diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/keydown_util.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/keydown_util.js
index 141e76af68..57ea24916a 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/keydown_util.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/keydown_util.js
@@ -3,24 +3,35 @@ set_global('$', global.make_zjquery());
 zrequire('keydown_util');
 
 run_test('test_early_returns', () => {
-    var stub = $.create('stub');
-    var opts = {
+    const stub = $.create('stub');
+    const opts = {
         elem: stub,
-        handlers: {},
+        handlers: {
+            left_arrow: () => {
+                throw Error('do not dispatch this with alt key');
+            },
+        },
     };
 
     keydown_util.handle(opts);
-    var keydown_f = stub.keydown;
+    const keydown_f = stub.keydown;
 
-    var e1 = {
+    const e1 = {
         which: 17, // not in keys
     };
 
     keydown_f(e1);
 
-    var e2 = {
+    const e2 = {
         which: 13, // no handler
     };
 
     keydown_f(e2);
+
+    const e3 = {
+        which: 37,
+        altKey: true, // let browser handle
+    };
+
+    keydown_f(e3);
 });
diff --git a/static/js/keydown_util.js b/static/js/keydown_util.js
index 032871a1fb..17ecf4260c 100644
--- a/static/js/keydown_util.js
+++ b/static/js/keydown_util.js
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ exports.handle = function (opts) {
     opts.elem.keydown(function (e) {
         var key = e.which || e.keyCode;
 
+        if (e.altKey || e.ctrlKey || e.shiftKey) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         var key_name = keys[key];
 
         if (!key_name) {