diff --git a/js/ui/layout.js b/js/ui/layout.js
index 61e225066..b178b53c8 100644
--- a/js/ui/layout.js
+++ b/js/ui/layout.js
@@ -639,6 +639,8 @@ const LayoutManager = new Lang.Class({
         this.emit('panel-box-changed');
 
         this._queueUpdateRegions();
+
+        this.emit('startup-complete');
     },
 
     showKeyboard: function () {
diff --git a/js/ui/main.js b/js/ui/main.js
index d3ce7df76..4025bd787 100644
--- a/js/ui/main.js
+++ b/js/ui/main.js
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ let shellDBusService = null;
 let shellMountOpDBusService = null;
 let screenSaverDBus = null;
 let modalCount = 0;
-let keybindingMode = Shell.KeyBindingMode.NORMAL;
+let keybindingMode = Shell.KeyBindingMode.NONE;
 let modalActorFocusStack = [];
 let uiGroup = null;
 let magnifier = null;
@@ -202,6 +202,11 @@ function startSession() {
     layoutManager.connect('startup-prepared', function() {
                               layoutManager.startupAnimation();
                           });
+    layoutManager.connect('startup-complete', function() {
+                              if (keybindingMode == Shell.KeyBindingMode.NONE) {
+                                  keybindingMode = Shell.KeyBindingMode.NORMAL;
+                              }
+                          });
 }
 
 let _workspaces = [];