diff --git a/homeassistant/components/keyboard_remote/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/keyboard_remote/__init__.py
index e3d280c2944..df3b6f0e427 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/keyboard_remote/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/keyboard_remote/__init__.py
@@ -203,22 +203,29 @@ class KeyboardRemote:
         try:
             async for event in self.inotify:
                 descriptor = f"{DEVINPUT}/{event.name}"
-                _LOGGER.debug("got events for %s: %s", descriptor, event.mask)
+                _LOGGER.debug(
+                    "got event for %s: %s",
+                    descriptor,
+                    event.mask,
+                )
 
                 descriptor_active = descriptor in self.active_handlers_by_descriptor
 
                 if (event.mask & Mask.DELETE) and descriptor_active:
+                    _LOGGER.debug("removing: %s", descriptor)
                     handler = self.active_handlers_by_descriptor[descriptor]
                     del self.active_handlers_by_descriptor[descriptor]
                     await handler.async_device_stop_monitoring()
                 elif (
                     (event.mask & Mask.CREATE) or (event.mask & Mask.ATTRIB)
                 ) and not descriptor_active:
+                    _LOGGER.debug("checking new: %s", descriptor)
                     dev, handler = await self.hass.async_add_executor_job(
                         self.get_device_handler, descriptor
                     )
                     if handler is None:
                         continue
+                    _LOGGER.debug("adding: %s", descriptor)
                     self.active_handlers_by_descriptor[descriptor] = handler
                     await handler.async_device_start_monitoring(dev)
         except asyncio.CancelledError:
@@ -244,8 +251,10 @@ class KeyboardRemote:
             self.emulate_key_hold_repeat = dev_block[EMULATE_KEY_HOLD_REPEAT]
             self.monitor_task = None
             self.dev = None
+            self.config_descriptor = dev_block.get(DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR)
+            self.descriptor = None
 
-        async def async_device_keyrepeat(self, path, name, code, delay, repeat):
+        async def async_device_keyrepeat(self, code, delay, repeat):
             """Emulate keyboard delay/repeat behaviour by sending key events on a timer."""
 
             await asyncio.sleep(delay)
@@ -255,8 +264,8 @@ class KeyboardRemote:
                     {
                         KEY_CODE: code,
                         TYPE: "key_hold",
-                        DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR: path,
-                        DEVICE_NAME: name,
+                        DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR: self.descriptor,
+                        DEVICE_NAME: self.dev.name,
                     },
                 )
                 await asyncio.sleep(repeat)
@@ -266,12 +275,21 @@ class KeyboardRemote:
             _LOGGER.debug("Keyboard async_device_start_monitoring, %s", dev.name)
             if self.monitor_task is None:
                 self.dev = dev
+                # set the descriptor to the one provided to the config if any, falling back to the device path if not set
+                if self.config_descriptor:
+                    self.descriptor = self.config_descriptor
+                else:
+                    self.descriptor = self.dev.path
+
                 self.monitor_task = self.hass.async_create_task(
-                    self.async_monitor_input(dev)
+                    self.async_device_monitor_input()
                 )
                 self.hass.bus.async_fire(
                     KEYBOARD_REMOTE_CONNECTED,
-                    {DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR: dev.path, DEVICE_NAME: dev.name},
+                    {
+                        DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR: self.descriptor,
+                        DEVICE_NAME: dev.name,
+                    },
                 )
                 _LOGGER.debug("Keyboard (re-)connected, %s", dev.name)
 
@@ -291,12 +309,16 @@ class KeyboardRemote:
                 self.monitor_task = None
                 self.hass.bus.async_fire(
                     KEYBOARD_REMOTE_DISCONNECTED,
-                    {DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR: self.dev.path, DEVICE_NAME: self.dev.name},
+                    {
+                        DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR: self.descriptor,
+                        DEVICE_NAME: self.dev.name,
+                    },
                 )
                 _LOGGER.debug("Keyboard disconnected, %s", self.dev.name)
                 self.dev = None
+                self.descriptor = self.config_descriptor
 
-        async def async_monitor_input(self, dev):
+        async def async_device_monitor_input(self):
             """Event monitoring loop.
 
             Monitor one device for new events using evdev with asyncio,
@@ -307,19 +329,22 @@ class KeyboardRemote:
 
             try:
                 _LOGGER.debug("Start device monitoring")
-                await self.hass.async_add_executor_job(dev.grab)
-                async for event in dev.async_read_loop():
+                await self.hass.async_add_executor_job(self.dev.grab)
+                async for event in self.dev.async_read_loop():
                     # pylint: disable=no-member
                     if event.type is ecodes.EV_KEY:
                         if event.value in self.key_values:
-                            _LOGGER.debug(categorize(event))
+                            _LOGGER.debug(
+                                "device: %s: %s", self.dev.name, categorize(event)
+                            )
+
                             self.hass.bus.async_fire(
                                 KEYBOARD_REMOTE_COMMAND_RECEIVED,
                                 {
                                     KEY_CODE: event.code,
                                     TYPE: KEY_VALUE_NAME[event.value],
-                                    DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR: dev.path,
-                                    DEVICE_NAME: dev.name,
+                                    DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR: self.descriptor,
+                                    DEVICE_NAME: self.dev.name,
                                 },
                             )
 
@@ -329,8 +354,6 @@ class KeyboardRemote:
                         ):
                             repeat_tasks[event.code] = self.hass.async_create_task(
                                 self.async_device_keyrepeat(
-                                    dev.path,
-                                    dev.name,
                                     event.code,
                                     self.emulate_key_hold_delay,
                                     self.emulate_key_hold_repeat,