ -23,12 +23,13 @@ void Model01::led_sync() {
 
 
 void Model01::scan_matrix() {
+    uint8_t key_data;
     //scan the Keyboard matrix looking for connections
     for (byte row = 0; row < LEFT_ROWS; row++) {
 
         for (byte col = 0; col < LEFT_COLS; col++) {
-            handle_key_event(row, col);
-            handle_key_event(row, (COLS - 1) - col);
+            handle_key_event(row, col, &key_data);
+            handle_key_event(row, (COLS - 1) - col, &key_data);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/implementation/Model01.h b/implementation/Model01.h
index f8403c50..57ba4e14 100644
--- a/implementation/Model01.h
+++ b/implementation/Model01.h
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 
 #include "../keymaps.h"
-#include "../generated/keymaps.h"
 #include "../key_events.h"
 
 
diff --git a/implementation/Model01Beta.cpp b/implementation/Model01Beta.cpp
index 78453c08..14ecc880 100644
--- a/implementation/Model01Beta.cpp
+++ b/implementation/Model01Beta.cpp
@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@ void Model01Beta::scan_matrix() {
 
         for (byte col = 0; col < LEFT_COLS; col++) {
             scan_left_col(row,col,&matrixState[row][col]);
-            handle_key_event(row, col);
+            handle_key_event(row, col, &matrixState[row][col]);
 
             if (right_hand_connected()) {
                 scan_right_col(row,col,&matrixState[row][(COLS - 1) - col]);
-                handle_key_event(row, (COLS - 1) - col);
+                handle_key_event(row, (COLS - 1) - col, &matrixState[row][(COLS - 1) - col]);
             }
         }
         finish_scanning_row(row);
diff --git a/implementation/Model01Beta.h b/implementation/Model01Beta.h
index a3e56e33..a8beaae8 100644
--- a/implementation/Model01Beta.h
+++ b/implementation/Model01Beta.h
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 #include <Arduino.h>
 #include "../keymaps.h"
-#include "../generated/keymaps.h"
 #include "WS2812.h"
 #include "KeyboardioSX1509.h"
 #include "../key_events.h"
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ class Model01Beta {
     static WS2812 LED;
     int right_initted = 0;
     int left_initted = 0;
-
+    uint8_t matrixState[ROWS][COLS] = {{0}};
     uint8_t left_colpins[LEFT_COLS]= {7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0};
     uint8_t left_rowpins[LEFT_ROWS]= {8,9,10,11};
 
diff --git a/key_events.cpp b/key_events.cpp
index 4520c116..e37bade8 100644
--- a/key_events.cpp
+++ b/key_events.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #include "key_events.h"
 
-void handle_synthetic_key_event(byte switchState, Key mappedKey) {
+void handle_synthetic_key_event(uint8_t switchState, Key mappedKey) {
     if (mappedKey.flags & IS_MOUSE_KEY && !( mappedKey.rawKey & KEY_MOUSE_WARP) ) {
         handle_mouse_key_event(switchState, mappedKey);
     } else if (! (mappedKey.flags & IS_INTERNAL)
@@ -44,19 +44,18 @@ void handle_synthetic_key_event(byte switchState, Key mappedKey) {
 
     }
 }
-void handle_key_event(byte row, byte col) {
+void handle_key_event(byte row, byte col, uint8_t *switchState) {
     //for every newly pressed button, figure out what logical key it is and send a key down event
     // for every newly released button, figure out what logical key it is and send a key up event
 
-    byte switchState = matrixState[row][col];
     Key mappedKey = keymaps[temporary_keymap][row][col];
 
     if (keymaps[primary_keymap][row][col].flags & SWITCH_TO_KEYMAP) {
-        handle_keymap_key_event(switchState, keymaps[primary_keymap][row][col]);
+        handle_keymap_key_event(*switchState, keymaps[primary_keymap][row][col]);
     }
     if (mappedKey.flags & SYNTHETIC_KEY) {
-        handle_synthetic_key_event(switchState, mappedKey);
-    } else if (key_is_pressed(switchState)) {
+        handle_synthetic_key_event(*switchState, mappedKey);
+    } else if (key_is_pressed(*switchState)) {
         press_key(mappedKey);
     }
 }
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@ void press_key(Key mappedKey) {
 }
 
 
-void handle_keymap_key_event(byte switchState, Key keymapEntry) {
+void handle_keymap_key_event(uint8_t switchState, Key keymapEntry) {
     if (keymapEntry.flags & MOMENTARY ) {
         if (key_toggled_on(switchState)) {
             if ( keymapEntry.rawKey == KEYMAP_NEXT) {
@@ -100,7 +99,7 @@ void handle_keymap_key_event(byte switchState, Key keymapEntry) {
     }
 }
 
-void handle_mouse_key_event(byte switchState, Key mappedKey) {
+void handle_mouse_key_event(uint8_t switchState, Key mappedKey) {
     if (key_is_pressed(switchState)) {
         if (mappedKey.rawKey & KEY_MOUSE_UP) {
             MouseWrapper.move(0,-1);
diff --git a/key_events.h b/key_events.h
index fd01ab6a..a05aff0e 100644
--- a/key_events.h
+++ b/key_events.h
@@ -7,15 +7,14 @@
 #include "LEDControl.h"
 #include "Storage.h"
 
-extern uint8_t matrixState[ROWS][COLS];
 extern const Key keymaps[KEYMAPS][ROWS][COLS];
 extern uint8_t primary_keymap;
 extern uint8_t temporary_keymap;
 
 // sending events to the computer
-void handle_synthetic_key_event(byte switchState, Key mappedKey);
-void handle_key_event(byte row, byte col);
+void handle_synthetic_key_event(uint8_t switchState, Key mappedKey);
+void handle_key_event(byte row, byte col, uint8_t *switch_state);
 void press_key(Key mappedKey);
-void handle_keymap_key_event(byte switchState, Key keymapEntry);
-void handle_mouse_key_event(byte switchState, Key mappedKey);
+void handle_keymap_key_event(uint8_t switchState, Key keymapEntry);
+void handle_mouse_key_event(uint8_t switchState, Key mappedKey);