diff --git a/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee b/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
index 8c7bed58a..0adf9b533 100644
--- a/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
@@ -142,17 +142,17 @@ describe "Editor", ->
           editor.aceEditor.onCommandKey event, 0, event.which
           expect(handler.handleKeyEvent).toHaveBeenCalled()
 
-        describe "if the atom key event handler returns false, indicating that it did not handle the event", ->
+        describe "if the atom key event handler returns true, indicating that it did not handle the event", ->
           beforeEach ->
-            returnValue = false
+            returnValue = true
 
           it "does not stop the propagation of the event, allowing Ace to handle it as normal", ->
             editor.aceEditor.onCommandKey event, 0, event.which
             expect(event.stopPropagation).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
 
-        describe "if the atom key event handler returns true, indicating that it handled the event", ->
+        describe "if the atom key event handler returns false, indicating that it handled the event", ->
           beforeEach ->
-            returnValue = true
+            returnValue = false
 
           it "stops propagation of the event, so Ace does not attempt to handle it", ->
             editor.aceEditor.onCommandKey event, 0, event.which
diff --git a/spec/atom/global-keymap-spec.coffee b/spec/atom/global-keymap-spec.coffee
index ecc083cb5..f608e0b85 100644
--- a/spec/atom/global-keymap-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atom/global-keymap-spec.coffee
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@ describe "GlobalKeymap", ->
       fragment.on 'insertChar', insertCharHandler
 
     describe "when the event's target node matches a selector with a matching binding", ->
-      it "triggers the command event associated with that binding on the target node and returns true", ->
+      it "triggers the command event associated with that binding on the target node and returns false", ->
         result = keymap.handleKeyEvent(keypressEvent('x', target: fragment[0]))
-        expect(result).toBeTruthy()
+        expect(result).toBe(false)
         expect(deleteCharHandler).toHaveBeenCalled()
         expect(insertCharHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
 
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ describe "GlobalKeymap", ->
         expect(insertCharHandler).toHaveBeenCalled()
 
     describe "when no binding matches the event", ->
-      it "returns false", ->
-        expect(keymap.handleKeyEvent(keypressEvent('0', target: fragment[0]))).toBe(false)
+      it "returns true, so the event continues to propagate", ->
+        expect(keymap.handleKeyEvent(keypressEvent('0', target: fragment[0]))).toBeTruthy()
 
     describe "when the event's target node *descends* from a selector with a matching binding", ->
-      it "triggers the command event associated with that binding on the target node and returns true", ->
+      it "triggers the command event associated with that binding on the target node and returns false", ->
         target = fragment.find('.child-node')[0]
         result = keymap.handleKeyEvent(keypressEvent('x', target: target))
-        expect(result).toBeTruthy()
+        expect(result).toBe(false)
         expect(deleteCharHandler).toHaveBeenCalled()
         expect(insertCharHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
 
diff --git a/src/atom/global-keymap.coffee b/src/atom/global-keymap.coffee
index 1a7bbdc82..3f83dff04 100644
--- a/src/atom/global-keymap.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/global-keymap.coffee
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ class GlobalKeymap
       for bindingSet in candidateBindingSets
         if command = bindingSet.commandForEvent(event)
           $(event.target).trigger(command)
-          return true
+          return false
       currentNode = currentNode.parent()
-    false
+    true
 
   reset: ->
     @BindingSets = []