diff --git a/notebook/static/notebook/js/actions.js b/notebook/static/notebook/js/actions.js
index 6ff98e9b2..5d4901a9f 100644
--- a/notebook/static/notebook/js/actions.js
+++ b/notebook/static/notebook/js/actions.js
@@ -333,7 +333,9 @@ define(function(require){
             }
         },
         'command-palette': {
-            help_index : 'aa', 
+            help_index : 'aa',
+            help: 'open the command palette',
+            icon: 'fa-search',
             handler : function(env){
                 env.notebook.show_command_palette();
             }
diff --git a/notebook/static/notebook/js/commandpalette.js b/notebook/static/notebook/js/commandpalette.js
index 5da51fe85..9f25f022a 100644
--- a/notebook/static/notebook/js/commandpalette.js
+++ b/notebook/static/notebook/js/commandpalette.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 define(function(require){
     "use strict";
 
+    var QH = require("notebook/js/quickhelp");
     var $ = require("jquery");
     var dialog = require("base/js/dialog");
     var CommandPalette = function(notebook) {
@@ -25,6 +26,23 @@ define(function(require){
 
         container.append(field);
         form.append(container);
+
+        var before_close = function () {
+            // littel trick to trigger early in onSubmit
+            // when the action called pop-up a dialog
+            if(before_close.ok){
+              return;
+            }
+            if (notebook) {
+                var cell = notebook.get_selected_cell();
+                if (cell) cell.select();
+            }
+            if (notebook.keyboard_manager) {
+                notebook.keyboard_manager.enable();
+                notebook.keyboard_manager.command_mode();
+            }
+            before_close.ok = true; // avoid double call.
+        }
         
         var mod = $('<div/>').addClass('modal').append(
           $('<div/>').addClass('modal-dialog')
@@ -43,17 +61,12 @@ define(function(require){
         .modal({show: false, backdrop:true})
         .on('shown.bs.modal', function () {
               input.focus();
+              // click on button trigger de-focus on mouse up.
+              // or somethign like that.
+              setTimeout(function(){ input.focus()},100);
         })
-        .on("hidden.bs.modal", function () {
-            if (notebook) {
-                var cell = notebook.get_selected_cell();
-                if (cell) cell.select();
-            }
-            if (notebook.keyboard_manager) {
-                notebook.keyboard_manager.enable();
-                notebook.keyboard_manager.command_mode();
-            }
-        });
+        .on("hide.bs.modal", before_close);
+        
         
         notebook.keyboard_manager.disable();
 
@@ -61,6 +74,7 @@ define(function(require){
         var onSubmit = function (node, query, result, resultCount) {
                     console.log(node, query, result, resultCount);
                     if (actions.indexOf(result.key) >= 0) {
+                        before_close();
                         IPython.notebook.keyboard_manager.actions.call(result.key);
                     } else {
                         console.log("No command " + result.key)
@@ -95,9 +109,13 @@ define(function(require){
             group = 'built-in';
           }
           src[group] = src[group] || {data:[], display:'display'};
+          var short = IPython.keyboard_manager.command_shortcuts.get_shortcut_for_action_name(actions[i])
+              || IPython.keyboard_manager.edit_shortcuts.get_shortcut_for_action_name(actions[i]);
+          if(short){
+            short = QH.humanize_shortcut( short)
+          }
           src[group].data.push({ display: hum(actions[i]),
-                    shortcut:IPython.keyboard_manager.command_shortcuts.get_shortcut_for_action_name(actions[i])
-                    || IPython.keyboard_manager.edit_shortcuts.get_shortcut_for_action_name(actions[i]),
+                    shortcut:short,
                     key:actions[i],
                     modesht: mode(actions[i]),
                     group:group,
@@ -106,8 +124,8 @@ define(function(require){
                    })
         }
         input.typeahead({
-            emptyTemplate: "No results found for {{query}}",
-            maxItem: 15,
+            emptyTemplate: "No results found for <pre>{{query}}</pre>",
+            maxItem: 1e3,
             minLength: 0,
             hint: true,
             group: ["group", "{{group}} extension"],
@@ -120,7 +138,8 @@ define(function(require){
                 onInit: function () {console.log('this is init') },
                 onSubmit: onSubmit ,
                 onClickAfter: onSubmit
-            }
+            },
+            debug: false,
         })
 
         mod.modal('show')
diff --git a/notebook/static/notebook/js/maintoolbar.js b/notebook/static/notebook/js/maintoolbar.js
index 9be2bf01d..3863e7490 100644
--- a/notebook/static/notebook/js/maintoolbar.js
+++ b/notebook/static/notebook/js/maintoolbar.js
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ define([
             ],
             'run_int'],
          ['<add_celltype_list>'],
-         ['<add_celltoolbar_list>']
+         ['<add_celltoolbar_list>'],
+         [['ipython.command-palette']]
         ];
         this.construct(grps);
     };
diff --git a/notebook/static/notebook/js/quickhelp.js b/notebook/static/notebook/js/quickhelp.js
index 8a46d66bd..377ea3bb4 100644
--- a/notebook/static/notebook/js/quickhelp.js
+++ b/notebook/static/notebook/js/quickhelp.js
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ define([
         // these are the standard symbol that are used in MacOS native menus
         // cf http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/55727/
         // for htmlentities and/or unicode value
+        'meta':'⌘',
         'cmd':'⌘',
         'shift':'⇧',
         'alt':'⌥',
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ define([
     var default_humanize_map = {
         'shift':'Shift',
         'alt':'Alt',
+        'meta': 'Alt',
         'up':'Up',
         'down':'Down',
         'left':'Left',
@@ -144,7 +146,7 @@ define([
         var sh = _.map(shortcut.split('-'), humanize_key ).join(joinchar);
         return sh;
     }
-
+    
 
     QuickHelp.prototype.show_keyboard_shortcuts = function () {
         /**
@@ -292,5 +294,7 @@ define([
         return div;
     };
 
-    return {'QuickHelp': QuickHelp};
+    return {'QuickHelp': QuickHelp,
+      humanize_shortcut: humanize_shortcut
+  };
 });
diff --git a/notebook/static/notebook/less/notebook.less b/notebook/static/notebook/less/notebook.less
index b3a3749be..fda18b1d1 100644
--- a/notebook/static/notebook/less/notebook.less
+++ b/notebook/static/notebook/less/notebook.less
@@ -135,3 +135,8 @@ ul.typeahead-list i{
     width: 18px;
     border: thin solid transparent;
 }
+
+ul.typeahead-list {
+  max-height: 80vh;
+  overflow:auto;
+}