diff --git a/cmd/micro/initlua.go b/cmd/micro/initlua.go
index 7eac5637..ffe175a0 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/initlua.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/initlua.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func luaImportMicroConfig() *lua.LTable {
 	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "OptionComplete", luar.New(ulua.L, action.OptionComplete))
 	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "OptionValueComplete", luar.New(ulua.L, action.OptionValueComplete))
 	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "NoComplete", luar.New(ulua.L, nil))
-	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "TryBindKey", luar.New(ulua.L, action.TryBindKey))
+	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "TryBindKey", luar.New(ulua.L, action.TryBindKeyPlug))
 	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "Reload", luar.New(ulua.L, action.ReloadConfig))
 	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "AddRuntimeFileFromMemory", luar.New(ulua.L, config.PluginAddRuntimeFileFromMemory))
 	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "AddRuntimeFilesFromDirectory", luar.New(ulua.L, config.PluginAddRuntimeFilesFromDirectory))
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ func luaImportMicroConfig() *lua.LTable {
 	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "RegisterCommonOption", luar.New(ulua.L, config.RegisterCommonOptionPlug))
 	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "RegisterGlobalOption", luar.New(ulua.L, config.RegisterGlobalOptionPlug))
 	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "GetGlobalOption", luar.New(ulua.L, config.GetGlobalOption))
-	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "SetGlobalOption", luar.New(ulua.L, action.SetGlobalOption))
-	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "SetGlobalOptionNative", luar.New(ulua.L, action.SetGlobalOptionNative))
+	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "SetGlobalOption", luar.New(ulua.L, action.SetGlobalOptionPlug))
+	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "SetGlobalOptionNative", luar.New(ulua.L, action.SetGlobalOptionNativePlug))
 	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "ConfigDir", luar.New(ulua.L, config.ConfigDir))
 
 	return pkg
diff --git a/internal/action/bindings.go b/internal/action/bindings.go
index 37517d9b..9a5cb86f 100644
--- a/internal/action/bindings.go
+++ b/internal/action/bindings.go
@@ -261,9 +261,18 @@ func eventsEqual(e1 Event, e2 Event) bool {
 	return e1 == e2
 }
 
+// TryBindKeyPlug tries to bind a key for the plugin without writing to bindings.json.
+// This operation can be rejected by lockbindings to prevent unexpected actions by the user.
+func TryBindKeyPlug(k, v string, overwrite bool) (bool, error) {
+	if l, ok := config.GlobalSettings["lockbindings"]; ok && l.(bool) {
+		return false, errors.New("bindings is locked by the user")
+	}
+	return TryBindKey(k, v, overwrite, false)
+}
+
 // TryBindKey tries to bind a key by writing to config.ConfigDir/bindings.json
-// Returns true if the keybinding already existed and a possible error
-func TryBindKey(k, v string, overwrite bool) (bool, error) {
+// Returns true if the keybinding already existed or is binded successfully and a possible error
+func TryBindKey(k, v string, overwrite bool, writeToFile bool) (bool, error) {
 	var e error
 	var parsed map[string]any
 
@@ -310,7 +319,12 @@ func TryBindKey(k, v string, overwrite bool) (bool, error) {
 
 		txt, _ := json.MarshalIndent(parsed, "", "    ")
 		txt = append(txt, '\n')
-		return true, writeFile(filename, txt)
+
+		if writeToFile {
+			return true, writeFile(filename, txt)
+		} else {
+			return true, nil
+		}
 	}
 	return false, e
 }
diff --git a/internal/action/command.go b/internal/action/command.go
index 7cb5e523..bc26f0e9 100644
--- a/internal/action/command.go
+++ b/internal/action/command.go
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ func doSetGlobalOptionNative(option string, nativeValue any) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func SetGlobalOptionNative(option string, nativeValue any) error {
+func SetGlobalOptionNative(option string, nativeValue any, writeToFile bool) error {
 	if err := config.OptionIsValid(option, nativeValue); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -653,6 +653,10 @@ func SetGlobalOptionNative(option string, nativeValue any) error {
 		delete(b.LocalSettings, option)
 	}
 
+	if !writeToFile {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	err := config.WriteSettings(filepath.Join(config.ConfigDir, "settings.json"))
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, util.ErrOverwrite) {
@@ -665,7 +669,7 @@ func SetGlobalOptionNative(option string, nativeValue any) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func SetGlobalOption(option, value string) error {
+func SetGlobalOption(option, value string, writeToFile bool) error {
 	if _, ok := config.GlobalSettings[option]; !ok {
 		return config.ErrInvalidOption
 	}
@@ -675,7 +679,15 @@ func SetGlobalOption(option, value string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return SetGlobalOptionNative(option, nativeValue)
+	return SetGlobalOptionNative(option, nativeValue, writeToFile)
+}
+
+func SetGlobalOptionNativePlug(option string, nativeValue any) error {
+	return SetGlobalOptionNative(option, nativeValue, false)
+}
+
+func SetGlobalOptionPlug(option, value string) error {
+	return SetGlobalOption(option, value, false)
 }
 
 // ResetCmd resets a setting to its default value
@@ -689,7 +701,7 @@ func (h *BufPane) ResetCmd(args []string) {
 	defaults := config.DefaultAllSettings()
 
 	if _, ok := defaults[option]; ok {
-		SetGlobalOptionNative(option, defaults[option])
+		SetGlobalOptionNative(option, defaults[option], true)
 		return
 	}
 	InfoBar.Error(config.ErrInvalidOption)
@@ -705,7 +717,7 @@ func (h *BufPane) SetCmd(args []string) {
 	option := args[0]
 	value := args[1]
 
-	err := SetGlobalOption(option, value)
+	err := SetGlobalOption(option, value, true)
 	if err == config.ErrInvalidOption {
 		err := h.Buf.SetOption(option, value)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -761,7 +773,7 @@ func (h *BufPane) toggleOption(option string, local bool) error {
 			return err
 		}
 	} else {
-		if err := SetGlobalOptionNative(option, newVal); err != nil {
+		if err := SetGlobalOptionNative(option, newVal, true); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
@@ -844,7 +856,7 @@ func (h *BufPane) BindCmd(args []string) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	_, err := TryBindKey(parseKeyArg(args[0]), args[1], true)
+	_, err := TryBindKey(parseKeyArg(args[0]), args[1], true, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, util.ErrOverwrite) {
 			screen.TermMessage(err)
diff --git a/internal/config/settings.go b/internal/config/settings.go
index 685b55ef..2f815833 100644
--- a/internal/config/settings.go
+++ b/internal/config/settings.go
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ var DefaultGlobalOnlySettings = map[string]any{
 	"helpsplit":      "hsplit",
 	"infobar":        true,
 	"keymenu":        false,
+	"lockbindings":   false,
 	"mouse":          true,
 	"multiopen":      "tab",
 	"parsecursor":    false,
diff --git a/runtime/help/options.md b/runtime/help/options.md
index 0347f5e1..b2a5244d 100644
--- a/runtime/help/options.md
+++ b/runtime/help/options.md
@@ -227,6 +227,12 @@ Here are the available options:
 
     default value: `false`
 
+* `lockbindings`: prevent plugins and lua scripts from binding any keys.
+   Any custom actions must be binded manually either via commands like `bind`
+   or by modifying the `bindings.json` file.
+
+    default value: `false`
+
 * `matchbrace`: show matching braces for '()', '{}', '[]' when the cursor
    is on a brace character or (if `matchbraceleft` is enabled) next to it.
 
diff --git a/runtime/help/plugins.md b/runtime/help/plugins.md
index c683804f..11170507 100644
--- a/runtime/help/plugins.md
+++ b/runtime/help/plugins.md
@@ -174,11 +174,12 @@ The packages and their contents are listed below (in Go type signatures):
        values afterwards
     - `NoComplete`: no autocompletion suggestions
 
-    - `TryBindKey(k, v string, overwrite bool) (bool, error)`: bind the key
-       `k` to the string `v` in the `bindings.json` file.  If `overwrite` is
-       true, this will overwrite any existing binding to key `k`. Returns true
-       if the binding was made, and a possible error (for example writing to
-       `bindings.json` can cause an error).
+    - `TryBindKey(k, v string, overwrite bool) (bool, error)`:
+       bind the key `k` to the string `v`. If `overwrite` is true, this will
+       overwrite any existing binding to key `k`.
+       Returns true if the binding was made, and a possible error.
+       This operation can be rejected by `lockbindings` to prevent undesired
+       actions by the user.
 
     - `Reload()`: reload configuration files.
 
@@ -224,9 +225,9 @@ The packages and their contents are listed below (in Go type signatures):
        given plugin in the `GlobalSettings` map.
 
     - `SetGlobalOption(option, value string) error`: sets an option to a
-       given value. Same as using the `> set` command. This will try to convert
-       the value into the proper type for the option. Can return an error if the
-       option name is not valid, or the value can not be converted.
+       given value. This will try to convert the value into the proper
+       type for the option. Can return an error if the option name is not
+       valid, or the value can not be converted.
 
     - `SetGlobalOptionNative(option string, value any) error`: sets
        an option to a given value, where the type of value is the actual