diff --git a/blocks/editable/index.js b/blocks/editable/index.js
index fd78d1c7b017d..3aad67fe1f40d 100644
--- a/blocks/editable/index.js
+++ b/blocks/editable/index.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import 'element-closest';
  */
 import { createElement, Component, renderToString } from 'element';
 import { parse, pasteHandler } from '../api';
-import { BACKSPACE, DELETE, ENTER, UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT } from 'utils/keycodes';
+import { BACKSPACE, DELETE, ENTER } from 'utils/keycodes';
 
 /**
  * Internal dependencies
@@ -230,41 +230,10 @@ export default class Editable extends Component {
 	}
 
 	onKeyDown( event ) {
-		const { keyCode } = event;
-		const moveUp = ( keyCode === UP || keyCode === LEFT ) && this.isStartOfEditor();
-		const moveDown = ( keyCode === DOWN || keyCode === RIGHT ) && this.isEndOfEditor();
-		const selectors = [
-			'*[contenteditable="true"]',
-			'*[tabindex]',
-			'textarea',
-			'input',
-		].join( ',' );
-
-		if ( moveUp || moveDown ) {
-			const rootNode = this.editor.getBody();
-			const focusableNodes = Array.from( document.querySelectorAll( selectors ) );
-
-			if ( moveUp ) {
-				focusableNodes.reverse();
-			}
-
-			const targetNode = focusableNodes
-				.slice( focusableNodes.indexOf( rootNode ) )
-				.reduce( ( result, node ) => {
-					return result || ( node.contains( rootNode ) ? null : node );
-				}, null );
-
-			if ( targetNode ) {
-				targetNode.focus();
-				event.preventDefault();
-				event.stopImmediatePropagation();
-			}
-		}
-
 		if (
 			this.props.onMerge && (
-				( keyCode === BACKSPACE && this.isStartOfEditor() ) ||
-				( keyCode === DELETE && this.isEndOfEditor() )
+				( event.keyCode === BACKSPACE && this.isStartOfEditor() ) ||
+				( event.keyCode === DELETE && this.isEndOfEditor() )
 			)
 		) {
 			const forward = event.keyCode === DELETE;
diff --git a/editor/modes/visual-editor/block.js b/editor/modes/visual-editor/block.js
index 696710a407551..a7ab22ed8791c 100644
--- a/editor/modes/visual-editor/block.js
+++ b/editor/modes/visual-editor/block.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import CSSTransitionGroup from 'react-transition-group/CSSTransitionGroup';
  * WordPress dependencies
  */
 import { Children, Component } from 'element';
-import { BACKSPACE, ESCAPE, DELETE } from 'utils/keycodes';
+import { BACKSPACE, ESCAPE, DELETE, UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT } from 'utils/keycodes';
 import { getBlockType, getBlockDefaultClassname } from 'blocks';
 import { __, sprintf } from 'i18n';
 
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ class VisualEditorBlock extends Component {
 		this.mergeBlocks = this.mergeBlocks.bind( this );
 		this.onFocus = this.onFocus.bind( this );
 		this.onPointerDown = this.onPointerDown.bind( this );
+		this.onKeyDown = this.onKeyDown.bind( this );
+		this.onKeyUp = this.onKeyUp.bind( this );
+		this.handleArrowKey = this.handleArrowKey.bind( this );
 		this.previousOffset = null;
 	}
 
@@ -234,6 +237,63 @@ class VisualEditorBlock extends Component {
 		this.props.onSelect();
 	}
 
+	onKeyDown( event ) {
+		const { keyCode } = event;
+
+		this.handleArrowKey( event );
+
+		if ( keyCode === UP || keyCode === LEFT || keyCode === DOWN || keyCode === RIGHT ) {
+			const selection = window.getSelection();
+			this.lastRange = selection.rangeCount ? selection.getRangeAt( 0 ) : null;
+		}
+	}
+
+	onKeyUp( event ) {
+		this.removeOrDeselect( event );
+		this.handleArrowKey( event );
+	}
+
+	handleArrowKey( event ) {
+		const { keyCode, target } = event;
+		const moveUp = ( keyCode === UP || keyCode === LEFT );
+		const moveDown = ( keyCode === DOWN || keyCode === RIGHT );
+		const selectors = [
+			'*[contenteditable="true"]',
+			'*[tabindex]',
+			'textarea',
+			'input',
+		].join( ',' );
+
+		if ( moveUp || moveDown ) {
+			const selection = window.getSelection();
+			const range = selection.rangeCount ? selection.getRangeAt( 0 ) : null;
+
+			// If there's no movement, so we're either at the end of start, or
+			// no text input at all.
+			if ( range !== this.lastRange ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			const focusableNodes = Array.from( document.querySelectorAll( selectors ) );
+
+			if ( moveUp ) {
+				focusableNodes.reverse();
+			}
+
+			const targetNode = focusableNodes
+				.slice( focusableNodes.indexOf( target ) )
+				.reduce( ( result, node ) => {
+					return result || ( node.contains( target ) ? null : node );
+				}, null );
+
+			if ( targetNode ) {
+				targetNode.focus();
+			}
+		}
+
+		delete this.lastRange;
+	}
+
 	render() {
 		const { block, multiSelectedBlockUids } = this.props;
 		const blockType = getBlockType( block.name );
@@ -278,7 +338,8 @@ class VisualEditorBlock extends Component {
 		return (
 			<div
 				ref={ this.bindBlockNode }
-				onKeyDown={ this.removeOrDeselect }
+				onKeyDown={ this.onKeyDown }
+				onKeyUp={ this.onKeyUp }
 				onFocus={ this.onFocus }
 				onMouseMove={ this.maybeHover }
 				onMouseEnter={ this.maybeHover }