diff --git a/qutebrowser/keyinput/basekeyparser.py b/qutebrowser/keyinput/basekeyparser.py
index c97570369..624e80309 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/keyinput/basekeyparser.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/keyinput/basekeyparser.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import traceback
 from typing import Optional
 from collections.abc import Mapping, MutableMapping, Sequence
 
-from qutebrowser.qt.core import QObject, pyqtSignal
+from qutebrowser.qt.core import QObject, pyqtSignal, pyqtSlot
 from qutebrowser.qt.gui import QKeySequence, QKeyEvent
 
 from qutebrowser.config import config
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ class BaseKeyParser(QObject):
         passthrough: Whether unbound keys should be passed through with this
                      handler.
         _supports_count: Whether count is supported.
+        _partial_timer: Timer to clear partial keypresses.
 
     Signals:
         keystring_updated: Emitted when the keystring is updated.
@@ -182,6 +183,8 @@ class BaseKeyParser(QObject):
         self._supports_count = supports_count
         self.bindings = BindingTrie()
         self._read_config()
+        self._partial_timer = usertypes.Timer(self, 'partial-match')
+        self._partial_timer.setSingleShot(True)
         config.instance.changed.connect(self._on_config_changed)
 
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
@@ -302,6 +305,7 @@ class BaseKeyParser(QObject):
         if result.match_type == QKeySequence.SequenceMatch.NoMatch:
             was_count = self._match_count(result.sequence, dry_run)
             if was_count:
+                self._set_partial_timeout()
                 return QKeySequence.SequenceMatch.ExactMatch
 
         if dry_run:
@@ -332,6 +336,7 @@ class BaseKeyParser(QObject):
             self._debug_log("No match for '{}' (added {})".format(
                 result.sequence, info))
             self.keystring_updated.emit(self._count + str(result.sequence))
+            self._set_partial_timeout()
         elif result.match_type == QKeySequence.SequenceMatch.NoMatch:
             self._debug_log("Giving up with '{}', no matches".format(
                 result.sequence))
@@ -362,6 +367,24 @@ class BaseKeyParser(QObject):
         """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
+    def _set_partial_timeout(self):
+        """Set a timeout to clear a partial keystring."""
+        timeout = config.val.input.partial_timeout
+        if timeout != 0:
+            self._partial_timer.setInterval(timeout)
+            self._partial_timer.timeout.connect(self.clear_partial_match)
+            self._partial_timer.start()
+
+    @pyqtSlot()
+    def clear_partial_match(self):
+        """Clear a partial keystring after a timeout."""
+        self._debug_log("Clearing partial keystring {}".format(
+            self._sequence))
+        if self._count:
+            self._count = ''
+        self._sequence = keyutils.KeySequence()
+        self.keystring_updated.emit(str(self._sequence))
+
     def clear_keystring(self) -> None:
         """Clear the currently entered key sequence."""
         if self._sequence:
diff --git a/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py b/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py
index 218fc70c9..b24607aa6 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py
@@ -66,11 +66,7 @@ class CommandKeyParser(basekeyparser.BaseKeyParser):
 
 class NormalKeyParser(CommandKeyParser):
 
-    """KeyParser for normal mode with added STARTCHARS detection and more.
-
-    Attributes:
-        _partial_timer: Timer to clear partial keypresses.
-    """
+    """KeyParser for normal mode with added STARTCHARS detection and more."""
 
     _sequence: keyutils.KeySequence
 
@@ -131,6 +127,15 @@ class NormalKeyParser(CommandKeyParser):
         self._debug_log("Releasing inhibition state of normal mode.")
         self._inhibited = False
 
+    @pyqtSlot()
+    def _stop_timers(self):
+        super()._stop_timers()
+        self._inhibited_timer.stop()
+        try:
+            self._inhibited_timer.timeout.disconnect(self._clear_inhibited)
+        except TypeError:
+            # no connections
+            pass
 
 
 class PassthroughKeyParser(CommandKeyParser):
@@ -187,9 +192,13 @@ class PassthroughKeyParser(CommandKeyParser):
         if dry_run or len(orig_sequence) == 1 or match != QKeySequence.NoMatch:
             return match
 
+        self._forward_keystring(orig_sequence)
+        return QKeySequence.ExactMatch
+
+    def _forward_keystring(self, orig_sequence):
         window = QApplication.focusWindow()
         if window is None:
-            return match
+            return
 
         first = True
         for keyinfo in orig_sequence:
@@ -201,7 +210,11 @@ class PassthroughKeyParser(CommandKeyParser):
             QApplication.postEvent(window, press_event)
             QApplication.postEvent(window, release_event)
 
-        return QKeySequence.ExactMatch
+    @pyqtSlot()
+    def clear_partial_match(self):
+        """Override to forward the original sequence to browser."""
+        self._forward_keystring(self._orig_sequence)
+        self.clear_keystring()
 
     def clear_keystring(self):
         """Override to also clear the original sequence."""
@@ -330,6 +343,19 @@ class HintKeyParser(CommandKeyParser):
         assert count is None
         self._hintmanager.handle_partial_key(cmdstr)
 
+    @pyqtSlot()
+    def clear_partial_match(self):
+        """Override to avoid clearing filter text after a timeout."""
+        if self._last_press != LastPress.filtertext:
+            super().clear_partial_match()
+
+    @pyqtSlot(str)
+    def on_keystring_updated(self, keystr):
+        """Update hintmanager when the keystring was updated."""
+        hintmanager = objreg.get('hintmanager', scope='tab',
+                                 window=self._win_id, tab='current')
+        hintmanager.handle_partial_key(keystr)
+
 
 class RegisterKeyParser(CommandKeyParser):