diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/services/shortcuts/shortcuts-service.ts b/polygerrit-ui/app/services/shortcuts/shortcuts-service.ts
index 09cebd0..8c17578 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/services/shortcuts/shortcuts-service.ts
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/services/shortcuts/shortcuts-service.ts
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@
   private comboKeyLastPressed: {key?: ComboKey; timestampMs?: number} = {};
 
   /** Keeps track of the corresponding user preference. */
-  private shortcutsDisabled = false;
+  // visible for testing
+  shortcutsDisabled = false;
 
   private readonly keydownListener: (e: KeyboardEvent) => void;
 
@@ -155,11 +156,10 @@
     element: HTMLElement,
     shortcut: Binding,
     listener: (e: KeyboardEvent) => void,
-    options: ShortcutOptions = {
-      shouldSuppress: true,
-      doNotPrevent: false,
-    }
+    options?: ShortcutOptions
   ) {
+    const optShouldSuppress = options?.shouldSuppress ?? true;
+    const optDoNotPrevent = options?.doNotPrevent ?? false;
     const wrappedListener = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
       if (e.repeat && !shortcut.allowRepeat) return;
       if (!eventMatchesShortcut(e, shortcut)) return;
@@ -168,13 +168,13 @@
       } else {
         if (this.isInComboKeyMode()) return;
       }
-      if (options.shouldSuppress && shouldSuppress(e)) return;
+      if (optShouldSuppress && shouldSuppress(e)) return;
       // `shortcutsDisabled` refers to disabling global shortcuts like 'n'. If
       // `shouldSuppress` is false (e.g.for Ctrl - ENTER), then don't disable
       // the shortcut.
-      if (options.shouldSuppress && this.shortcutsDisabled) return;
-      if (!options.doNotPrevent) e.preventDefault();
-      if (!options.doNotPrevent) e.stopPropagation();
+      if (optShouldSuppress && this.shortcutsDisabled) return;
+      if (!optDoNotPrevent) e.preventDefault();
+      if (!optDoNotPrevent) e.stopPropagation();
       this.reportTriggered(e);
       listener(e);
     };
diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/services/shortcuts/shortcuts-service_test.ts b/polygerrit-ui/app/services/shortcuts/shortcuts-service_test.ts
index 69c371e..35da84e 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/services/shortcuts/shortcuts-service_test.ts
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/services/shortcuts/shortcuts-service_test.ts
@@ -10,9 +10,12 @@
   ShortcutsService,
 } from '../../services/shortcuts/shortcuts-service';
 import {Shortcut, ShortcutSection} from './shortcuts-config';
-import {SinonFakeTimers} from 'sinon';
-import {Key, Modifier} from '../../utils/dom-util';
+import {SinonFakeTimers, SinonSpy} from 'sinon';
+import {Binding, Key, Modifier} from '../../utils/dom-util';
 import {getAppContext} from '../app-context';
+import {pressKey} from '../../test/test-utils';
+
+const KEY_A: Binding = {key: 'a'};
 
 suite('shortcuts-service tests', () => {
   let service: ShortcutsService;
@@ -34,6 +37,64 @@
     );
   });
 
+  suite('addShortcut()', () => {
+    let el: HTMLElement;
+    let listener: SinonSpy<[KeyboardEvent], void>;
+
+    setup(() => {
+      el = document.createElement('div');
+      listener = sinon.spy() as SinonSpy<[KeyboardEvent], void>;
+    });
+
+    test('standard call', () => {
+      service.addShortcut(el, KEY_A, listener);
+      pressKey(el, KEY_A.key);
+      assert.isTrue(listener.calledOnce);
+    });
+
+    test('doNotPrevent option default false', () => {
+      service.addShortcut(el, KEY_A, listener);
+      pressKey(el, KEY_A.key);
+      assert.isTrue(listener.calledOnce);
+      assert.isTrue(listener.lastCall.firstArg?.defaultPrevented);
+    });
+
+    test('doNotPrevent option force false', () => {
+      service.addShortcut(el, KEY_A, listener, {doNotPrevent: false});
+      pressKey(el, KEY_A.key);
+      assert.isTrue(listener.calledOnce);
+      assert.isTrue(listener.lastCall.firstArg?.defaultPrevented);
+    });
+
+    test('doNotPrevent option force true', () => {
+      service.addShortcut(el, KEY_A, listener, {doNotPrevent: true});
+      pressKey(el, KEY_A.key);
+      assert.isTrue(listener.calledOnce);
+      assert.isFalse(listener.lastCall.firstArg?.defaultPrevented);
+    });
+
+    test('shouldSuppress option default true', () => {
+      service.shortcutsDisabled = true;
+      service.addShortcut(el, KEY_A, listener);
+      pressKey(el, KEY_A.key);
+      assert.isTrue(listener.notCalled);
+    });
+
+    test('shouldSuppress option force true', () => {
+      service.shortcutsDisabled = true;
+      service.addShortcut(el, KEY_A, listener, {shouldSuppress: true});
+      pressKey(el, KEY_A.key);
+      assert.isTrue(listener.notCalled);
+    });
+
+    test('shouldSuppress option force false', () => {
+      service.shortcutsDisabled = true;
+      service.addShortcut(el, KEY_A, listener, {shouldSuppress: false});
+      pressKey(el, KEY_A.key);
+      assert.isTrue(listener.calledOnce);
+    });
+  });
+
   suite('binding descriptions', () => {
     function mapToObject<K, V>(m: Map<K, V>) {
       const o: any = {};
diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/test/test-utils.ts b/polygerrit-ui/app/test/test-utils.ts
index f7e6672..98c7c14 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/test/test-utils.ts
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/test/test-utils.ts
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@
   const eventOptions = {
     key,
     bubbles: true,
+    cancelable: true,
     composed: true,
     altKey: modifiers.includes(Modifier.ALT_KEY),
     ctrlKey: modifiers.includes(Modifier.CTRL_KEY),