diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/noteeditor.xml b/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/noteeditor.xml
index 32308e9de..b9377ad18 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/noteeditor.xml
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/noteeditor.xml
@@ -268,11 +268,28 @@
 				<body>
 				<![CDATA[
 					switch (event.keyCode) {
-						// Insert tab manually
 						case 9:
-							if (event.shiftKey || event.ctrlKey || event.altKey) {
+							if (event.ctrlKey || event.altKey) {
 								return;
 							}
+							
+							event.stopPropagation();
+							event.preventDefault();
+							
+							// On shift-tab, focus the element specified in
+							// the 'previousfocus' attribute
+							if (event.shiftKey) {
+								let id = this.getAttribute('previousfocus');
+								if (id) {
+									setTimeout(function () {
+										document.getElementById(id).focus();
+									}, 0);
+								}
+								return;
+							}
+							
+							// Insert tab manually
+							//
 							// From http://kb.mozillazine.org/Inserting_text_at_cursor
 							try {
 								var command = "cmd_insertText";
@@ -289,9 +306,6 @@
 								Zotero.debug("Can't do cmd_insertText!\n" + e, 1);
 							}
 							
-							event.stopPropagation();
-							event.preventDefault();
-							
 							// DEBUG: is there a better way to prevent blur()?
 							setTimeout(function() { event.target.focus(); }, 1);
 							break;
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul b/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul
index 9ccef4206..6e899f589 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
 			
 			<!-- Note item -->
 			<groupbox id="zotero-view-note" flex="1">
-				<zoteronoteeditor id="zotero-note-editor" flex="1" notitle="1"/>
+				<zoteronoteeditor id="zotero-note-editor" flex="1" notitle="1" previousfocus="zotero-items-tree"/>
 				<button id="zotero-view-note-button" label="&zotero.notes.separate;" oncommand="ZoteroPane_Local.openNoteWindow(this.getAttribute('noteID')); if(this.hasAttribute('sourceID')) ZoteroPane_Local.selectItem(this.getAttribute('sourceID'));"/>
 			</groupbox>
 			
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js b/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js
index 62e55501e..b89387b44 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.js
@@ -509,6 +509,19 @@ var ZoteroPane = new function()
 			
 			return;
 		}
+		else if (from == 'zotero-items-tree') {
+			// Focus TinyMCE explicitly on tab key, since the normal focusing
+			// doesn't work right
+			if (!event.shiftKey && event.keyCode == event.DOM_VK_TAB) {
+				var deck = document.getElementById('zotero-item-pane-content');
+				if (deck.selectedPanel.id == 'zotero-view-note') {
+					setTimeout(function () {
+						document.getElementById('zotero-note-editor').focus();
+					}, 0);
+				}
+			}
+			return;
+		}
 		
 		// Ignore keystrokes if Zotero pane is closed
 		var zoteroPane = document.getElementById('zotero-pane-stack');
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.xul b/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.xul
index 77c0800e0..1f1b71eac 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.xul
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/zoteroPane.xul
@@ -331,6 +331,7 @@
 							id="zotero-items-tree" context="zotero-itemmenu"
 							enableColumnDrag="true"
 							onfocus="if (ZoteroPane_Local.itemsView.rowCount &amp;&amp; !ZoteroPane_Local.itemsView.selection.count) { ZoteroPane_Local.itemsView.selection.select(0); }"
+							onkeydown="ZoteroPane_Local.handleKeyDown(event, this.id)"
 							onkeypress="ZoteroPane_Local.handleKeyPress(event, this.id)"
 							onselect="ZoteroPane_Local.itemSelected(event)"
 							ondragstart="if (event.target.localName == 'treechildren') { ZoteroPane_Local.itemsView.onDragStart(event); }"
