diff --git a/backends/x/event.go b/backends/x/event.go
index 221e5a3..c6c2db7 100644
--- a/backends/x/event.go
+++ b/backends/x/event.go
@@ -66,11 +66,34 @@ func (window *Window) handleKeyPress (
 		NumberPad: numberPad,
 	}
 
-	window.child.Handle (tomo.EventKeyDown {
+	keyDownEvent := tomo.EventKeyDown {
 		Key: key,
 		Modifiers: modifiers,
 		Repeated: false, // FIXME: return correct value here
-	})
+	}
+
+	if keyDownEvent.Key == tomo.KeyTab && keyDownEvent.Modifiers.Alt {
+		if window.child.Selectable() {
+			direction := 1
+			if keyDownEvent.Modifiers.Shift {
+				direction = -1
+			}
+
+			window.advanceSelectionInChild(direction)
+		}
+	} else {
+		window.child.Handle(event)
+	}
+}
+
+func (window *Window) advanceSelectionInChild (direction int) {
+	if window.child.Selected() {
+		if !window.child.AdvanceSelection(direction) {
+			window.child.Handle(tomo.EventDeselect { })
+		}
+	} else {
+		window.child.Handle(tomo.EventSelect { })
+	}
 }
 
 func (window *Window) handleKeyRelease (
diff --git a/tomo.go b/tomo.go
index e880f17..5a1c0b9 100644
--- a/tomo.go
+++ b/tomo.go
@@ -92,17 +92,18 @@ type Element interface {
 	// element contains other selectable elements, it must return true.
 	Selectable () (selectable bool)
 
-	// Selected returns wehther this element is currently selected. This
-	// will always return false if it is not selectable.
+	// Selected returns whether or not this element is currently selected.
+	// This will always return false if it is not selectable.
 	Selected () (selected bool)
 
 	// If this element contains other elements, and one is selected, this
-	// method will advance the selection in the specified direction. If no
-	// children are selected, or there are no more children to be selected
-	// in the specified direction, the element will unselect all of its
-	// children and return false. If the selection could be advanced, it
-	// will return true. If the element contains no child elements, it will
-	// always return false.
+	// method will advance the selection in the specified direction. If
+	// the element contains selectable elements but none of them are
+	// selected, it will select the first selectable element. If there are
+	// no more children to be selected in the specified direction, the
+	// element will return false. If the selection could be advanced, it
+	// will return true. If the element contains no selectable child
+	// elements, it will  always return false.
 	AdvanceSelection (direction int) (ok bool)
 
 	// SetParentHooks gives the element callbacks that let it send