diff --git a/js/ui/popupMenu.js b/js/ui/popupMenu.js
index aca4ae3de..58ca000fa 100644
--- a/js/ui/popupMenu.js
+++ b/js/ui/popupMenu.js
@@ -774,6 +774,12 @@ const PopupSwitchMenuItem = new Lang.Class({
             this.toggle();
         }
 
+        // we allow pressing space to toggle the switch
+        // without closing the menu
+        if (event.type() == Clutter.EventType.KEY_PRESS &&
+            event.get_key_symbol() == Clutter.KEY_space)
+            return;
+
         this.parent(event);
     },
 
diff --git a/js/ui/userMenu.js b/js/ui/userMenu.js
index 7862477bf..6c7de8ed6 100644
--- a/js/ui/userMenu.js
+++ b/js/ui/userMenu.js
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ const UserMenuButton = new Lang.Class({
         this._statusChooser = item;
 
         item = new PopupMenu.PopupSwitchMenuItem(_("Notifications"));
-        item.connect('activate', Lang.bind(this, this._updatePresenceStatus));
+        item.connect('toggled', Lang.bind(this, this._updatePresenceStatus));
         this.menu.addMenuItem(item);
         this._notificationsSwitch = item;