diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 01134672f3..1b6c21dec0 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -126,6 +126,12 @@ version = "1.5.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "c08606f8c3cbf4ce6ec8e28fb0014a2c086708fe954eaa885384a6165172e7e8"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "base64"
+version = "0.22.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "72b3254f16251a8381aa12e40e3c4d2f0199f8c6508fbecb9d91f575e0fbb8c6"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "bitflags"
 version = "1.3.2"
@@ -661,6 +667,7 @@ name = "gitu"
 version = "0.39.0"
 dependencies = [
  "arboard",
+ "base64",
  "cached",
  "chrono",
  "clap",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 70a2afae9f..4ac2f73593 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ strip = true
 arboard = { version = "3.6.1", default-features = false, features = [
     "windows-sys",
 ] }
+base64 = "0.22.1"
 chrono = "0.4.42"
 clap = { version = "4.5.53", features = ["derive"] }
 crossterm = "0.28.1"
diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index b34a02d731..a665a3184c 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::sync::RwLock;
 use std::time::Duration;
 
-use arboard::Clipboard;
 use crossterm::event;
 use crossterm::event::Event;
 use crossterm::event::KeyCode;
@@ -23,6 +22,7 @@ use ratatui::layout::Size;
 use tui_prompts::State as _;
 
 use crate::cli;
+use crate::clipboard::Clipboard;
 use crate::cmd_log::CmdLog;
 use crate::cmd_log::CmdLogEntry;
 use crate::config::Config;
@@ -87,9 +87,7 @@ impl App {
 
         let pending_menu = root_menu(&config).map(PendingMenu::init);
 
-        let clipboard = Clipboard::new()
-            .inspect_err(|e| log::warn!("Couldn't initialize clipboard: {e}"))
-            .ok();
+        let clipboard = Clipboard::new(config.general.use_osc52_clipboard);
 
         let mut app = Self {
             state: State {
diff --git a/src/clipboard.rs b/src/clipboard.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..65479e1061
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/clipboard.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+use base64::{engine::general_purpose::STANDARD, Engine};
+use std::io::{self, Write};
+
+/// Trait for clipboard implementations
+trait ClipboardBackend {
+    fn set_text(&mut self, text: &str) -> Result<(), ClipboardError>;
+}
+
+/// Arboard-based clipboard implementation (system clipboard)
+struct ArboardClipboard {
+    clipboard: arboard::Clipboard,
+}
+
+impl ArboardClipboard {
+    fn new() -> Result<Self, arboard::Error> {
+        Ok(Self {
+            clipboard: arboard::Clipboard::new()?,
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl ClipboardBackend for ArboardClipboard {
+    fn set_text(&mut self, text: &str) -> Result<(), ClipboardError> {
+        self.clipboard
+            .set_text(text)
+            .map_err(|e| ClipboardError::Arboard(e))
+    }
+}
+
+/// OSC 52-based clipboard implementation (terminal escape sequences)
+struct Osc52Clipboard;
+
+impl Osc52Clipboard {
+    fn new() -> Self {
+        Self
+    }
+}
+
+impl ClipboardBackend for Osc52Clipboard {
+    fn set_text(&mut self, text: &str) -> Result<(), ClipboardError> {
+        let encoded = STANDARD.encode(text);
+        let osc52 = format!("\x1b]52;c;{}\x07", encoded);
+
+        // Write directly to stderr to avoid interfering with UI
+        io::stderr().write_all(osc52.as_bytes())?;
+        io::stderr().flush()?;
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+/// Main clipboard wrapper that manages different backend implementations
+pub(crate) struct Clipboard {
+    backend: Box<dyn ClipboardBackend>,
+}
+
+impl Clipboard {
+    /// Creates a new clipboard instance with the preferred backend.
+    /// If use_osc52 is true, uses OSC 52 with arboard as fallback.
+    /// Otherwise, uses only arboard.
+    pub fn new(use_osc52: bool) -> Option<Self> {
+        if use_osc52 {
+            // Prefer OSC 52, fallback to arboard
+            Some(Self {
+                backend: Box::new(Osc52Clipboard::new()),
+            })
+        } else {
+            // Try arboard only
+            ArboardClipboard::new()
+                .inspect_err(|e| log::warn!("Couldn't initialize arboard clipboard: {e}"))
+                .ok()
+                .map(|cb| Self {
+                    backend: Box::new(cb),
+                })
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Sets text to clipboard using the configured backend.
+    pub fn set_text(&mut self, text: String) -> Result<(), ClipboardError> {
+        self.backend.set_text(&text)
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum ClipboardError {
+    Io(io::Error),
+    Arboard(arboard::Error),
+}
+
+impl From<io::Error> for ClipboardError {
+    fn from(err: io::Error) -> Self {
+        ClipboardError::Io(err)
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for ClipboardError {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            ClipboardError::Io(err) => write!(f, "IO error: {}", err),
+            ClipboardError::Arboard(err) => write!(f, "Clipboard error: {}", err),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::error::Error for ClipboardError {}
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 124fe9dddb..0e1c59d991 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ pub struct GeneralConfig {
     pub recent_commits_limit: usize,
     pub mouse_support: bool,
     pub mouse_scroll_lines: usize,
+    pub use_osc52_clipboard: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Default, Debug, Deserialize)]
diff --git a/src/default_config.toml b/src/default_config.toml
index 6483dd50ed..c7409e393b 100644
--- a/src/default_config.toml
+++ b/src/default_config.toml
@@ -21,6 +21,15 @@ mouse_scroll_lines = 3
 # "never" - never prompt when discarding.
 confirm_discard = "line"
 
+# Enable OSC 52 clipboard support for terminals that support it.
+# This allows clipboard operations over SSH and in environments without
+# system clipboard access. Set to true to enable.
+#
+# To test if your terminal supports OSC 52, run this command:
+#   printf '\033]52;c;%s\007' "$(echo -n 'test' | base64)"
+# Then try pasting - if you see 'test', OSC 52 is supported.
+use_osc52_clipboard = false
+
 [style]
 # fg / bg can be either of:
 # - a hex value: "#707070"
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index 5f4ecdc560..5421a18d50 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ pub enum Error {
     ReadOid(git2::Error),
     ArgMustBePositiveNumber,
     ArgInvalidRegex(regex::Error),
-    Clipboard(arboard::Error),
+    Clipboard(crate::clipboard::ClipboardError),
     FindGitRev(git2::Error),
     NoEditorSet,
     GitStatus(git2::Error),
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 2f7e720171..52e59cb7f0 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 pub mod app;
 mod bindings;
 pub mod cli;
+mod clipboard;
 mod cmd_log;
 pub mod config;
 pub mod error;