diff --git a/dom/base/test/useractivation/mochitest.ini b/dom/base/test/useractivation/mochitest.ini
index 9d2ec7daade5..fc1630e7174d 100644
--- a/dom/base/test/useractivation/mochitest.ini
+++ b/dom/base/test/useractivation/mochitest.ini
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ prefs =
   apz.zoom-to-focused-input.enabled=false
 
 [test_useractivation_has_been_activated.html]
+[test_useractivation_key_events.html]
 [test_useractivation_transient.html]
 [test_useractivation_transient_consuming.html]
 [test_clipboard_editor.html]
diff --git a/dom/base/test/useractivation/test_useractivation_key_events.html b/dom/base/test/useractivation/test_useractivation_key_events.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d97906c22bcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dom/base/test/useractivation/test_useractivation_key_events.html
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+<!DOCTYPE HTML>
+<html>
+<head>
+  <title>User activation test: key events</title>
+  <script src="/tests/SimpleTest/SimpleTest.js"></script>
+  <script src="/tests/SimpleTest/EventUtils.js"></script>
+  <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/tests/SimpleTest/test.css" />
+</head>
+<body>
+<script>
+
+function synthesizeKeyAndWait(aKey, aEvent) {
+  let promise = new Promise(aResolve => {
+    document.addEventListener("keydown", function(e) {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      aResolve();
+    }, { once: true });
+  });
+  synthesizeKey(aKey, aEvent, window);
+  return promise;
+}
+
+add_task(async function TestPrintableKey() {
+  let tests = [ 'a', 'b', 'c', 'A', 'B', '1', '2', '3' ];
+
+  for (let key of tests) {
+    SpecialPowers.wrap(document).clearUserGestureActivation();
+    await synthesizeKeyAndWait(key, {});
+    ok(SpecialPowers.wrap(document).hasBeenUserGestureActivated,
+       `check has-been-user-activated for ${key}`);
+    ok(SpecialPowers.wrap(document).hasValidTransientUserGestureActivation,
+       `check has-valid-transient-user-activation for ${key}`);
+  }
+});
+
+add_task(async function TestNonPrintableKey() {
+  let tests = [ [ "KEY_Alt", false],
+                [ "KEY_Backspace", false],
+                [ "KEY_Escape" , false ],
+                [ "KEY_Tab" , false ],
+                // Treat as user input
+                [ "KEY_Enter", true],
+                [ " ", true] ];
+
+  for (let [key, expectedResult] of tests) {
+    SpecialPowers.wrap(document).clearUserGestureActivation();
+    await synthesizeKeyAndWait(key, {});
+    is(SpecialPowers.wrap(document).hasBeenUserGestureActivated, expectedResult,
+       `check has-been-user-activated for "${key}"`);
+    is(SpecialPowers.wrap(document).hasValidTransientUserGestureActivation, expectedResult,
+       `check has-valid-transient-user-activation for "${key}"`);
+  }
+});
+
+add_task(async function TestModifier() {
+  let tests = [ [ 'a', { altKey: true }, false],
+                [ 'a', { ctrlKey: true }, false],
+                [ 'a', { metaKey: true }, false],
+                [ 'a', { osKey: true }, false],
+                [ 'c', { altKey: true }, false ],
+                [ 'c', { osKey: true }, false ],
+                [ 'v', { altKey: true }, false ],
+                [ 'v', { osKey: true }, false ],
+                [ 'x', { altKey: true }, false ],
+                [ 'x', { osKey: true }, false ],
+                // Treat as user input
+                [ 'a', { altGraphKey: true }, true ],
+                [ 'a', { fnKey: true }, true ],
+                [ 'a', { shiftKey: true }, true ],
+                [ 'c', { accelKey: true }, true ],
+                [ 'v', { accelKey: true }, true ],
+                [ 'x', { accelKey: true }, true ] ];
+
+  for (let [key, event, expectedResult] of tests) {
+    SpecialPowers.wrap(document).clearUserGestureActivation();
+    await synthesizeKeyAndWait(key, event);
+    is(SpecialPowers.wrap(document).hasBeenUserGestureActivated, expectedResult,
+       `check has-been-user-activated for ${key} with ${JSON.stringify(event)}`);
+    is(SpecialPowers.wrap(document).hasValidTransientUserGestureActivation, expectedResult,
+       `check has-valid-transient-user-activation for ${key} with ${JSON.stringify(event)}`);
+  }
+});
+
+add_task(async function endTests() {
+  // Reset the activation flag in order not to interfere following test in the
+  // verify mode which would run the test using same document couple times.
+  SpecialPowers.wrap(document).clearUserGestureActivation();
+});
+
+</script>
+</body>
diff --git a/widget/TextEvents.h b/widget/TextEvents.h
index b4c4b9e95c39..4882bc2babd4 100644
--- a/widget/TextEvents.h
+++ b/widget/TextEvents.h
@@ -317,7 +317,16 @@ class WidgetKeyboardEvent : public WidgetInputEvent {
     const bool isEnterOrSpaceKey =
         mKeyNameIndex == KEY_NAME_INDEX_Enter || mKeyCode == NS_VK_SPACE;
     return (PseudoCharCode() || isEnterOrSpaceKey) &&
-           !isCombiningWithOperationKeys;
+           (!isCombiningWithOperationKeys ||
+            // ctrl-c/ctrl-x/ctrl-v is quite common shortcut for clipboard
+            // operation.
+            // XXXedgar, we have to find a better way to handle browser keyboard
+            // shortcut for user activation, instead of just ignoring all
+            // combinations, see bug 1641171.
+            ((mKeyCode == dom::KeyboardEvent_Binding::DOM_VK_C ||
+              mKeyCode == dom::KeyboardEvent_Binding::DOM_VK_V ||
+              mKeyCode == dom::KeyboardEvent_Binding::DOM_VK_X) &&
+             IsAccel()));
   }
 
   /**
