diff --git a/killswitch.py b/killswitch.py
index fd93cedb..499b71e2 100644
--- a/killswitch.py
+++ b/killswitch.py
@@ -113,7 +113,25 @@ def _deep_apply(target: UPDATABLE_DATA, path: str, to_set=None, delete=False):
             # it exists on this level, dont go further
             break
 
-        key, _, path = path.partition('.')
+        elif isinstance(current, Mapping) and any('.' in k and path.startswith(k) for k in current.keys()):
+            # there is a dotted key in here that can be used for this
+            # if theres a dotted key in here (must be a mapping), use that if we can
+
+            keys = current.keys()
+            for k in filter(lambda x: '.' in x, keys):
+                if path.startswith(k):
+                    key = k
+                    path = path.removeprefix(k)
+                    # we assume that the `.` here is for "accessing" the next key.
+                    if path[0] == '.':
+                        path = path[1:]
+
+                if len(path) == 0:
+                    path = key
+                    break
+
+        else:
+            key, _, path = path.partition('.')
 
         if isinstance(current, Mapping):
             current = current[key]  # type: ignore # I really dont know at this point what you want from me mypy.
diff --git a/tests/killswitch.py/test_apply.py b/tests/killswitch.py/test_apply.py
index 5033163e..2bbb20c5 100644
--- a/tests/killswitch.py/test_apply.py
+++ b/tests/killswitch.py/test_apply.py
@@ -72,7 +72,10 @@ def test_get_int(input: str, expected: Optional[int]) -> None:
         ({'depth': {'is': 'important'}}, 'depth.is', '', 'nonexistent', {'depth': {'is': 'nonexistent'}}),
         ([{'test': ['stuff']}], '0.test.0', '', 'things', [{'test': ['things']}]),
         (({'test': {'with': ['a', 'tuple']}},), '0.test.with.0', 'delete', '', ({'test': {'with': ['tuple']}},)),
-        ({'test': ['with a', {'set', 'of', 'stuff'}]}, 'test.1', 'delete', '', {'test': ['with a']})
+        ({'test': ['with a', {'set', 'of', 'stuff'}]}, 'test.1', 'delete', '', {'test': ['with a']}),
+        ({'keys.can.have.': 'dots!'}, 'keys.can.have.', '', '.s!', {'keys.can.have.': '.s!'}),
+        ({'multilevel.keys': {'with.dots': False}}, 'multilevel.keys.with.dots',
+         '', True, {'multilevel.keys': {'with.dots': True}})
     ],
 )
 def test_deep_get(source: UPDATABLE_DATA, key: str, action: str, to_set: Any, result: UPDATABLE_DATA) -> None: