diff --git a/src/renku/app/main.cpp b/src/renku/app/main.cpp
--- a/src/renku/app/main.cpp
+++ b/src/renku/app/main.cpp
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@
    USA.
 */
 
+#include <QAction>
 #include <QBoxLayout>
 #include <QDockWidget>
 
 #include <KActionCollection>
 
-
 #include <KXmlGuiWindow>
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <KAboutData>
@@ -94,6 +94,10 @@
     auto ac = window->actionCollection();
     ac->addAction(KStandardAction::Quit, window, SLOT(close()));
     for (auto it = actions.constBegin(); it != actions.constEnd(); ++it) {
+        auto shortcut = it.value()->shortcut();
+        if (!shortcut.isEmpty()) {
+            ac->setDefaultShortcut(it.value(), shortcut);
+        }
         ac->addAction(it.key(), it.value());
     }
 
diff --git a/src/renku/kontact/part.cpp b/src/renku/kontact/part.cpp
--- a/src/renku/kontact/part.cpp
+++ b/src/renku/kontact/part.cpp
@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@
 
     auto ac = actionCollection();
     for (auto it = actions.constBegin(); it != actions.constEnd(); ++it) {
+        auto shortcut = it.value()->shortcut();
+        if (!shortcut.isEmpty()) {
+            ac->setDefaultShortcut(it.value(), shortcut);
+        }
         ac->addAction(it.key(), it.value());
     }