diff --git a/piker/ui/_interaction.py b/piker/ui/_interaction.py
index 2bf46256..70732205 100644
--- a/piker/ui/_interaction.py
+++ b/piker/ui/_interaction.py
@@ -48,11 +48,103 @@ async def handle_viewmode_inputs(
 
         if etype in {QEvent.KeyPress}:
 
-            await view.on_key_press(text, key, mods)
+            # await view.on_key_press(text, key, mods)
+
+            if mods == Qt.ShiftModifier:
+                if view.state['mouseMode'] == ViewBox.PanMode:
+                    view.setMouseMode(ViewBox.RectMode)
+
+            # ctrl
+            ctrl = False
+            if mods == Qt.ControlModifier:
+                ctrl = True
+                view.mode._exec_mode = 'live'
+
+            view._key_active = True
+
+            # ctrl + alt
+            # ctlalt = False
+            # if (QtCore.Qt.AltModifier | QtCore.Qt.ControlModifier) == mods:
+            #     ctlalt = True
+
+            # ctlr-<space>/<l> for "lookup", "search" -> open search tree
+            if ctrl and key in {
+                Qt.Key_L,
+                Qt.Key_Space,
+            }:
+                search = view._chart._lc.godwidget.search
+                search.focus()
+
+            # esc
+            if key == Qt.Key_Escape or (ctrl and key == Qt.Key_C):
+                # ctrl-c as cancel
+                # https://forum.qt.io/topic/532/how-to-catch-ctrl-c-on-a-widget/9
+                view.select_box.clear()
+
+            # cancel order or clear graphics
+            if key == Qt.Key_C or key == Qt.Key_Delete:
+                # delete any lines under the cursor
+                mode = view.mode
+                for line in mode.lines.lines_under_cursor():
+                    mode.book.cancel(uuid=line.oid)
+
+            view._key_buffer.append(text)
+
+            # View modes
+            if key == Qt.Key_R:
+                view.chart.default_view()
+
+            # Order modes: stage orders at the current cursor level
+
+            elif key == Qt.Key_D:  # for "damp eet"
+                view.mode.set_exec('sell')
+
+            elif key == Qt.Key_F:  # for "fillz eet"
+                view.mode.set_exec('buy')
+
+            elif key == Qt.Key_A:
+                view.mode.set_exec('alert')
+
+            # XXX: Leaving this for light reference purposes, there
+            # seems to be some work to at least gawk at for history mgmt.
+
+            # Key presses are used only when mouse mode is RectMode
+            # The following events are implemented:
+            # ctrl-A : zooms out to the default "full" view of the plot
+            # ctrl-+ : moves forward in the zooming stack (if it exists)
+            # ctrl-- : moves backward in the zooming stack (if it exists)
+
+            #     view.scaleHistory(-1)
+            # elif ev.text() in ['+', '=']:
+            #     view.scaleHistory(1)
+            # elif ev.key() == QtCore.Qt.Key_Backspace:
+            #     view.scaleHistory(len(view.axHistory))
+            else:
+                # maybe propagate to parent widget
+                # event.ignore()
+                view._key_active = False
 
         elif etype in {QEvent.KeyRelease}:
 
-            await view.on_key_release(text, key, mods)
+            # await view.on_key_release(text, key, mods)
+            if key == Qt.Key_Shift:
+                # if view.state['mouseMode'] == ViewBox.RectMode:
+                view.setMouseMode(ViewBox.PanMode)
+
+            # ctlalt = False
+            # if (QtCore.Qt.AltModifier | QtCore.Qt.ControlModifier) == mods:
+            #     ctlalt = True
+
+            # if view.state['mouseMode'] == ViewBox.RectMode:
+            # if key == QtCore.Qt.Key_Space:
+            if mods == Qt.ControlModifier or key == QtCore.Qt.Key_Control:
+                view.mode._exec_mode = 'dark'
+
+            if key in {Qt.Key_A, Qt.Key_F, Qt.Key_D}:
+                # remove "staged" level line under cursor position
+                view.mode.lines.unstage_line()
+
+            view._key_active = False
 
 
 class ChartView(ViewBox):
@@ -315,129 +407,12 @@ class ChartView(ViewBox):
                 ev.accept()
                 self.mode.submit_exec()
 
-    # def keyReleaseEvent(self, ev: QtCore.QEvent):
     def keyReleaseEvent(self, event: QtCore.QEvent) -> None:
         '''This routine is rerouted to an async handler.
         '''
         pass
 
-    async def on_key_release(
-
-        self,
-
-        text: str,
-        key: int,  # 3-digit
-        mods: int,  # 7-digit
-
-    ) -> None:
-        """
-        Key release to normally to trigger release of input mode
-
-        """
-        if key == Qt.Key_Shift:
-            # if self.state['mouseMode'] == ViewBox.RectMode:
-            self.setMouseMode(ViewBox.PanMode)
-
-        # ctlalt = False
-        # if (QtCore.Qt.AltModifier | QtCore.Qt.ControlModifier) == mods:
-        #     ctlalt = True
-
-        # if self.state['mouseMode'] == ViewBox.RectMode:
-        # if key == QtCore.Qt.Key_Space:
-        if mods == Qt.ControlModifier or key == QtCore.Qt.Key_Control:
-            self.mode._exec_mode = 'dark'
-
-        if key in {Qt.Key_A, Qt.Key_F, Qt.Key_D}:
-            # remove "staged" level line under cursor position
-            self.mode.lines.unstage_line()
-
-        self._key_active = False
-
     def keyPressEvent(self, event: QtCore.QEvent) -> None:
         '''This routine is rerouted to an async handler.
         '''
         pass
-
-    async def on_key_press(
-
-        self,
-
-        text: str,
-        key: int,  # 3-digit
-        mods: int,  # 7-digit
-
-    ) -> None:
-
-        if mods == Qt.ShiftModifier:
-            if self.state['mouseMode'] == ViewBox.PanMode:
-                self.setMouseMode(ViewBox.RectMode)
-
-        # ctrl
-        ctrl = False
-        if mods == Qt.ControlModifier:
-            ctrl = True
-            self.mode._exec_mode = 'live'
-
-        self._key_active = True
-
-        # ctrl + alt
-        # ctlalt = False
-        # if (QtCore.Qt.AltModifier | QtCore.Qt.ControlModifier) == mods:
-        #     ctlalt = True
-
-        # ctlr-<space>/<l> for "lookup", "search" -> open search tree
-        if ctrl and key in {
-            Qt.Key_L,
-            Qt.Key_Space,
-        }:
-            search = self._chart._lc.godwidget.search
-            search.focus()
-
-        # esc
-        if key == Qt.Key_Escape or (ctrl and key == Qt.Key_C):
-            # ctrl-c as cancel
-            # https://forum.qt.io/topic/532/how-to-catch-ctrl-c-on-a-widget/9
-            self.select_box.clear()
-
-        # cancel order or clear graphics
-        if key == Qt.Key_C or key == Qt.Key_Delete:
-            # delete any lines under the cursor
-            mode = self.mode
-            for line in mode.lines.lines_under_cursor():
-                mode.book.cancel(uuid=line.oid)
-
-        self._key_buffer.append(text)
-
-        # View modes
-        if key == Qt.Key_R:
-            self.chart.default_view()
-
-        # Order modes: stage orders at the current cursor level
-
-        elif key == Qt.Key_D:  # for "damp eet"
-            self.mode.set_exec('sell')
-
-        elif key == Qt.Key_F:  # for "fillz eet"
-            self.mode.set_exec('buy')
-
-        elif key == Qt.Key_A:
-            self.mode.set_exec('alert')
-
-        # XXX: Leaving this for light reference purposes, there
-        # seems to be some work to at least gawk at for history mgmt.
-
-        # Key presses are used only when mouse mode is RectMode
-        # The following events are implemented:
-        # ctrl-A : zooms out to the default "full" self of the plot
-        # ctrl-+ : moves forward in the zooming stack (if it exists)
-        # ctrl-- : moves backward in the zooming stack (if it exists)
-
-        #     self.scaleHistory(-1)
-        # elif ev.text() in ['+', '=']:
-        #     self.scaleHistory(1)
-        # elif ev.key() == QtCore.Qt.Key_Backspace:
-        #     self.scaleHistory(len(self.axHistory))
-        else:
-            # maybe propagate to parent widget
-            # event.ignore()
-            self._key_active = False