diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4007594..b86a117 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 ### master
 - update readme
+- extract default keys and key options to `variables.sh` file
 
 ### v1.0.0, 2014-11-09
 - improve `capture-pane`. It is now piped directly to the target file.
diff --git a/logging.tmux b/logging.tmux
index 30a20ec..a0bbfef 100755
--- a/logging.tmux
+++ b/logging.tmux
@@ -2,30 +2,26 @@
 
 CURRENT_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )"
 
-source $CURRENT_DIR/scripts/shared.sh
-
-default_pipe_pane_key="P"           # Shift-p
-default_pane_screenshot_key="M-p"   # Alt-p
-default_scrollback_dump_key="M-P"   # Alt-Shift-p
-default_clear_scrollback_key="M-c"  # Alt-c
+source "$CURRENT_DIR/scripts/shared.sh"
+source "$CURRENT_DIR/scripts/variables.sh"
 
 setup_pipe_pane_key_binding() {
-	local key=$(get_tmux_option "@pipe_pane_key" "$default_pipe_pane_key")
+	local key=$(get_tmux_option "$pipe_pane_key_option" "$default_pipe_pane_key")
 	tmux bind-key "$key" run-shell "$CURRENT_DIR/scripts/tmux_proper_pipe_pane.sh"
 }
 
 setup_pane_screenshot_key_binding() {
-	local key=$(get_tmux_option "@pane_screenshot_key" "$default_pane_screenshot_key")
+	local key=$(get_tmux_option "$pane_screenshot_key_option" "$default_pane_screenshot_key")
 	tmux bind-key "$key" run-shell "$CURRENT_DIR/scripts/tmux_pane_screenshot.sh"
 }
 
 setup_scrollback_dump_key_binding() {
-	local key=$(get_tmux_option "@scrollback_dump_key" "$default_scrollback_dump_key")
+	local key=$(get_tmux_option "$scrollback_dump_key_option" "$default_scrollback_dump_key")
 	tmux bind-key "$key" run-shell "$CURRENT_DIR/scripts/tmux_scrollback_dump.sh"
 }
 
 setup_clear_scrollback_key_binding() {
-	local key=$(get_tmux_option "@scrollback_clear_key" "$default_clear_scrollback_key")
+	local key=$(get_tmux_option "$clear_scrollback_key_option" "$default_clear_scrollback_key")
 	tmux bind-key "$key" run-shell "$CURRENT_DIR/scripts/tmux_scrollback_clear.sh"
 }
 
diff --git a/scripts/variables.sh b/scripts/variables.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f1c259
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/variables.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+pipe_pane_key_option="@pipe-pane-key"
+default_pipe_pane_key="P" # Shift-p
+
+pane_screenshot_key_option="@pane-screenshot-key"
+default_pane_screenshot_key="M-p" # Alt-p
+
+scrollback_dump_key_option="@scrollback-dump-key"
+default_scrollback_dump_key="M-P" # Alt-Shift-p
+
+clear_scrollback_key_option="@scrollback-clear-key"
+default_clear_scrollback_key="M-c" # Alt-c