diff --git a/src/quiescent/core.cljs b/src/quiescent/core.cljs
index 7061846..7ca2082 100644
--- a/src/quiescent/core.cljs
+++ b/src/quiescent/core.cljs
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@
                         [method (impl-ctor impl)]))))
       opts-map)))
 
+(deftype ValueWithKey [value react-key])
+
+(defn with-key [value react-key]
+  (ValueWithKey. value react-key))
+
 (defn component
   "Return a factory function that will create a ReactElement, using the provided function as the
   'render' method for a ReactJS component, which is created and instantiated behind-the-scenes.
@@ -72,6 +77,11 @@
      :keyfn - a single-argument function which is invoked at component construction time. It is
      passed the component's value, and returns the ReactJS key used to uniquely identify this
      component among its children.
+     The key may also be set by applying a key to the value at call time using the with-key
+     function, e.g. (MyComponent (with-key value key) ...), which will override :keyfn.
+     This has the advantage that neither every component that may be part of a sequence has to
+     implement a :keyfn function nor does the component have to know that fact and how to generate
+     a key which will not be needed by the component for any other purpose.
 
      :name - the name of the element, used for debugging purposes.
 
@@ -135,11 +145,13 @@
                  (build-lifecycle-impls opts))
           react-component (.createClass js/React (clj->js impl))]
       (fn [value & constant-args]
-        (let [props (js-obj)]
-          (set! (.-value props) value)
+        (let [props (js-obj)
+              [real-value react-key] (if (instance? ValueWithKey value)
+                                       [(.-value value) (.-react-key value)]
+                                       [value (when-let [keyfn (:keyfn opts)] (keyfn value))])]
+          (set! (.-value props) real-value)
           (set! (.-constants props) constant-args)
-          (when-let [keyfn (:keyfn opts)]
-            (set! (.-key props) (keyfn value)))
+          (when react-key (set! (.-key props) react-key))
           (.createElement js/React react-component props))))))
 
 (defn unmount