diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index aa1abec..6fa3e0e 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -52,8 +52,7 @@ function keyDownHandler(event: KeyboardEvent) {
     }
 
     if (elementToFire && shouldFire) {
-      fireDeterminedAction(elementToFire, sequenceTracker.path)
-      event.preventDefault()
+      if (fireDeterminedAction(elementToFire, sequenceTracker.path)) event.preventDefault()
     }
 
     sequenceTracker.reset()
diff --git a/src/utils.ts b/src/utils.ts
index d0aab12..5a96a38 100644
--- a/src/utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils.ts
@@ -21,15 +21,17 @@ export function isFormField(element: Node): boolean {
   )
 }
 
-export function fireDeterminedAction(el: HTMLElement, path: readonly NormalizedHotkeyString[]): void {
+export function fireDeterminedAction(el: HTMLElement, path: readonly NormalizedHotkeyString[]): boolean {
   const delegateEvent = new CustomEvent('hotkey-fire', {cancelable: true, detail: {path}})
   const cancelled = !el.dispatchEvent(delegateEvent)
-  if (cancelled) return
+  if (cancelled) return false
+
   if (isFormField(el)) {
     el.focus()
   } else {
     el.click()
   }
+  return true
 }
 
 export function expandHotkeyToEdges(hotkey: string): NormalizedHotkeyString[][] {
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index 5119ded..753e0ed 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -46,8 +46,10 @@ describe('hotkey', function () {
   describe('single key support', function () {
     it('triggers buttons that have a `data-hotkey` attribute', function () {
       setHTML('<button id="button1" data-hotkey="b">Button 1</button>')
-      document.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', {key: 'b'}))
+      const event = new KeyboardEvent('keydown', {cancelable: true, key: 'b'})
+      document.dispatchEvent(event)
       assert.include(elementsActivated, 'button1')
+      assert.ok(event.defaultPrevented, 'should call preventDefault on keydown event')
     })
 
     it('triggers buttons that get hotkey passed in as second argument', function () {
@@ -118,8 +120,10 @@ describe('hotkey', function () {
     it('wont trigger action if the hotkey-fire event is cancelled', function () {
       setHTML('<button id="button1" data-hotkey="Shift+B">Button 1</button>')
       document.querySelector('#button1').addEventListener('hotkey-fire', event => event.preventDefault())
-      document.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', {shiftKey: true, code: 'KeyB', key: 'B'}))
+      const event = new KeyboardEvent('keydown', {cancelable: true, shiftKey: true, code: 'KeyB', key: 'B'})
+      document.dispatchEvent(event)
       assert.notInclude(elementsActivated, 'button1')
+      assert.equal(event.defaultPrevented, false, 'should not prevent the keydown event when cancelled')
     })
 
     it('supports comma as a hotkey', function () {