diff --git a/spec/atom/key-event-handler-spec.coffee b/spec/atom/key-event-handler-spec.coffee
index dea13b7cb..a56923dcf 100644
--- a/spec/atom/key-event-handler-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atom/key-event-handler-spec.coffee
@@ -7,23 +7,28 @@ describe "KeyEventHandler", ->
   beforeEach ->
     handler = new KeyEventHandler
 
-  fdescribe "handleKeypress", ->
-    describe "when there is a mapping in a selector that matches the event's element", ->
-      fragment = null
-      deleteCharHandler = null
-      insertCharHandler = null
+  describe "handleKeypress", ->
+    fragment = null
+    deleteCharHandler = null
+    insertCharHandler = null
 
-      beforeEach ->
-        handler.bindKeys '.command-mode', 'x': 'deleteChar'
-        handler.bindKeys '.insert-mode', 'x': 'insertChar'
+    beforeEach ->
+      handler.bindKeys '.command-mode', 'x': 'deleteChar'
+      handler.bindKeys '.insert-mode', 'x': 'insertChar'
 
-        fragment = $('<div class="command-mode">')
-        deleteCharHandler = jasmine.createSpy 'deleteCharHandler'
-        insertCharHandler = jasmine.createSpy 'insertCharHandler'
-        fragment.on 'deleteChar', deleteCharHandler
-        fragment.on 'insertChar', insertCharHandler
+      fragment = $ """
+        <div class="command-mode">
+          <div class="descendant-node"/>
+        </div>
+      """
 
-      it "only triggers an event based on the key-binding in that selector", ->
+      deleteCharHandler = jasmine.createSpy 'deleteCharHandler'
+      insertCharHandler = jasmine.createSpy 'insertCharHandler'
+      fragment.on 'deleteChar', deleteCharHandler
+      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", ->
         handler.handleKeypress(keypressEvent('x', target: fragment[0]))
         expect(deleteCharHandler).toHaveBeenCalled()
         expect(insertCharHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
@@ -35,3 +40,17 @@ describe "KeyEventHandler", ->
         expect(deleteCharHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
         expect(insertCharHandler).toHaveBeenCalled()
 
+    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", ->
+        target = fragment.find('.descendant-node')[0]
+        handler.handleKeypress(keypressEvent('x', target: target))
+        expect(deleteCharHandler).toHaveBeenCalled()
+        expect(insertCharHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+        deleteCharHandler.reset()
+        fragment.removeClass('command-mode').addClass('insert-mode')
+
+        handler.handleKeypress(keypressEvent('x', target: target))
+        expect(deleteCharHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+        expect(insertCharHandler).toHaveBeenCalled()
+
diff --git a/src/atom/binding-set.coffee b/src/atom/binding-set.coffee
index 13e68399e..796fc68fd 100644
--- a/src/atom/binding-set.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/binding-set.coffee
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class BindingSet
   constructor: (@selector, @bindings) ->
 
   commandForEvent: (event) ->
-    if $(event.target).is(@selector)
+    if @selectorMatchesEvent(event)
       for pattern, command of @bindings
         return command if @eventMatchesPattern(event, pattern)
     null
@@ -44,3 +44,10 @@ class BindingSet
     which: charCode
     key: key
 
+  selectorMatchesEvent: (event) ->
+    currentNode = event.target
+    while currentNode
+      return true if $(currentNode).is(@selector)
+      currentNode = currentNode.parentNode
+    false
+