diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/LatinIME.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/LatinIME.java
index 96244b504..9b629ca14 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/LatinIME.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/LatinIME.java
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ public class LatinIME extends InputMethodService implements KeyboardActionListen
     @UsedForTesting final KeyboardSwitcher mKeyboardSwitcher;
     private final SubtypeSwitcher mSubtypeSwitcher;
     private final SubtypeState mSubtypeState = new SubtypeState();
+    private final SpecialKeyDetector mSpecialKeyDetector = new SpecialKeyDetector();
 
     // Object for reacting to adding/removing a dictionary pack.
     private final BroadcastReceiver mDictionaryPackInstallReceiver =
@@ -1589,6 +1590,7 @@ public class LatinIME extends InputMethodService implements KeyboardActionListen
     // Hooks for hardware keyboard
     @Override
     public boolean onKeyDown(final int keyCode, final KeyEvent keyEvent) {
+        mSpecialKeyDetector.onKeyDown(keyEvent);
         if (!ProductionFlags.IS_HARDWARE_KEYBOARD_SUPPORTED) {
             return super.onKeyDown(keyCode, keyEvent);
         }
@@ -1608,12 +1610,16 @@ public class LatinIME extends InputMethodService implements KeyboardActionListen
     }
 
     @Override
-    public boolean onKeyUp(final int keyCode, final KeyEvent event) {
-        final long keyIdentifier = event.getDeviceId() << 32 + event.getKeyCode();
+    public boolean onKeyUp(final int keyCode, final KeyEvent keyEvent) {
+        mSpecialKeyDetector.onKeyUp(keyEvent);
+        if (!ProductionFlags.IS_HARDWARE_KEYBOARD_SUPPORTED) {
+            return super.onKeyUp(keyCode, keyEvent);
+        }
+        final long keyIdentifier = keyEvent.getDeviceId() << 32 + keyEvent.getKeyCode();
         if (mInputLogic.mCurrentlyPressedHardwareKeys.remove(keyIdentifier)) {
             return true;
         }
-        return super.onKeyUp(keyCode, event);
+        return super.onKeyUp(keyCode, keyEvent);
     }
 
     // onKeyDown and onKeyUp are the main events we are interested in. There are two more events
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/SpecialKeyDetector.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/SpecialKeyDetector.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9d6c69ae7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/SpecialKeyDetector.java
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2014, The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.android.inputmethod.latin;
+
+import android.view.KeyEvent;
+
+final class SpecialKeyDetector {
+    /**
+     * Record a down key event.
+     * @param keyEvent a down key event.
+     */
+    public void onKeyDown(final KeyEvent keyEvent) {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Record an up key event.
+     * @param keyEvent an up key event.
+     */
+    public void onKeyUp(final KeyEvent keyEvent) {
+    }
+}