diff --git a/src/contactsview.cpp b/src/contactsview.cpp
index 04cd7e3..789dee0 100644
--- a/src/contactsview.cpp
+++ b/src/contactsview.cpp
@@ -338,6 +338,10 @@
     gtk_tree_view_set_headers_visible(GTK_TREE_VIEW(treeview_contacts), FALSE);
     gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(self), treeview_contacts);
 
+    /* disable default search, we will handle it ourselves via LRC;
+     * otherwise the search steals input focus on key presses */
+    gtk_tree_view_set_enable_search(GTK_TREE_VIEW(treeview_contacts), FALSE);
+
     CategorizedContactModel::instance()->setUnreachableHidden(true);
     priv->q_contact_model = new ActiveItemProxyModel(CategorizedContactModel::instance());
     priv->q_contact_model->setSortRole(Qt::DisplayRole);
diff --git a/src/historyview.cpp b/src/historyview.cpp
index 0d96808..16d958f 100644
--- a/src/historyview.cpp
+++ b/src/historyview.cpp
@@ -214,6 +214,10 @@
     gtk_tree_view_set_headers_visible(GTK_TREE_VIEW(treeview_history), TRUE);
     gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(self), treeview_history);
 
+    /* disable default search, we will handle it ourselves via LRC;
+     * otherwise the search steals input focus on key presses */
+    gtk_tree_view_set_enable_search(GTK_TREE_VIEW(treeview_history), FALSE);
+
     /* sort the history in descending order by date */
     priv->q_history_model = new QSortFilterProxyModel();
     priv->q_history_model->setSourceModel(CategorizedHistoryModel::instance());
diff --git a/src/incomingcallview.cpp b/src/incomingcallview.cpp
index 4c057a5..c2d1f6a 100644
--- a/src/incomingcallview.cpp
+++ b/src/incomingcallview.cpp
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@
 incoming_call_view_init(IncomingCallView *view)
 {
     gtk_widget_init_template(GTK_WIDGET(view));
+    gtk_widget_add_events(GTK_WIDGET(view), GDK_KEY_PRESS_MASK);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/ringmainwindow.cpp b/src/ringmainwindow.cpp
index 81ccd63..7a37a55 100644
--- a/src/ringmainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/ringmainwindow.cpp
@@ -185,7 +185,6 @@
         gtk_stack_add_named(GTK_STACK(priv->stack_call_view), new_call_view, new_call_view_name);
         gtk_stack_set_visible_child(GTK_STACK(priv->stack_call_view), new_call_view);
         g_free(new_call_view_name);
-
     } else {
         /* nothing selected in the call model, so show the default screen */
 
@@ -823,6 +822,41 @@
     return TRUE;
 }
 
+static gboolean
+dtmf_pressed(RingMainWindow *win,
+              GdkEventKey *event,
+              G_GNUC_UNUSED gpointer user_data)
+{
+    g_return_val_if_fail(event->type == GDK_KEY_PRESS, GDK_EVENT_PROPAGATE);
+
+    /* we want to react to digit key presses, as long as a GtkEntry is not the
+     * input focus
+     */
+    GtkWidget *focus = gtk_window_get_focus(GTK_WINDOW(win));
+    if (GTK_IS_ENTRY(focus))
+        return GDK_EVENT_PROPAGATE;
+
+    /* make sure that a call is selected*/
+    QItemSelectionModel *selection = CallModel::instance()->selectionModel();
+    QModelIndex idx = selection->currentIndex();
+    if (!idx.isValid())
+        return GDK_EVENT_PROPAGATE;
+
+    /* make sure that the selected call is in progress */
+    Call *call = CallModel::instance()->getCall(idx);
+    Call::LifeCycleState state = call->lifeCycleState();
+    if (state != Call::LifeCycleState::PROGRESS)
+        return GDK_EVENT_PROPAGATE;
+
+    /* pass the character that was entered to be played by the daemon;
+     * the daemon will filter out invalid DTMF characters */
+    guint32 unicode_val = gdk_keyval_to_unicode(event->keyval);
+    QString val = QString::fromUcs4(&unicode_val, 1);
+    call->playDTMF(val);
+    g_debug("attemptingto play DTMF tone during ongoing call: %s", val.toUtf8().constData());
+    return GDK_EVENT_STOP;
+}
+
 static void
 ring_main_window_init(RingMainWindow *win)
 {
@@ -1095,6 +1129,9 @@
             get_active_ring_account(win);
         }
     );
+
+    /* react to digit key press events */
+    g_signal_connect(win, "key-press-event", G_CALLBACK(dtmf_pressed), NULL);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/ui/ringmainwindow.ui b/ui/ringmainwindow.ui
index 60a8dcd..712107a 100644
--- a/ui/ringmainwindow.ui
+++ b/ui/ringmainwindow.ui
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@
                     <property name="visible">True</property>
                     <property name="can_focus">True</property>
                     <property name="headers_visible">False</property>
+                    <property name="enable-search">False</property>
                     <child internal-child="selection">
                       <object class="GtkTreeSelection" id="treeview-selection1"/>
                     </child>