diff --git a/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/FullRepresentation.qml b/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/FullRepresentation.qml
--- a/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/FullRepresentation.qml
+++ b/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/FullRepresentation.qml
@@ -608,6 +608,51 @@
             }
         }
 
+        // emacs/bash style keybindings
+        if (Qt.ControlModifier) {
+            switch(event.key) {
+                case Qt.Key_N: {
+                    currentView.incrementCurrentIndex();
+                    event.accepted = true;
+                    return;
+                }
+                case Qt.Key_P: {
+                    currentView.decrementCurrentIndex();
+                    event.accepted = true;
+                    return;
+                }
+                case Qt.Key_H: {
+                    header.query = header.query.slice(0, -1);
+                    event.accepted = true;
+                    return;
+                }
+                case Qt.Key_E: {
+                    header.input.cursorPosition = header.query.length;
+                    event.accepted = true;
+                    return;
+                }
+                case Qt.Key_F: {
+                    header.input.cursorPosition += 1;
+                    event.accepted = true;
+                    return;
+                }
+                case Qt.Key_B: {
+                    header.input.cursorPosition -= 1;
+                    event.accepted = true;
+                    return;
+                }
+                case Qt.Key_BracketLeft: {
+                    if (header.state != "query") {
+                        plasmoid.expanded = false;
+                    } else {
+                        header.query = "";
+                    }
+                    event.accepted = true;
+                    return;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         switch(event.key) {
             case Qt.Key_Up: {
                 currentView.decrementCurrentIndex();