diff --git a/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js b/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js
index 417bf556..7af83b05 100644
--- a/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js
+++ b/lib/ace/keyboard/vim.js
@@ -80,6 +80,39 @@ exports.handler = {
             data.lastEvent = "keypress";
         }
     },
+    // on mac, with some keyboard layouts (e.g swedish) ^ starts composition, we don't need it in normal mode
+    updateMacCompositionHandlers: function(editor, enable) {
+        var onCompositionUpdateOverride = function(text) {
+            if (util.currentMode !== "insert") {
+                var el = this.textInput.getElement();
+                el.blur();
+                el.focus();
+                el.value = text;
+            } else {
+                this.onCompositionUpdateOrig(text);
+            }
+        };
+        var onCompositionStartOverride = function(text) {
+            if (util.currentMode === "insert") {            
+                this.onCompositionStartOrig(text);
+            }
+        }
+        if (enable) {
+            if (!editor.onCompositionUpdateOrig) {
+                editor.onCompositionUpdateOrig = editor.onCompositionUpdate;
+                editor.onCompositionUpdate = onCompositionUpdateOverride;
+                editor.onCompositionStartOrig = editor.onCompositionStart;
+                editor.onCompositionStart = onCompositionStartOverride;
+            }
+        } else {
+            if (editor.onCompositionUpdateOrig) {
+                editor.onCompositionUpdate = editor.onCompositionUpdateOrig;
+                editor.onCompositionUpdateOrig = null;
+                editor.onCompositionStart = editor.onCompositionStartOrig;
+                editor.onCompositionStartOrig = null;
+            }
+        }
+    },
 
     handleKeyboard: function(data, hashId, key, keyCode, e) {
         // ignore command keys (shift, ctrl etc.)
@@ -132,12 +165,15 @@ exports.handler = {
         if (util.currentMode !== "insert")
             cmds.coreCommands.stop.exec(editor);
         editor.$vimModeHandler = this;
+        
+        this.updateMacCompositionHandlers(editor, true);
     },
 
     detach: function(editor) {
         editor.removeListener("click", exports.onCursorMove);
         util.noMode(editor);
         util.currentMode = "normal";
+        this.updateMacCompositionHandlers(editor, false);
     },
 
     actions: cmds.actions,