diff --git a/client/client.ts b/client/client.ts
index 081b95e8..e51c410d 100644
--- a/client/client.ts
+++ b/client/client.ts
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ export class Client {
 
   // CodeMirror editor
   editorView!: EditorView;
-  keyHandlerCompartment?: Compartment;
+  commandKeyHandlerCompartment?: Compartment;
   indentUnitCompartment?: Compartment;
   undoHistoryCompartment?: Compartment;
 
diff --git a/client/client_system.ts b/client/client_system.ts
index cff4f2c7..69e09fdf 100644
--- a/client/client_system.ts
+++ b/client/client_system.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import { languageSyscalls } from "./plugos/syscalls/language.ts";
 import { codeWidgetSyscalls } from "./plugos/syscalls/code_widget.ts";
 import { clientCodeWidgetSyscalls } from "./plugos/syscalls/client_code_widget.ts";
 import { KVPrimitivesManifestCache } from "./plugos/manifest_cache.ts";
-import { createKeyBindings } from "./codemirror/editor_state.ts";
+import { createCommandKeyBindings } from "./codemirror/editor_state.ts";
 import type { DataStoreMQ } from "./data/mq.datastore.ts";
 import { jsonschemaSyscalls } from "./plugos/syscalls/jsonschema.ts";
 import { luaSyscalls } from "./plugos/syscalls/lua.ts";
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ export class ClientSystem {
         });
         // Replace the key mapping compartment (keybindings)
         this.client.editorView.dispatch({
-          effects: this.client.keyHandlerCompartment?.reconfigure(
-            createKeyBindings(this.client),
+          effects: this.client.commandKeyHandlerCompartment?.reconfigure(
+            createCommandKeyBindings(this.client),
           ),
         });
       },
diff --git a/client/codemirror/editor_state.ts b/client/codemirror/editor_state.ts
index f366fe28..5a42802c 100644
--- a/client/codemirror/editor_state.ts
+++ b/client/codemirror/editor_state.ts
@@ -60,11 +60,15 @@ export function createEditorState(
 ): EditorState {
   let touchCount = 0;
 
-  // Ugly: keep the keyhandler compartment in the client, to be replaced later once more commands are loaded
-  client.keyHandlerCompartment = new Compartment();
-  const keyBindings = client.keyHandlerCompartment.of(
-    createKeyBindings(client),
+  // Ugly: keep the commandKeyHandler compartment in the client, to be replaced
+  // later once more commands are loaded
+  client.commandKeyHandlerCompartment = new Compartment();
+  const commandKeyBindings = client.commandKeyHandlerCompartment.of(
+    createCommandKeyBindings(client),
   );
+  // Regular key bindings are not dynamically updated and do not require a
+  // compartment.
+  const regularKeyBindings = createRegularKeyBindings(client);
 
   client.indentUnitCompartment = new Compartment();
   const indentUnits = client.indentUnitCompartment.of(
@@ -82,6 +86,12 @@ export function createEditorState(
         dark: client.ui.viewState.uiOptions.darkMode,
       }),
 
+      // Insert our command key bindings *before* vim mode. Vim in normal-mode is
+      // greedy and captures all key events, preventing them from reaching our
+      // own handlers to trigger commands. This will mean some vim-mode
+      // bindings wont trigger if they have the same keys.
+      commandKeyBindings,
+
       // Enable vim mode, or not
       [
         ...client.ui.viewState.uiOptions.vimMode
@@ -183,7 +193,7 @@ export function createEditorState(
         },
       ]),
       disableSpellcheck(["InlineCode", "CodeText", "CodeInfo", "FrontMatter"]),
-      keyBindings,
+      regularKeyBindings,
       EditorView.domEventHandlers({
         // This may result in duplicated touch events on mobile devices
         touchmove: () => {
@@ -331,7 +341,7 @@ export function isValidEditor(
     (currentEditor !== undefined && requiredEditor === "notpage");
 }
 
-export function createCommandKeyBindings(client: Client): KeyBinding[] {
+export function createCommandKeyBindings(client: Client): Extension {
   const commandKeyBindings: KeyBinding[] = [];
 
   // Then add bindings for plug commands
@@ -386,17 +396,16 @@ export function createCommandKeyBindings(client: Client): KeyBinding[] {
     }
   }
 
-  return commandKeyBindings;
+  return keymap.of([
+    ...commandKeyBindings,
+  ]);
 }
 
-export function createKeyBindings(client: Client): Extension {
+export function createRegularKeyBindings(client: Client): Extension {
   if (client.isDocumentEditor()) {
-    return keymap.of([
-      ...createCommandKeyBindings(client),
-    ]);
+    return keymap.of([]);
   } else {
     return keymap.of([
-      ...createCommandKeyBindings(client),
       ...createSmartQuoteKeyBindings(client),
       ...closeBracketsKeymap,
       ...client.ui.viewState.uiOptions.vimMode
diff --git a/client/components/mini_editor.tsx b/client/components/mini_editor.tsx
index 7bda8bfa..3b554a4d 100644
--- a/client/components/mini_editor.tsx
+++ b/client/components/mini_editor.tsx
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ export function MiniEditor(
       doc: text,
       extensions: [
         EditorView.theme({}, { dark: darkMode }),
+        // Insert command bindings before vim-mode to ensure they're available
+        // in normal mode. See editor_state.ts for more details.
+        createCommandKeyBindings(globalThis.client),
         // Enable vim mode, or not
         [...vimMode ? [vim()] : []],
         [
@@ -182,7 +185,6 @@ export function MiniEditor(
           },
           ...standardKeymap,
           ...historyKeymap,
-          ...createCommandKeyBindings(globalThis.client),
         ]),
         EditorView.domEventHandlers({
           click: (e) => {