diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 994798d7..c41cbdb6 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <pre>
 2008-06-xx:
     * version 1.2
+    * don't pass any ctrl- or alt- prefixed keys to firefox in insert mode
     * keywords in :open <arg> have higher priority than local files now
 
 2008-06-03:
diff --git a/content/bookmarks.js b/content/bookmarks.js
index 66cc81e4..40c7d536 100644
--- a/content/bookmarks.js
+++ b/content/bookmarks.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ liberator.Bookmarks = function () //{{{
     function load()
     {
         // update our bookmark cache
-        bookmarks = []; // also clear our bookmark cache
+        bookmarks = [];
         keywords  = [];
 
         var folders = [bookmarksService.toolbarFolder, bookmarksService.bookmarksMenuFolder, bookmarksService.unfiledBookmarksFolder];
diff --git a/content/events.js b/content/events.js
index fa8a2479..5c69b011 100644
--- a/content/events.js
+++ b/content/events.js
@@ -1311,13 +1311,18 @@ liberator.Events = function () //{{{
                     // allow key to be passed to firefox if we can't handle it
                     stop = false;
 
-                    if (liberator.mode == liberator.modes.COMMAND_LINE)
+                    // allow ctrl- or alt- prefixed keys only in NORMAL mode, as it is annoying
+                    // if you press ctrl-o in a textarea and the file->open dialog pops up
+                    if (liberator.mode != liberator.modes.NORMAL && (event.ctrlKey || event.metaKey || event.altKey))
+                    {
+                        stop = true;
+                        liberator.beep();
+                    }
+                    else if (liberator.mode == liberator.modes.COMMAND_LINE)
                     {
                         if (!(liberator.modes.extended & liberator.modes.INPUT_MULTILINE))
-                            stop = !liberator.commandline.onEvent(event); // reroute event in command line mode
+                            liberator.commandline.onEvent(event); // reroute event in command line mode
                     }
-                    else if (liberator.mode != liberator.modes.INSERT)
-                        liberator.beep();
                 }
             }