diff --git a/modules/behavior/operation.js b/modules/behavior/operation.js
index cfaf60a22..f4249b254 100644
--- a/modules/behavior/operation.js
+++ b/modules/behavior/operation.js
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ export function behaviorOperation(context) {
         // prevent operations during low zoom selection
         if (!context.map().withinEditableZoom()) return;
 
+        if (_operation.availableForKeypress && !_operation.availableForKeypress()) return;
+
         d3_event.preventDefault();
+
         var disabled = _operation.disabled();
 
         if (disabled) {
diff --git a/modules/operations/copy.js b/modules/operations/copy.js
index d3bfa1c76..9ef7adbe6 100644
--- a/modules/operations/copy.js
+++ b/modules/operations/copy.js
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-import { event as d3_event } from 'd3-selection';
-
 import { t } from '../core/localizer';
 import { behaviorOperation } from '../behavior/operation';
 import { uiCmd } from '../ui/cmd';
@@ -19,10 +17,6 @@ export function operationCopy(context, selectedIDs) {
 
     var operation = function() {
 
-        if (!getSelectionText()) {
-            d3_event.preventDefault();
-        }
-
         var graph = context.graph();
         var selected = groupEntities(getFilteredIdsToCopy(), graph);
         var canCopy = [];
@@ -97,11 +91,6 @@ export function operationCopy(context, selectedIDs) {
     }
 
 
-    function getSelectionText() {
-        return window.getSelection().toString();
-    }
-
-
     operation.available = function() {
         return getFilteredIdsToCopy().length > 0;
     };
@@ -116,6 +105,13 @@ export function operationCopy(context, selectedIDs) {
     };
 
 
+    operation.availableForKeypress = function() {
+        var selection = window.getSelection && window.getSelection();
+        // if the user has text selected then let them copy that, not the selected feature
+        return !selection || !selection.toString();
+    };
+
+
     operation.tooltip = function() {
         var disable = operation.disabled();
         return disable ?