diff --git a/docs/readme.md b/docs/readme.md
index f6e7f37..5544f1b 100644
--- a/docs/readme.md
+++ b/docs/readme.md
@@ -73,13 +73,17 @@ evtest | grep BTN_
 
 **NOTE: For most axis mappings, you probably don't want to specify a deadzone!** Use deadzone configurations in your target game instead. Joyful-configured deadzones are intended to be used in conjunction with the `axis-to-button` and `axis-to-relaxis` input types, or when splitting an axis into multiple outputs. Using them with standard `axis` mappings may result in a loss of fidelity and "stuck" inputs.
 
-There are three ways to specify deadzones:
+Axis inputs can define a list of deadzones. Each deadzone can be specified a few ways:
 
-* Define `deadzone_start` and `deadzone_end` to explicitly set the deadzone bounds.
-* Define `deadzone_center` and `deadzone_size`; this will create a deadzone of the indicated size centered at the given axis position.
-* Define `deadzone_center` and `deadzone_size_percent` to use a percentage of the total axis size.
+* Define `start` and `end` to explicitly set the deadzone bounds.
+* Define `center` and `size`; this will create a deadzone of the indicated size centered at the given axis position.
+* Define `center` and `size_percent` to use a percentage of the total axis size.
 
-See <examples/ruletypes.yml> for usage examples.
+In addition, deadzones can set `emit` to `true` and `emit_value` to a value that should be emitted when inside the deadzone.
+
+**Note**: The `emit_value` is the final output value and should be between -32,768 and 32,767.
+
+See the <examples/> directory for usage examples.
 
 ## Modes
 
diff --git a/internal/mappingrules/rule_target_axis.go b/internal/mappingrules/rule_target_axis.go
index a9b9804..6fa62f6 100644
--- a/internal/mappingrules/rule_target_axis.go
+++ b/internal/mappingrules/rule_target_axis.go
@@ -105,11 +105,19 @@ func NewRuleTargetAxis(device_name string,
 // Typically this function is called after RuleTargetAxis.MatchEvent, which checks whether we are
 // in the deadzone, among other things.
 func (target *RuleTargetAxis) NormalizeValue(value int32) int32 {
+	for _, dz := range target.Deadzones {
+		state, dzValue := dz.Match(value)
+		if state == DeadzoneEmit {
+			return Clamp(dzValue, target.OutputMin, target.OutputMax)
+		}
+	}
+
 	axisStrength := target.GetAxisStrength(value)
 	return LerpInt(target.OutputMin, target.OutputMax, axisStrength)
 }
 
 func (target *RuleTargetAxis) CreateEvent(value int32, mode *string) *evdev.InputEvent {
+	fmt.Println("DEBUG: Emitting event")
 	value = Clamp(value, AxisValueMin, AxisValueMax)
 	return &evdev.InputEvent{
 		Type:  evdev.EV_ABS,
@@ -149,12 +157,6 @@ func (target *RuleTargetAxis) InDeadZone(value int32) bool {
 func (target *RuleTargetAxis) GetAxisStrength(value int32) float64 {
 	adjValue := value
 	for _, dz := range target.Deadzones {
-		state, dzValue := dz.Match(value)
-		if state == DeadzoneEmit {
-			adjValue = dzValue
-			break
-		}
-
 		if value > dz.End {
 			adjValue -= dz.Size
 		}