diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
     TextWidgets
     XmlGui
     WindowSystem
+    GlobalAccel
     )
 
 include(KDEInstallDirs)
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
     KF5::TextWidgets
     KF5::XmlGui
     KF5::WindowSystem
+    KF5::GlobalAccel
     Qt5::DBus
 )
 target_link_libraries(rsibreak rsibreak_lib)
diff --git a/src/rsidock.cpp b/src/rsidock.cpp
--- a/src/rsidock.cpp
+++ b/src/rsidock.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include <KAboutData>
 #include <KLocalizedString>
 #include <KIconLoader>
+#include <KGlobalAccel>
 #include <QMenu>
 #include <KNotifyConfigWidget>
 #include <KHelpMenu>
@@ -83,6 +84,13 @@
 
     menu->addSeparator();
     m_suspendItem = doAddAction(menu, SmallIcon( "media-playback-pause" ), i18n( "&Suspend RSIBreak" ), this, &RSIDock::slotToggleSuspend );
+    // setting a global shortcut with an empty list will insert an entry in global shortcuts
+    // with no assigned shortcut. user can then set a shortcut for themselves.
+    QString suspendName = aboutData.displayName() + "-suspend-resume";
+    m_suspendItem->setObjectName( suspendName ); // required for KGlobalAccel
+    QList<QKeySequence> emptyShortcuts;
+    KGlobalAccel::setGlobalShortcut( m_suspendItem, emptyShortcuts );
+
     doAddAction(menu, SmallIcon( "view-statistics" ), i18n( "&Usage Statistics" ), this, &RSIDock::slotShowStatistics );
     doAddAction(menu, SmallIcon( "preferences-desktop-notification" ), i18n( "Configure &Notifications..." ), this, &RSIDock::slotConfigureNotifications );
     doAddAction(menu, QIcon::fromTheme( "configure" ), i18n( "&Configure RSIBreak..." ), this, &RSIDock::slotConfigure );